Frank Lautenberg: “this past weekend, 12 Turkish soldiers were killed by PKK terrorists. Yesterday, another four Turkish soldiers were…”

“this past weekend, 12 Turkish soldiers were killed by PKK terrorists. Yesterday, another four Turkish soldiers were killed, as well as the innocent daughter of an officer, and according to the Turkish government, the PKK is responsible for this massacre as well. Our condolences go out to these families and all the people of Turkey. Terrorist assaults are unacceptable wherever they occur in the world, and we all have to fight together against them. We are reminded of our common bond with Turkey, and our common fight against terrorists and terror wherever we see it. Turkey has been an important ally, a democracy in a troubled region and a force for stability. We must keep in mind that Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952. They established a strategic and military alliance with Israel in the 1990s, and now have boots on the ground in Afghanistan helping us there. For many years, the bond between the United States and Turkey has been strong and unchallengeable. Despite this progress, Turkey's current prime minister is jeopardizing and risking much of what his country and the Turkish people have accomplished over recent decades. Moving Turkey away from the middle and toward a dangerous extremist path cannot possibly be a good course of action for that country. Prime Minister Erdogan used his vote on the U.N. Security Council to oppose sanctions on Iran.”