"The Vice President apologized for any implication that Turkey or other Allies and partners in the region had intentionally supplied or facilitated the growth of ISIL or other violent extremists in Syria," Biden spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff said.
As much as I hate to defend any statement of Joe Biden, in this case he was right. And Erdogan has been cagey about Turkey's dealings with ISIS lately. As I pointed out here, there were many reports that Turkey made a prisoner exchange deal for the release of its diplomats. When asked about it, Erdogan clammed up.
“When we say the word operation, people only think of strikes, bombs, weaponry, but operations are also political, diplomatic, civilian, and they involve discussions, contact,” Mr. Erdogan said through a translator. “I can tell you we have not had any monetary relationship, that’s clear. Now as to the rest, you probably cannot expect us to publicly divulge what intelligence agencies do in their business, but the end result is that 49 diplomatic and consular staff have been freed. Some say maybe there’s been an exchange, you might have an exchange. But it also takes an effort to prepare for such a thing.”
Asked specifically whether Turkey had given the Islamic State people it wanted in exchange for the Turkish hostages, Mr. Erdogan responded: “I just said, such things may be possible. I think what’s important is to be well prepared.”
Today, even the Sunday Times (London) reports the release of ISIS prisoners. Among them: Two Brits, Shabazz Suleman, 18 and Hisham Folkard, 26. It says as many as 180 fighters were released in the exchange.
The ISIS prisoners were reportedly being held by Liwa al Tawhid, which used to work with the moderate Syrian rebels. And at least one Belgian ISIS fighter was also released, possibly from a Turkish prison.
Back to the border issue. Erdogan also had this denial in criticizing Biden:
"Foreign fighters have never entered Syria from our country. They may come to our country as tourists and cross into Syria, but no one can say that they cross in with their arms."
Of course they don't cross the border as fighters -- they don't become fighters until they've crossed the border and are trained in Syria. Turkey is not just lax at the border, it's also failed to stop the safe houses where the would-be jihadists are kept after flying into Turkey from their home countries.
So yes, Joe Biden apologized for telling the truth. But that doesn't absolve him of the undiplomatic way he went about it. I doubt he'll have the ear of Middle East leaders in the future. The UAE today said it also demanded an apology. Biden provided it in a phone call to the Crown Prince.
The United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry hit Biden with a sharply formulated statement Saturday, expressing its "astonishment" at the vice president's remarks.
They were "far from the truth, especially with relation to the UAE's role in confronting extremism and terrorism and its clear and advanced position in recognizing the dangers, including the danger of financing terrorism and terrorist groups," said Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash.
The UAE on Sunday said that Biden apologized to the Crown Prince during their phone call "for any implications in his recent statements" that the Middle Eastern nation has backed the growth of terror groups.
Shorter version: Joe Biden still has foot in mouth disease, even when he's right.
