Zvi Bar'el in Haaretz: ‘U.S. President Donald Trump is making things up. The interesting question is whether he knows he's making things up, lying and constructing an alternative reality, or if he believes in the reality that he is creating.’

As well: ‘Erdoğan canceled deals worth billions, funded local production infrastructure and built a military industry that has made Turkey a regional empire of drones and a global player in the defense industry. Turkey has NATO's second largest army.’

Also: ‘If Trump gave Erdoğan a gift, it wasn't the claim that Turkey was about to intervene in the war for Iran against Israel, nor his participation in the NATO Summit. Rather, it was the opportunity to remind the world of the alliance between him and Erdogan.’

Erdogan and Trump, another bromance. For as long as it lasts.

The empire only loves submissive regional empires.

(a sf 2166)