Political correctness should never trump security and yet, in NATO, it does: NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen has appointed a Turkish diplomat closely allied to Turkey’s pro-Hamas, pro-Iranian president Abdullah Gul to be NATO’s new deputy for planning. During the Bosnia campaign, certain NATO members tipped off Serbs about NATO operations. Given the strategic threats emanating from Turkey’s allies in the Middle East, placing a Turkish official in any sensitive capacity seems a recipe for disaster.
It is time to recognize that under the watch of both President Bush and President Obama, Turkey has become more of an adversary than an ally.