This same scenario happened last year outside the Brookings Institution. I suspect the reason why there's such good video coverage of this year's attack, is they were ready for it, based on what happened last year.
In the short term, I agree with John McCain, the Turkish ambassador to the U.S. should be expelled over this event.
What precedes all of this is the U.S. supports the YPG, which Erdogan considers a terrorist organization. Pretty much any Kurdish organization is probably considered a terrorist organization to the Turkish government, however. The U.S. supports the YPG, makes Erdogan look weak in that he doesn't have enough sway to get one of their worst domestic political and ethnic enemies disenfranchised by the U.S. so Erdogan retaliates with thugs right in the U.S. capitol to embarrass the Trump (and last year the Obama) adminstration. It's tit for tat.
Long term, is whether a Turkish autocracy, which is what it is now, a viable member in NATO? I think the U.S. looks the other way as long as Turkey helps fight Daesh. But Turkey is now a stain on NATO's democratic origin and purpose.
>Long term, is whether a Turkish autocracy, which is what it is now, a viable member in NATO? I think the U.S. looks the other way as long as Turkey helps fight Daesh. But Turkey is now a stain on NATO's democratic origin and purpose.
Unless Turkey loses control of the Bosphorous straits or Russia stops being what it is, Turkey will always be welcome at the table. Help with Daesh and/or pushing democratic ideas is neither the purpose of NATO, nor the origin of NATO, nor the future of NATO.
And Erdogan, right now, is doing the opposite of that. It is completely valid to question Turkey's role in NATO, but the current U.S. president doesn't care about or even understand what democracy is, because he's an ignoramous about pretty much everything. All he cares about is "winning" and that's why he praises autocrats like Erdogan, Duerte, Salman, Kim Jong Un, and el-Sisi, while criticizing American allies. I think he's kinda jealous of autocrats who get things done and doesn't have to deal with silly legislatures and courts. So I have no doubt that this administration will be fine with Turkey staying in NATO for the foreseeable future despite the incongruity on democratic values.
YPG has strong ties to PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by NATO and EU [1] [2].
I strongly dislike Erdogan and his policies, and certainly don't approve the attack but YPG is a different issue. It is sad that most outsiders' view about the Kurdish conflict boils down to 'Turkey hates Kurds'. It's just not like that. We should all unite against terrorism.
In the short term, I agree with John McCain, the Turkish ambassador to the U.S. should be expelled over this event.
What precedes all of this is the U.S. supports the YPG, which Erdogan considers a terrorist organization. Pretty much any Kurdish organization is probably considered a terrorist organization to the Turkish government, however. The U.S. supports the YPG, makes Erdogan look weak in that he doesn't have enough sway to get one of their worst domestic political and ethnic enemies disenfranchised by the U.S. so Erdogan retaliates with thugs right in the U.S. capitol to embarrass the Trump (and last year the Obama) adminstration. It's tit for tat.
Long term, is whether a Turkish autocracy, which is what it is now, a viable member in NATO? I think the U.S. looks the other way as long as Turkey helps fight Daesh. But Turkey is now a stain on NATO's democratic origin and purpose.