[GK3]

Agreed Goose,  We thought this was taken care of almost a year ago when a "deal was in place" but obviously all it takes is for Turkey to say Sweden isn't upholding their part of the deal, and we go back into a waiting pattern.

Or it could be that the EU has agreed to restart negotiations, or it could be the the US has agreed to F-16 deliveries without congressional approval or it could be none of the above. It may be there won't be a vote until whatever it is has been publicly announced, or not. Anyone who can claim to understand Erdoğan is IMO kidding themselves. Who predicted he was going to give the Ukrainian POWs back that he promised Putin he would keep? What will he and Putin discuss in their visit? What about the grain deal? Can Erdoğan deliver an extension?

Erdogan is indeed an enigma.  He is playing his hand for all he is worth.  F16's, EU membership, better relation ship with Greece, the grain deal with Russia etc.  Are we better off with him in NATO and EU and Sweden in NATO? His country occupies a very strategic position in relation to Russia, but also to Iran.  
On another note this whole situation is leading to enhanced relations between NATO and Japan.  Putin's apparent miscalculation as to how fast he could roll in and gobble up Ukraine has now strengthened NATO significantly but has also stirred up the Philippines and Japan.  No one wants to be the guy without a chair when the music stops.

https://warontherocks.com/2023/07/anarch...-together/

Indeed a good point. There is a lot of real uncertainty out there. Add Vietnam to the nations that are actively and vocally worried about the behavior of China. Uncertainty also opens the door wider to miscalculations, so the danger grows. Ukraine and Georgia in NATO is a US military nightmare, but we may sooner rather than later be confronted with that reality.

Good point about Vietnam.  I forgot about the early 1979 invasion of Vietnam by the PLA.  They have been squabbling pretty much ever since.  China is at loggerheads with about every country bordering the South China Sea.

[GK3]

Agreed Goose,  We thought this was taken care of almost a year ago when a "deal was in place" but obviously all it takes is for Turkey to say Sweden isn't upholding their part of the deal, and we go back into a waiting pattern.

Or it could be that the EU has agreed to restart negotiations, or it could be the the US has agreed to F-16 deliveries without congressional approval or it could be none of the above. It may be there won't be a vote until whatever it is has been publicly announced, or not. Anyone who can claim to understand Erdoğan is IMO kidding themselves. Who predicted he was going to give the Ukrainian POWs back that he promised Putin he would keep? What will he and Putin discuss in their visit? What about the grain deal? Can Erdoğan deliver an extension?

Erdogan is indeed an enigma.  He is playing his hand for all he is worth.  F16's, EU membership, better relation ship with Greece, the grain deal with Russia etc.  Are we better off with him in NATO and EU and Sweden in NATO? His country occupies a very strategic position in relation to Russia, but also to Iran.  
On another note this whole situation is leading to enhanced relations between NATO and Japan.  Putin's apparent miscalculation as to how fast he could roll in and gobble up Ukraine has now strengthened NATO significantly but has also stirred up the Philippines and Japan.  No one wants to be the guy without a chair when the music stops.

https://warontherocks.com/2023/07/anarch...-together/

Indeed a good point. There is a lot of real uncertainty out there. Add Vietnam to the nations that are actively and vocally worried about the behavior of China. Uncertainty also opens the door wider to miscalculations, so the danger grows. Ukraine and Georgia in NATO is a US military nightmare, but we may sooner rather than later be confronted with that reality.

Good point about Vietnam.  I forgot about the early 1979 invasion of Vietnam by the PLA.  They have been squabbling pretty much ever since.  China is at loggerheads with about every country bordering the South China Sea.