TRUMP: BULL IN CHINA SHOP ON TURKISH SANCTIONS

SANCTIONS SHOULD BE USED SPARINGLY..

OVER USE WILL SIMPLY WEAKEN THEIR POTENCY AND USEFULNESS

Right now Mr. Trump has imposed or increased sanctions on  world-girdling group of nations including North Korea, Venezuela, Iran, Russia, Turkey, and God knows where else.

The US threat of sactions can wear thin as the cadre of “sanctionees” grows so big as to be able to band band together to thumb their nose at the US and ignore the US President’s bluster.  That would be a worry and embarrassment too. .

Today, we learn that President Trump has slapped tough sanctions on Turkey one of our most important allies on the eastern margins of Europe.  The Turkish Lira has dropped in value relative to the dollar by as uch as 11%.  That will hurt Turkish citizenry and probably many of our own US enterprises which do business with Turkey.

What evil did Mr. Erdogan commit?  Mr. Recep Erdogan will not release the Evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson, imprisoned  in Trukey where he is accused of aiding the terrorist group that attempted a coup d’etat against Erdogan in 2016.  We do not know what the facts are...and whether or not Brunson is guilty or not.  But just because he is  a US citizen does not mean he is without question “innocent”.  We should have the facts first.  As for President Trump, who is willing to sit down and talk with our-long time (if unwarranted) enemies—the Iranian mullahs—- without preconditions—-perhaps with Mr. Erdogan (a long time ally) more “jaw jaw” and less “sancttions sanctions” would be a better option than the blunt force used by Trump in this case.

Trump is making it clear—-he dearly wants to hold on to his evangelical base in the coming elections..but bringing  down the entire Turkish economy of one of our most important allies is not the way to go.

There is just so much bluster and bullying  to the national honor and self-respect a proud nation (and its leaders) could tolerate.  To force the Turks and Erdogan to kneel at the feet  of the “US emperor” will not improve our relationships or garner peace and prosperity. It could only lead to more conflict.
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The more preferable US posture would be to keep the massive,  raw US economic and military power encased in its traditional velvet glove rather than exposing the hard brass knuckles therein.

No one in the USA wants to see Erdogan fall or the Trukish economy collapse.  There must be a better way.