Pastor Brunson is free. But the West still needs a policy on Erdogan’s hostages

Source:Washington Post Date:16Oct2018

Erdogan’s hostage diplomacy is a result of Turkey’s drift away from the transatlantic alliance and its values. But ending the hostage diplomacy requires only the strong resolve of Turkey’s NATO allies.

Rather than treating Turkey’s detentions and hostage-taking as isolated cases, the United States and its European partners must coordinate a transatlantic response. This will require a principled stance with clearly communicated incentives and disincentives. There must be an end to appeasement and individual swap deals.