Turkey Hints at Ousting US from Incirlik Air Base

DM Expresses Annoyance Over Lack of US Air Support in al-Bab

by Jason Ditz, 

While Pentagon officials yesterday were bragging up their overflights of warplanes over the ISIS city of al-Bab, being attacked by Turkey, as “a show of force” meant to support the Turkish invasion, Turkish officials clearly don’t see it that way, and are even considering expelling the US warplanes from Inciirlik Air Base outright over the lack of actual help.

Defense Minister Fikri Isik warned that there was “serious disappointment” in the US not providing aerial support for the al-Bab offensive, warning it was harming public support and leading to serious questions among Turkish officials over the status of Incirlik.

Pentagon spokesman Col. John Dorrian said a Turkish expulsion of US forces from the base would be “disastrous” for the war, insisting that “the entire world has been made safer” by US warplanes being able to fly out of Incirlik Air Base.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu echeod the concerns, insisting that while the US is “a very important ally,” there is a sense that Turkey should not give them access to the air base if they are not going to support Turkey in fighting against ISIS or the Kurds.