US-Turkey tensions rise as many American “contacts” purged

The crackdown President Reccep Erdogan is conducting since the abortive coup against him is damaging US intelligence capabilities and its war on terror, said General Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command and National Intelligence Director James Clapper Friday. “This is something to be very, very concerned about,” said the general, while Clapper added:  “Many of our interlocutors have been purged or arrested. There’s no question this is going to set back and make more difficult cooperation with the Turks.”

Erdogan, for his part, speaking in Istanbul, complained: “Some countries which should be praising Turkey for putting down coup, but are instead standing by plotters.”