Which Way Does Turkey Break, Russia or USA?

Sounds like a funny question since Turkey has been a US ally for a long time,
witness, two strategic US Air Force bases in Turkey, Incirlik and Izmir. But that was then and this is now.

Many in the West agree that Erdogan has in recent years, has more sided with the Muslim population now,
and also has been a decent ally to Russia. Note how despite the US sanctions for it,
Turkey has purchased Russia's best SAMs, the A-400, angering Washington.

So here is a story that perhaps helps solidify where the relationships may be headed, long term.
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Turkey's Erdogan says Biden comments on Putin 'unacceptable'

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Joe Biden’s comments about Russia’s Vladimir Putin, in which he said he thought he was a killer, were “unacceptable” and unfitting of a U.S. president.

In a TV interview broadcast on Wednesday, Biden said “I do” when asked if he believed Putin was a killer, prompting U.S.-Russia ties to sink to a new low. Putin later responded that “he who said it, did it.”

“Mr. Biden’s statements about Mr. Putin are not fitting of a president, and a president coming out and using such remarks against the president of a country like Russia is truly unacceptable, not something that can be stomached,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.
---------------------------- The Reuters.


Please note, Erdogan could have chosen to remain silent (neutral) on this issue, but perhaps
he just wanted to make a statement to the US, NATO, and the rest of the West



https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-reaction-erdogan/turkeys-erdogan-says-biden-comments-on-putin-unacceptable-idUSKBN2BB167

Turkey has always tried to play both sides of the fence, East and West. That's their theme - uniting Roman Empire and Islamic Caliphate and profiting from leadership of both.

Turkey has no real love for Russia. They are rivals for territory and both consider themselves to be defenders of "their people" - Slavs or Turks - who are in direct competition for control of the Black Sea and Caucasus.

@Duchess64

99.8% Muslim?? Please! Here's what the CIA Factbook does not tell you.


Due to the nature of this method, the official number of Muslims include people with no religion; converted people and anyone who is of a different religion from their Muslim parents, but has not applied for a change of their individual records.

Now that's deception.

The post that was quoted here has been removed

What does this tell you - "... but has not applied for a change of their individual records."

Change their records...? according to you, there are no records.

Who ya going to believe, me or wiki

Erdogan is a nutjob. And he’s dismanteling secularism at a tremendous speed in Turkey.

Even the majority of muslims in Turkey accepted secularism. Like universities and public servents not wearing religious clothing (that’s changed).
This suits the rural population. Which makes up a significant part of the population.
The urban population is less happy about it.

The Turks aren’t big fans of the Kurds and view even official Kurdish political parties as terrorist. And Erdogan is cracking down on the Kurds, and using the goodwill of that to push through even more reforms.

Turkey always wanted to join the EU. Erdogan’s politics make that impossible. So, he’s looked towards other allies to suck up to.
And lo! and behold! There’s Russia. Russia doesn’t like a strong EU. Or, to put it more correctly Putin and his oligarchs don’t like EU restrictions on their schemes to make money.
And there’s a wedding forged in hell, if ever there was one.

The post that was quoted here has been removed

Turkey might remember the Chechen cause (harbouring many Chechen refugees since the 1800’s when Russia first started ethnically cleansing the Caucauses), but Erdogan is no friend of the Chechens. Indeed, since he’s shuffled closer to Putin, the Chechens are ever more becoming persona non grata in Turkey.