US-Turkey joint naval exercise points to thaw

A joint US-Turkish naval exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean, never announced by Ankara, and statements published by Politico by outgoing US Ambassador Jeff Flake, who stressed that Turkey is even more important in times of unrest, are being seen as signs of cooperation and renewed engagement between the two countries.

The exercise took place from August 13 to 17 in the Eastern Mediterranean with the participation of the Turkish amphibious operations ship and unmanned aerial vehicle TCG Anadolu, as well as the Turkish frigate Gokova, the US amphibious operations ship USS Wasp and the frigate Oak Hill.

The exercise was not announced by the Turkish Ministry of Defense, but revealed by a statement from the commander of the USS Wasp, who released the photos.

The opposition Republican People’s Party accused the Turkish government of hypocrisy for claiming that US ships were supporting Israel.

Meanwhile, Flake said in remarks published by Politico last week: “When the world is at peace, Turkey is in an important position, if only because of its geography. But when the world is in turmoil, it’s even more important.”