Meeting with his Turkish counterpart on Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that “the clock had run out” on Turkey to meet US demands to release an American pastor detained since 2016. He says Turkey is now “on notice.”
Brunson, like a lot of people, was arrested after the failed coup d’etat in Turkey, and the government has accused him of having ties to banned cleric Fethullah Gulen. The US insists the claim is false, and insists Turkey must release him, and every other American currently held.
While Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu had agreed to resolve the situation in a meeting with Pompeo, he also says that the threatening language and sanctions from the US won’t get them anywhere.
Pompeo showed no sign that the sanctions would stop, however, saying this is “one of the many issues that we have with the Turks.” He said the sanctions are meant to show Turkey that the US is “serious” about the issue.
At least The Trump administration is trying to do something
What a schoolyard bully. Is the “gun cocked” too? Just pathetic. The pastor must be guilty or we wouldn’t want our asset back to this degree.
Why no mention of the names of the other Americans held? They must be Atheists. We only concern ourselves with evangelicals like Pompeo and Pence.
You don’t give Turks ultimatum, cause they just may take over your missile silos and shut down all your bases.
Which Americans *were* involved in that coup? That must be a subject the Turks are raising. No mention?
If Pompeo wants his spy back, he should just make an offer.
Yes, swop for Gulen.
One CIA asset for another.
Always sanctions, always in a rush, no counter offer eg Gulen given to the Turks- the US has to be bossy and unable to negotiate or take time to think.
Kick them out of NATO! Then arm their neighbors.
Pompeo doesn’t realize that the US’s power to bully Turkey is not what it used to be. China, Russia, Iran, and maybe India will all stand with Turkey. Its only ally is Israel. The Saudis won’t touch it.
We won’t tell anybody, but the real reason for sanctions is because you’re buying the S-400 air defense system from Russia. Either buy our junk or we will sanction you. … What do you mean Patriots don’t work?
Patriots won’t shoot down Israeli attackers. The S-400 might.