While he probably doesn’t have a mechanism to get around it, President
Trump lamented the ban on F-35 sales to Turkey on Tuesday, saying it isn’t fair to the US, and isn’t fair to Turkey.
Turkey was all set to buy F-35 warplanes, a pricey US-made plane the
Trump Administration is eager to sell, but then announced they were
buying Russian S-400 anti-aircraft systems instead of the US
alternative. The US warned they couldn’t have the F-35 if they did that,
but Turkey bought it anyhow.
Trump says losing the F-35 sales will cost the US jobs, so it’s like a punishment for the US. He also blamed President Obama, saying Obama failed to sell Turkey on the Patriot missiles as an alternative.
Trump’s annoyance at losing out on these sales, however, doesn’t seem to
have an easy workaround. Defense Secretary-nominee Mark Esper confirmed
in his hearing that Turkey cannot be allowed to have the F-35 and the
S-400 at the same time.
And while Trump says Turkey “is very good with us, very good,” lawmakers
are also saying that the sanctions against Turkey for buying the S-400
are non-optional, rejecting the idea advanced by Turkish President
Erdogan that Trump could just give him a waiver.
Money Talks. So Turkey will get a waiver in the end. Also in Turkey’s hands the US will get the chance to closely inspect the S400 System which they will grab with both hands.
All about the Benjamins.
No, it is mostly about the Kurds in Syria. Should we withdraw US protection from the Kurds in Syria they will become exposed to a possible attack from Turkey if thy begin organizing for an independent Kurdish state.
None of our business.
All about money to this piece of shit …
Right. F*ck American jobs.