Why Is The U.S. Taking Back Its Patriot batteries from Turkey?
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Paz Shabtai
After the United States had said earlier this month that it would withdraw two Patriot missile-defense batteries from the border between Turkey and Syria, some have been raising suspicions that the decision was made after negotiations with Turkey regarding the war against the Islamic State has run aground – suspicions that were increased after U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, demanded that Turkey step up its participation in the war against the Islamic State, even though Ankara has officially joined the U.S-led war in Syria at the end of July.
The Pentagon put out a joint statement by Washington and NATO ally Turkey saying that the Patriot batteries, which were sent to Turkey in 2013 to protect against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, would return to the U.S. by October. The joint statement made no reference to the Turkish airstrikes in northwestern Iraq against the Kurdish Workers Party, which Turkey began after agreeing to allow the U.S. to use the huge Incirlik airbase in Turkey for strikes against ISIS in Syria, and which were criticized heavily by Europe culminating in Germany’s withdrawl of its Turkey-stationed Patriot batteries after its mission in Turkey expires in January 2016.
American publications have regarded this act as a sign that the Pentagon believes the risk of Syrian Army missile attacks has eased since the Patriots deployment in Turkey in 2013. American officials have said the antimissile systems would be needed elsewhere to defend against threats from Iran and North Korea. The joint statement mentioned that the United States and Nato are committed to supporting Turkey’s security and regional stability, and that “If needed, the United States is prepared to return Patriot assets and personnel to Turkey within one week.” Despite the American apparent willingness, its disagreements, to put it lightly, with Turkey are no secret. Erdogan had until recently supported Islamist forces in Syria and used the “war on IS” as cover in order to take action against the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian satellite YPG, which the United States works with in the fight against ISIS. Turkey’s attacks against U.S. tactic allies, although presented diplomatically, could very well be the reason for the disagreements between the two states and the eventual withdrawl of most of Turkey’s patriot batteris along the Syrian border.
This seperation could signify a new direction for Turkey, one which was suppsedly avoided when it agreed to cooperate with the U.S. in the fight against the Islamic State. Now, Turkey is, again, looking towards China for its aerial defense systems. Erdogan has visited China on the end of last July, with his mind apparently on this very matter. “The visit’s most important topic will be the negotiations between China and Turkey on defense systems,” an unnamed Turkish official told Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman. Although nothing has yet been announced, the contact itself could perhaps signify Turkey’s drift from the western countries being considered as military allies. This after not only agreeing to cooperate with the inhernetly western mission to fight the Islamic State, but also only a few years after Turkey has considered purchasing such defense systems from either Europe, United States and even Israel with its Arrow-2 anti ballistic missile system. Such a deal would have required approval from Washington as it has funded some of its development.
Turkey has also considered purchasing some Israeli developed surface-air systems against low flying aircraft. All these negotiations were cut when the relations between Jeruslem and Ankara were severed.
