Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin warned on Thursday that the next series of sanctions against Turkey are coming “soon” unless that nation immediately gives in to demands to free jailed American pastor Andrew Brunson.
In recent weeks, the US has sanctioned a pair of Turkish cabinet members, and dramatically increased tariffs against the nation, fueling anger among Turkish leaders and creating economic uncertainty across the region.
Obviously this raises the stakes of the US imposing more sanctions. The Qatari government already felt the need to pledge $15 billion in funding to prevent the collapse of the Turkish lira and try to stabilize them in this time of crisis. It’s not clear how much more they’d be willing to contribute if the US just keeps making things worse.
Some are also predicting this will lead to further US hostility toward Qatar as well. In all likelihood, Qatar feels they owe Turkey such help since Turkey came to their aid when Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a region-wide blockade. Since the US has large numbers of troops positioned in Qatar and Turkey, it’s not clear they could afford to alienate both by escalating the diplomatic conflict too far.
This jailed pastor, what did he do? Is the US position that he did not receive a fair trial? This doesn’t even seem to be part of the discussion. I would lead with that every single time.
To trump’s base, the important thing, whatever he did, he is forgiven.
Cut the nose to spite the face–that’s the US.
Washington is so full of itself that it will soon sanction nearly every country on earth, if it does they don’t follow every little whim Washington demands. There seems to be the belief that there are no consequences.
I’m sure Putin is jazzed. I hope the old bible-thumper is worth it.