(ConservativeInsider.org) – US-Turkey relations have become a bit strained in recent weeks as US lawmakers voice their disapproval of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s abrasive foreign policies. As this situation plays out, the US is also expanding its military footprint just over the border in Greece.
A new agreement between Greece and the US expands the military facility at Souda Bay, including the permanent stationing of USS Hershel “Woody” Williams. A senior State Department Official commented on the strategy during a briefing on September 29. They implied the adjustments being made in Greece are “apples and oranges in terms of our operations in Turkey, which are important but stand on their own.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Greece upon his departure for the new agreement:
Departing Greece today, gratified by the extraordinary progress we’ve made in U.S.-Greece relations since my visit last year. I welcome Greece’s role as a pillar of stability in the region. pic.twitter.com/Q13Y7HEJy5
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 30, 2020
The official stance of the State Department does not tie the increased US military presence in Greece to the rising tensions with Turkey; the latter may house US nuclear weapons at our military base in Incirlik. However, when reading between the lines, the United States may be preparing a withdrawal if tensions with Turkey’s President Erdogan continue to grow.
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