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The US dispute with Turkey over Russian weapons could mean more problems on NATO's 'most troublesome' front
The US dispute with Turkey over Russian weapons could mean more problems on NATO's 'most troublesome' front
Nov 20, 2019, 22:01 IST
Turkey is not only NATO's second-largest military, behind the US. It also anchors the alliance in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
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The Cold War is over, but Turkey and its military remain important to NATO because of something most of the rest of the alliance can't do.
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NATO officials have said repeatedly that the alliance's relations with Turkey, and Turkish involvement in NATO operations, continue unimpeded.
But Turkey need not divorce its NATO allies for the alliance to be seriously weakened.
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Without Turkey's involvement, Romania and Bulgaria would be the only two NATO member-states on the Black Sea.
Ukraine and Georgia are not in NATO, but both are under pressure from Russia and have drawn close to the alliance.
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Greece doesn't border the Black Sea but is in NATO and has a history of contentious relations with Turkey, which could be exacerbated if Ankara spurns NATO.
While Turkey may be a problem for NATO, it's not the only one in the neighborhood.