Turkey: CHP leader criticizes response to Trump tweets

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's main opposition leader on Tuesday criticized the government’s response to “humiliating” tweets posted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"For the first time Turkey faces a government that has not responded to these kind of attacks and heavy words," Republican People's Party's (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu told the party’s parliamentary group.

"There has been no world leader who has humiliated Turkey as Trump did," claimed Kilicdaroglu.

Since Turkey began its anti-terrorist operation in northern Iraq last Wednesday, Trump -- infamous for his impulsive and freewheeling tweets -- has made a number of controversial remarks on Turkey, often seeming to contradict his own previous stance.

Trump threatened the Turkish economy in hyperbolic terms if Turkey’s operation did things he did not approve of.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday announced sanctions on two Turkish ministries and three senior government officials over Turkey’s anti-terror operation in northeastern Syria.

The announcement came shortly after Trump said his administration "will soon" be issuing an executive order authorizing the possible imposition of sanctions on Turkey, including on current and former government officials.

On Twitter, Trump said that steel tariffs will again be raised to 50% and negotiations for a $100 billion trade deal will be stopped "immediately."

Turkey has brushed off the possibility of sanctions, saying they will not affect its operation in northern Syria.

Kilicdaroglu also criticized Saudi Arabia's condemnation of Turkey’s anti-terror operation at the Arab League.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.