US plays politics with Patriot missile removal
Patriot batteries deployed in Turkey against possible air and missile threats from Syria are being withdrawn in controversy.
It looks as though the departure of Patriot missiles from Turkey will be at least as controversial as their arrival in 2013.
The United States and Germany have decided to withdraw their Patriot anti-ballistic missile systems, which were deployed in Turkey to defend against possible air and missile threats from Syria. Germany’s intention to remove its system from Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province has been known for a while. But the US decision came as a blow to Ankara.
In explaining their actions, German and US officials have avoided any mention of political motivation.
German officials said two factors influenced their decision: changes in the Syrian threat situation and technical reasons. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on the ministry's website, “Since 2013 the structure of threats toward Turkey from Syria has changed. At that time the primary threat was President Bashar al-Assad. Now the real threat is the [Islamic State].”
