[illumin8]

I don't understand why the west, including us in the US, even put up with Erdogan's regime at all. I remember when Erdogan's personal bodyguards decided to start attacking peacefully protesting US residents in Washington DC in open street violence. They didn't even get arrested (diplomatic immunity I suppose) for assaulting US residents and citizens protesting against his brutal non-democratically elected regime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LraNlv__AU4

It infuriates me that this injustice was allowed to stand. Are we just going to let brutal dictators visit the US and cause open violence on our streets against peaceful demonstrators exercising their 1st amendment rights?

[pixl97]

> even put up with Erdogan's regime at all.

Because like it or not they play a critical card in NATO strategy against Russia.

[asdff]

Probably against china or any threat as well. Turkey houses nuclear weaponry. I'd imagine its globally reaching vs only being in range of Russia, as having some redundancy between launch sites is probably good for your side of world war three.

[illumin8]

Good point. I think NATO will realize eventually he's more allied with Putin than he is with the west.