In my mind, this takes Turkey out of the role of an ally of Israel, the United States, or NATO and consequences should follow. The hope, clearly present during the Bush administration and thus far in the Obama administration, that Turkey would somehow moderate and that Erdogan and his aim for Turkey to reestablish the Ottoman Empire would fall by the wayside has all but evaporated. Turkey is rapidly becoming a serious, even a grave, problem for Democracy in the Middle East. It poses at least as great a threat to the future of American foreign policy in the region as Iran and is being treated as if it has done nothing wrong. The United States needs to state publicly that Turkey’s actions and rhetoric are jeopardizing its standing as an ally of the West and that the consequences for continuing on this path will be severe.

Haaretz has, as many in the media have for every problem encountered by Israel, blamed Israel for the deteriorating relationship. It was because of the “botched” Israeli raid that everything fell apart. Not because of the terrorist supporting Islamist Hamas loving attitude of the government of Turkey which has allied itself with Israel’s enemies! Not because of the fact that Turkey sponsored an effort to break a blockade being conducted by its “ally” in order to aid its mortal enemy! No, it was because Israel failed to allow the flotilla to reach Gaza! Or perhaps, it levies this criticism because Haaretz knows how to prevent a passenger ship carrying several hundred people including violent militants from reaching shore without causing a humanitarian disaster or an outcry by disabling the ship in the middle of the ocean and holding hundreds of activists hostage for weeks while foreign governments condemn Israel. The more I have looked at what Israel did, the fewer options make sense. Once Turkey sponsored this flotilla, there was no good result to be obtained. Once activists on board turned themselves into militants, a result of nine fatalities is practically miraculously mild. It is an amazing result achieved by exceedingly well trained soldiers who subdued dozens more actively hostile militants without lethal force while saving the lives of their companions which were in danger of being lost.

The only real question that must be asked concerning Israeli action is the following, “Is the blockade a needed security measure?” If it is then those trying to break it are threatening Israeli security. Doing so is an act of war. Turkey committed an act of war against Israel and now seeks that Israel apologize and pay damages for having defended itself against said act of war. In fact, if the world had any sanity, Israel would be seeking an apology from Turkey. The United States, which supports Israel’s blockade of the terrorist Hamas entity, should be demanding one from Turkey as well for a whole lot more.

TURKEY, T-U-R-K-E-Y, is at fault here in so many ways that it boggles the mind. What kind of friend would offer support and sponsorship of a flotilla of ships to break a blockade designed to maintain the security of its ally in order to aid that ally’s sworn enemy??? Please tell me!

What kind of friend would go out of its way to violate the security needs of Israel and the US as well as the other nations working to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons by negotiating its own agreement solely for the purpose of aiding one of the worst enemies of the democratic world and the primary enemy of its “close friend” Israel??? Please tell me!

The United States should quietly let PM Erdogan know that continuing to pursue this path will jeopardize Turkey’s standing in NATO along with all economic agreements and potentially render it a state sponsor of terror. Remember, Hamas is a recognized terrorist organization and Iran is a terror sponsoring nation. Being friendly with them should not in any way be considered defensible, much less meritorious. Enough!