In a recently published article on his Substack account, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh made a startling claim about US President Joe Biden. According to an anonymous source, Hersh alleged that Biden promised over $11 billion in International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in exchange for Turkey’s support of Sweden’s bid to join the NATO bloc.
The offer of financial aid was reportedly made ahead of the NATO summit held in Lithuania this week. Turkey had previously opposed Sweden’s accession to NATO due to Ankara’s belief that Stockholm harbored militants from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a designated terrorist organization. However, it seems that the prospect of receiving substantial IMF assistance may have swayed Erdogan’s opinion.
Erdogan, who was re-elected as Turkish leader in May, currently faces a significant challenge in rebuilding and repairing structures damaged or destroyed during a series of earthquakes in February. With the loss of at least 50,000 lives, the country is in urgent need of financial support to address this immense task.
Hersh highlighted the potential appeal of Biden’s offer to Erdogan. The promise of a “much-needed $11-13 billion line of credit” from the IMF could help alleviate Turkey’s financial burdens and provide a lifeline for its struggling economy. In return, Erdogan was expected to withdraw Turkey’s objection to Sweden’s NATO membership.
To provide further context, Hersh referred to a financial analysis conducted by the independent think tank Council on Foreign Relations. This analysis painted a bleak economic outlook for Turkey, suggesting that the country was on the brink of a financial crisis. The report stated that Turkey faced the difficult choice of selling its gold, risking default, or accepting a complete policy reversal and potentially entering an IMF program.
This claim made by Hersh is not the first time he has drawn attention with controversial allegations. Earlier this year, he stated that he had been informed, once again by an anonymous source, that the United States was responsible for the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines. These pipelines supply energy from Russia to Europe. The allegations were dismissed by Washington as “complete fiction.”
While Hersh’s claims are significant, it is important to approach them with skepticism until further evidence or corroboration is provided. As an experienced journalist, Hersh has been known to break major stories throughout his career. However, the sources and motivations behind these claims should be thoroughly investigated to determine their credibility.
If the allegations are proven to be true, they would undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the geopolitical landscape. Biden’s willingness to offer such a substantial financial assistance package to secure support for Sweden’s NATO membership signals the importance the US places on expanding and strengthening the military alliance. Additionally, it reveals the potential leverage financial aid can provide in international negotiations.
In conclusion, Seymour Hersh’s claim of President Biden offering $11 billion in IMF assistance to Erdogan to secure Turkey’s support for Sweden’s NATO bid has raised eyebrows and sparked debate. The potential impact on Turkey’s economy and the strategic implications for NATO make this a story worth following closely. However, further investigation and substantiation of these claims are necessary to confirm their validity.
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