Daily Editorial Analysis for 27th December 2019

Cracks in the relic

Paper: GS-II

Topic:  Internation relation, regional and global groupings

For Prelims: NATO

For Mains: U.S- Turkey relations and impact on geopolitics of the world.

In News: Rising tensions in U.S.-Turkey relations are threatening to upset the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) unity.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmentalmilitary alliance between 29 North American and European countries.
• The organization implements the North Atlantic Treatythat was signed on 4 April 1949.
• NATO constitutes a system of collective defencewhereby its independent member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.
• NATO’s Headquartersare located in Evere, Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium.
• Since its founding, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 29.
• The most recent member state to be addedto NATO is Montenegro on 5 June 2017.
• NATO currently recognizes Bosnia, Herzegovina, Georgia, NorthMacedoniaand Ukraine as aspiring members.
• An additional 21 countries participate in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs.
• The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the global total.
• Members agreed that their aim is to reach or maintain the target defense spending of at least 2% of GDPby 2024.

Objective of NATO

• NATO’s purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
• POLITICAL– NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
• MILITARY– NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management These are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO’s founding treaty – Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations.

What are the reasons in rising tensions in U.S.-Turkey relations are threatening to upset the NATO unity

The U.S. and Turkey are the largest and second-largest standing armies of NATO, respectively.

• Sanction in purchasing weapons from Russia:
  • In the latest of a series of incidents, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has threatened to shut down two U.S. bases in retaliation for the proposed American sanctions on Ankara over purchasing Russian weapons.
  • There are U.S. nuclear warheads in the Incirlik airbase, a critical facility for American operations in West Asia. Mr. Erdoğan has warned that Incirlik and the Kurecik radar base would be shut if there are sanctions.
• Washington’s refusal to extradite Fethullah Gülen: S.-Turkey ties began slumping in recent years after Washington’s refusal to extradite Fethullah Gülen, a U.S.-based Turkish Islamic preacher who is accused by Ankara of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup against Mr. Erdoğan.
• The U.S. decision to arm and assist Kurdish rebels in Syria against the Islamic State was another blow. Ankara sees the People’s Protection Units, the main Syrian Kurdish militia that became an American ally in the anti-IS war, as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party, the Kurdish militia on the Turkish side.
• Turkey moved closer towards Russia: In return, Turkey moved closer towards Russia, now trying to raise its regional profile, and invaded Kurdish held towns in northern Syria earlier this year.
• Turkey’s decision to purchase the Russian S-400 missile system despite U.S.-NATO opposition was the tipping point. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, NATO — founded as a Soviet counterweight remained as a vehicle of western military might and continued to expand to Russia’s borders, creating tensions between Russia and the West in the recent past.
• NATO significance is questioned?S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron have used the words “obsolete” and “brain death”, respectively for NATO. Fast deteriorating ties between the U.S. and Turkey is adding to the crisis.
• Suspension F-35 programme by the US:
  • The Trump administration has already suspended Turkey from the F-35 programme, citing concerns over Russia spying on the fighter jet’s capabilities using the S-400 system’s radar.
  • Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a Bill seeking sanctions on Turkey over the S-400 purchase and the Syria offensive.
  • But Ankara seems determined to go ahead with the S-400 deal and even buy advanced Russian aircraft if the U.S. does not deliver the F-35s.
  • And with threats to shut down Incirlik and Kurecik bases, it is now clear that the cracks are wide open.

Conclusion

• The downturn in Turkey’s relations with the U.S. holds implications for the future of NATO.
• With the resurgence of populist, nationalist leaders in several western countries, NATO’s relevance has been called into question several times.
• The question the Atlantic alliance faces in this hour of crisis is not just whether the U.S. and Turkey would manage to resolve their differences, but also whether NATO, a Cold War relic, could stay relevant in a post-cold War era where bilateral ties are fast-changing.

Prelims Question

Recently in the news, Incirlik and Kureclick bases, associated to which country

1. United States of America
2. Kazakstan
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Russia

Answer: A

Explanation: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has threatened to shut down two U.S. air bases Incirlik (Nuclear warhead) a critical facility for American operations in West Asia and Kureclick(radar base ) in Turkey, in retaliation for the proposed American sanctions on Ankara over purchasing Russian weapons.

Mains Question

Whether NATO, a Cold War relic, could stay relevant in a post-cold War era where bilateral ties are fast-changing. Critically evaluate.

Approach

Question Demand: Question demands to write about the changes that are evolving in the recent time in geopolitics.

Introduction: Mention the importance of NATO and its evolving existence.

Body:

• Explain the existence of NATO and in recent times and its need.
• Issues associated with NATO and changing geopolitical scenario.

Conclusion: Suggest steps that are necessary to chalk-out by the countries to coherently work for the peaceful world.