Erdogan’s bad image in the US

On the occasion of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington, politicians and analysts are focusing on his direct attacks against the USA and Europe, and, on a geopolitical level, on his provocative behavior and revisionary policy in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as his military invasion in northern Syria.

In this context, and despite President Donald Trump's efforts yesterday to mend fences - with an eye on commercial gains - issues such as Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 joint manufacturing program - due to Erdogan's decision to acquire Russia's latest S-400 air-defense system - and the prospect of financial sanctions from the US keep coming to the fore.

However, it is important to highlight a dimension of US-Turkish relations that is often overshadowed by the defense cooperation and bilateral trade, and that is the...