The Pentagon has continued its outreach to the Turkish government and its condemnation of the recent coup attempt in that country, with the department hosting a meeting with Turkish officials. Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Brian McKeon on Thursday met with four members of the Turkish Parliament, which represented three political parties. McKeon, during the meeting “reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the failed coup” and conveyed strong US support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pentagon spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said in a statement. The meeting came days after Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited with Turkish military officials during a visit to Incirlik AB, Turkey, to condemn the coup.
A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes in the Middle East are flying with fresh modifications as the Air Force looks to make the plane more versatile amid America’s ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. air war against Iran.