Turkey warns it can 'freeze' Sweden, Finland's NATO process

Erdogan is practicing blackmail.

If these men are proven to be guilty in the court of law then Finland and Sweden are obligated to hand them over to Turkey after a hearing in both nations.

Turkey is pivoting toward Russia

No they're not. They are on the verge of open conflict in Tel Rifat, which is defended by Russian and Syrian forces but which Turkey is preparing to attack.

f these men are proven to be guilty in the court of law then Finland and Sweden are obligated to hand them over to Turkey after a hearing in both nations.

They haven't. Turkey has accused people who are basically government critics of "terrorism". Legitimate journalists are routinely arrested in Turkey for writing well researched articles that are critical of the government. In Turkey it is a crime to "insult" the President. Mr. Erdogan is in the process of charging the entire city government of Ankara as "terrorists" because the political opposition won the last municipal election in Ankara and their mayor is a likely opponent of his in the next Presidential election. There is a Swedish based internet publication called the Nordic Research Monitoring Group that is led by three prominent dissident Turks. One is under indictment in Turkey for his critical reporting on events in Turkey. I have attached a link to their website so you can see for yourself what Mr. Erdogan calls "terrorism" He is also after a Turkish/Pakistani journalist who is married to a very senior American diplomate. Her name is Amberin Zaman and she writes for AL-Monitor and several other publications. You can find her articles on line. She can no longer return to her home or she will be arrested. I included also a link to AL Monitor so you can see what gets Mr. Erdogan dialed up.

Here, read the writings of the people Mr. Erdogan wants to arrest and imprison for "terrorism"

https://nordicmonitor.com/

https://www.al-monitor.com/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/17/turkey-defies-european-deadline-to-release-osman-kavala-from-jail

In the English legal tradition one cannot be tried in absentia because you have a right to know the evidence against you and you have a right to cross examine your accuser. Not so in Turkey, and any criticism of Mr. Erdogan and his policies no matter how well researched and stated is enough to get someone convicted.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/23/turkey-sentences-journalist-can-dundar-27-years-jail

Dündar and Erdem Gül, Cumhuriyet’s Ankara bureau chief, were first arrested in 2015 and sentenced to five years each in prison for breaking news of the alleged transfer of weapons to Syrian fighters across Turkey’s southern border on trucks operated by the Turkish intelligence services. Now ask yourself who are the terrorists? Turkey openly arms and supports Islamic terrorist groups in Syria and send jihadis to fight in Libya as Turkish mercenaries. But if you dare write about this in the open press, no matter where you are, Turkey will label you a "terrorist" and find a way to arrest you.

Turkey is pivoting toward Russia

An example of Russian and Syrian forces engaging Turkish backed fighters in Syria. It looks to me like the Russians are doing this to prevent an imminent Turkish assault on Tel Rifat by forcing the Turkish backed fighters to redeploy to protect Idlib. Btw, Turkish ally HTS is the new name of the Al Qaeda affiliated al Nusra Front. The Turks keep nice company.

Forgot the link:

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/07/syrian-government-russia-escalate-attacks-idlib-amid-looming-turkish-operat

Turkey, who occupy Cyprus and Syria have some cheek. I back proper democracies like Sweden and Finland. Throw Turkey out of NATO and allow them in.

There is no provision in the NATO charter to suspend or expel a member from the alliance. However I think if Turkey really does block Sweden and Finland from joining, the Turks will find themselves friendless and isolated. Many NATO members already refuse to sell Turkey arms or even certain technologies that have both civil and military uses. The US hasn't sold any arms to Turkey in six or seven years because Congress will not authorize these sales. Congress put so many strict stipulations on a notional F-16 sale to Turkey they have made it impossible to sell them. Turkey will never meet the conditions placed on the sale by Congress. Given some pressure and if enough members turn a cold shoulder to the Turks they could be persuaded to leave.