National Security Establishment Member calls for abandoning base in Turkey...

via Breaking Defense.

Over the last several years, it has become increasingly apparent that Turkey has operated against U.S. interests in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. It hindered American military operations against ISIS in Syria, set back progress in the long-running Cypriot peace negotiations in 2014 and 2017, and – despite repeated warnings – purchased and received Russia’s S-400 air defense system, which represents a grave threat to NATO and U.S. security. In response to the latter, Washington suspended Turkey from the F-35 partner program.

When asked about growing concerns about the safety of these nuclear weapons in light of deteriorating U.S.-Turkey ties, former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James noted that – hypothetically – if such weapons did require relocation, removing them from Incirlik would be a “complicated operation [that] would require negotiations with the [new host] nation.”

Nevertheless, the United States should prioritize moving these weapons to a more stable and secure European facility, such as Aviano Air Base, Italy. There is simply no longer a strategic necessity for maintaining a nuclear arsenal in Turkey as the United States has other nuclear forces available for deterring Russia.

Second, Washington should relocate the 39th Air Wing and its various support functions; Cyprus and Greece are excellent alternatives. For the former, its Akrotiri Air Base is already home to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and it has runways and facilities akin to Incirlik; moreover, it is still near the Middle Eastern theatre but has the added advantage of being located on European soil.

Choosing Cyprus would send Turkey a clear message that the United States is no longer prepared to tolerate Turkey’s illegal oil exploration and naval harassment within the Cypriot exclusive economic zone.

Here 

About time.  No.  This is LONG PAST DUE!!!!

One thing annoys.  Relocating our nukes from Turkey to another host nation is hardly a show stopper. 

Get them out now, send them to the US and then conduct negotiations at our leisure.

Let's get real.

If the nuclear genie is ever uncorked then a few hundred tactical nukes will make no difference to our response.  Quite honestly we could probably fly them from the United States and drop them by B-52, B-1 or B-2 before we get host nation approval to get them into the fight anyway...assuming it would make a difference that is.

Turkey has abandoned us long ago.  We should follow their lead and return the favor.  As a parting gesture we should sink their economy thru sanctions that will chill the souls of every economics professor in that country.

Will they run to China?  Maybe.  But at the end of the day China needs us more than they need Turkey.  We should dare them to break the sanctions and if they do then they get more of the same.

Patty cake playing should be over.  Time to get medieval on this clown.