Turkey Reveals the Location of American Bases in Syria

On Monday, the Turkish state-run media, Andalu, published the locations of 10 U.S. military activity in Northern Syria. The article included maps with specific locations of eight military posts and two air bases close to the Turkish border.

The Pentagon expressed concern  about the exposure saying it posed an unnecessary risk for coalition forces. Despite the opposition from the U.S., Turkish media loyal to the ruling Turkish AK Party have already threatened to release additional information about U.S. movements.

The move comes only a week after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travelled to Ankara in an effort to repair fraying U.S.-Turkish relations. The U.S. expanded intelligence sharing and cooperation with the Turks in May of this year.

The action were likely retaliation by the Turkish government for what they perceive as U.S. support for the Kurdish People’s Protection units (YPG) operating in Northern Syria. The YPG operates as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the U.S. supports.

Turkey has criticized the US government during both the Obama and Trump administrations for backing Kurdish forces in the effort to fight the Islamic State. Turkey alleges the YPG is directly under the control of the Turkey based Kurdish group the PKK. The US, Turkey, and EU list the PKK as a terror organization.

Turkey’s national security council claimed that the weapons provided to YPG have come into possession of PKK showing that the two organizations are tied together.

U.S. Central Command has publicly supported arguments that the SDF has no ties to the PKK.

Since the end of the Cold War, the US and Turkey have had a military alliance. However, the relationship has faced tensions since the US began to support the Kurdish fighters in the region.

Turkey has had its share of double standards as it has supported various terror groups in the region. Turkey has been known supporter of Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, AlNusra/Al-Qaeda affiliates that are designated terrorists by the US, EU, Egypt, Russia, and Israel. For example, Muslim Brotherhood has set up television stations in Ankara to propagate its message. In 2015, when Qatar was going to deport Hamas leader, Khaled Mashaal, Turkey’s foreign minister declared that he would welcome him to Turkey. The Army of Conquest, which is an alliance of Salafist Syrian rebels is dominated by Al- Qaeda affiliates.

Turkey’s action is just the latest evidence of worsening ties between Turkey and its NATO allies. For example, the recent announcement that Turkey had agreed to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system, instead of U.S. alternatives.

Germany told its citizens to use caution when traveling to Turkey. This statement comes at the heel of the arrest several human rights activists by Turkish government including a German citizen. Germany is also in the process of withdrawing from the NATO airbase at Incirlik due to Turkish provocations, including arresting a German reporter and utilizing Turkish funded mosques as centers for Turkish espionage efforts.

The US must come to terms with Turkey’s continued willingness to undermine the NATO alliance in pursuit of its own, contrary objectives.

Furthermore, since Erdogan’s ascendance to power, the nation is moving away from secularism and towards an increasing authoritarianism

It is time to reevaluate Turkey’s role as a NATO partner, and take steps to mitigate the damage Turkey can do to NATO interests. Germany is making the right decision to divest itself from relying on Turkish NATO assets, including the Incirlik airbase, and U.S. and other NATO allies should likewise prepare for a coming breach with Turkey.