The Dangerous Unraveling of the U.S.-Turkish Alliance

The United States and Turkey are on a collision course. Although the two countries have been NATO allies for nearly 70 years, that partnership has gradually deteriorated over the past few years, as Washington wondered if it could rely on Turkey and Ankara feared that the United States didn’t take its security concerns seriously. In the last six months, however, relations have taken a real nose-dive.

In July, Turkey acquired advanced Russian air defense systems over U.S. objections, and in October, it targeted Syrian Kurdish militias allied with the United States as part of an incursion into northern Syria. The United States responded to both developments with indignation and a raft of punitive measures: the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump refused to deliver advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, sanctioned senior Turkish officials, and raised tariffs on Turkish steel exports, while Congress advanced legislation that would impose powerful.

U.S. President Donald Trump must not push his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan away, instead, find ways for refined dialogue and practical solutions to avoid further deterioration of the relations between two NATO allies, Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

“To find a better way forward, the two presidents should task their top diplomats with exploring practical solutions away from the glare of politics,” Foreign Affairs said.

The new U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, Ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield, and Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey could work with Turkish counterparts who also want to preserve the bilateral relations,  the magazine said.

Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems and a series of foreign policy conflicts, such as the disputes over Syria, have raised tensions between Ankara and Washington.

Washington maintains the Russian S-400 missile systems could compromise U.S. intelligence and allows Russia to gain information about the F-35’s technology. The Trump administration last month ejected Turkey from the U.S.-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme over the purchase. Besides, there is a bipartisan agreement at the U.S. Congress that measures should be taken over the S-400 purchase, with bills passed this year requiring sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

However, keeping the ways for dialogue open would not exclude tougher options, according to Foreign Affairs.

“Turkey will almost certainly deploy the S-400 system, and this action should incur a firm U.S. response,” the magazine said, adding that the Trump administration could avoid harshest measures for now.

Regarding Syria, the United States should continue talks with Turkey, and Trump should encourage the resumption of the Turkish states peace talks with the Kurdish militia by using his close relations with Erdoğan, Foreign Affairs said.

“As fraught as relations may be at the moment, U.S. interests will suffer if the relationship between the two countries breaks down completely, or if Turkey becomes an actual adversary of the United States,” it said.