“President Trump spoke today with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on his recent referendum victory,” says the White House readout of the two leaders’ call Monday.
Argh.
Erdogan’s victory was by a hair — with the rules for counting votes changed at the last minute, after months of a state of emergency that has seen many opposition figures jailed and the judiciary and security services purged.
And after years of creeping repression that has gagged Turkey’s media.
The referendum itself (assuming a miraculously honest recount doesn’t reverse the result) promises to replace what’s left of Turkish democracy with one-man rule, since it gives the president near-absolute power.
Yes, Turkey is a potentially useful ally against ISIS and other terrorists, as well as Iran. And Erdogan’s cooperation in limiting the flow of Syrian refugees matters a lot to our European allies.
And no, the United States can’t be the guardian of liberty around the globe.
But even the State Department managed to show some spine in response to Erdogan’s dubious triumph, calling on Turkey to uphold human rights, “as guaranteed by the Turkish Constitution and in accordance with Turkey’s international commitments.”
Mr. President, you’re the leader of the Free World; you shouldn’t come off as cheering a rigged election that sets back the cause of freedom.