The United States should pull its nuclear weapons out of Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, a former high ranking leader of U.S. forces in Europe said.
“We have nuclear capabilities at Incirlik that no longer serve the same strategic purpose that they did in the past,” Wald said. “Given the growing strain of anti-Americanism in Turkey and Erdogan’s willingness to move closer toward Russia, we urgently need to relocate those weapons.”
The weapons are Cold War-era B61 thermonuclear gravity bombs, designed to be used for both strategic and tactical purposes. The weapons can detonate in various configurations and can be carried both inside or outside an aircraft.
The weapons should be moved, Wald said, because Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not a reliable ally.
“We have nuclear capabilities at Incirlik that no longer serve the same strategic purpose that they did in the past,” Wald said. “Given the growing strain of anti-Americanism in Turkey and Erdogan’s willingness to move closer toward Russia, we urgently need to relocate those weapons.”
The weapons should be sent to a more NATO-friendly ally, Wald said.
“Ideally, their new home should be on European soil, with one option being Aviano Air Base in Italy. From a logistical standpoint, this shouldn’t be too difficult,” he said.
Jamie McIntyre is the Washington Examiner‘s senior writer on defense and national security. His morning newsletter, “Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense,” is free and available by email subscription at dailyondefense.com.
