Turkey is "clearly not a partner" of the United States at this point, even if it is a fellow NATO member, but the Kurds have stood by the United States when fighting to stop ISIS in Syria, Sen. Rick Scott said Wednesday.
"With regards to Syria we have to remember who our partners are," the Florida Democrat told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "The Kurds have been a significant partner. Turkey is clearly not a partner right now."
Scott noted a few months ago, he sponsored a resolution to look at Turkeys' involvement in NATO after it decided to purchase a Russian missile defense system, and now he thinks the United States would be right to levy the "full extent" of sanctions on Turkey after its movement into Syria.
"They aren't being a partner," Scott said. "They are cozying up to Russia. It is hard to understand how they can be a great NATO member when NATO's purpose is to stop Russian aggression. I'm hopeful that the Kurds have the ability to defend themselves."
Turkey's movement into Syria also impacts Israel, said Scott.
"It is a very tough choice," he added. "I know we all want to get out of wars and we don't want to be in wars. But we do have to support our partners."
Scott said he thinks it would have been better to remain clear that the United States will do all it can to keep helping the Kurds while being clear to Turkey that sanction will impact its economy.
"I think the president is right," the senator said. "If we can use economic sanctions rather than our military that's a positive...don't put Israel in a worse position."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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