They announced the target after Iran: 'The US and Israel must keep it under control'

An article was published in The Wall Street Journal, which is owned by the Murdoch family—known for their open support for Israel and also owning Fox News, one of the media outlets closest to Trump—suggesting that Israel and the US should set their sights on Turkey after Iran.

'TURKEY MUST NOT FILL THE VOID'

The article argues that after the "regional threat" allegedly posed by Iran is neutralized, it must be ensured that Turkey does not fill this void.

'TURKEY'S NATO MEMBERSHIP SHOULD BE REVIEWED'

While it is claimed that Turkey has "stepped outside of US foreign policy," this situation is evaluated as a sign that Ankara must be "kept under control" and that Turkey's NATO membership should be "re-evaluated."

'THE US AND ISRAEL MUST ENSURE TURKEY DOES NOT TAKE IRAN'S PLACE'

The article, penned by Bradley Martin, a pro-Israel journalist and General Manager of the Near East Center for Strategic Engagement, which has partnerships with the US Department of Defense, includes the following statements:

"As they neutralize the regional threat posed by Iran, the US and Israel must ensure that Turkey does not take its place.

After the Iraq war, Iran exploited the power vacuum left by Saddam Hussein. Iran expanded its regional influence while dragging the US into a costly occupation by sending Islamic Revolutionary Guard terrorists to train Shiite jihadist groups across the border.

President Trump said in a statement on Saturday, 'Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American soldiers in Iraq.' 'The regime's proxies have continued to carry out countless attacks on American forces stationed in the Middle East, US naval and commercial vessels, and international shipping lanes in recent years.'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the US and Israel's attacks on Iran as a 'clear violation' of international law. Erdoğan also said he was 'saddened' by the death of Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Erdoğan, whose country is an important member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, showed no sympathy for the thousands of innocent Iranians who lost their lives during the protests in January. The Turkish government reportedly agreed to cooperate with Tehran on the arrest of individuals protesting against the Iranian regime in Turkey. According to a NewsNation report, some of those arrested were later executed in Iran.

Erdoğan wants to lead the Islamic world and sees himself as the protector of Islam, a kind of modern Ottoman sultan. This explains why Turkey is a bad partner for NATO regarding Iran. Ankara reportedly disclosed the identities of 10 Iranian citizens to Iran in 2012 who were spying for Israel and gathering information about Iran's nuclear weapons program. Former head of Israeli Mossad Danny Yatom described this incident as a major blow to Western institutions attempting to gather intelligence on Iran's nuclear program.

In 2015, during a raid by the US-led Delta Force on a facility housing Islamic State finance chief Abu Sayyaf, undeniable links between the terrorist organization and Turkish officials were revealed. At the time, ISIS was earning millions of dollars a month by selling oil on the black market.

Turkey also used the Syrian refugee crisis to extract concessions from the European Union. Examples of this include the 2016 EU-Turkey deal, where the EU agreed to provide 6 billion euros in aid to Turkey in exchange for Ankara's commitment to stop irregular migration to the bloc, and the 2020 border crisis, where Erdoğan announced that Turkey would no longer prevent refugees from entering Europe. The Greek government described this action as 'blackmail diplomacy.'

Should NATO maintain its relationship with Turkey? What should its role in the Middle East be after the Iranian regime falls? While evaluating these questions, the US must not forget that Turkey opposes US foreign policy and is a headache for its allies."