By Ludér Tavit Sahagian,

The revealing of Turkey’s longstanding authoritarian and belligerent face is greatly appreciated ( “NATO is headed for a very messy break-up,” Stephen Kinzer, Ideas, Nov. 12).

Turkey has always been unworthy of allied relations with Western nations and merits no place in Euro-Atlantic organizations, where member states are under equal commitments and obligations and may not abandon common values. The country’s aggressive form of nationalism, dismal genocidal and human-rights record, meddling in European elections, violent attacks on peaceful American protesters, support for religious extremism, incursions into Syria and Iraq to target Christians and Kurds, and illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus and Western Armenia are central testaments to these facts.

The Soviet-led Warsaw Pact is history, and the Cold War should be long over. A world without the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would certainly reduce arms buildups and military flareups globally and ensure a more peaceful and prosperous world order — one in which multilateral international organizations like the United Nations are given the opportunity to function optimally.