US Defends Incirlik Use in Face of Turkish Pressure

The US-led coalition fighting ISIS reiterated its need to use Incirlik AB, Turkey, in the fight as Turkish officials have made threats about the base’s use. Incirlik has “made the world safer” by letting US strike and refueling aircraft use its flightline to hit ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq, Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said Wednesday. Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said earlier this week that a lack of support from NATO has led the country’s government to question its permission to let the US and coalition jets use the base. There’s “serious disappointment in the Turkish public opinion,” and there are questions? about the base, Isik said according to The Associated Press. “It’s absolutely invaluable, the base and what capabilities it’s made available for the coalition,” Dorrian said. “Indeed, really the entire world has been made safer by the operations that have been conducted there. It’s a very important base to the coalition and to the ongoing fight against Daesh.”