On Wednesday, the Biden administration expressed public support for an F-16 sale to Turkey, which came the day after Ankara lifted its objection to Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
Back in October, Turkey requested to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets and nearly 80 modernization kits for its current fleet of warplanes. Wednesday marked the first time that the Biden administration made its support for the potential deal known.
“Strong Turkish defense capabilities contribute to strong NATO defense capabilities,” said Celeste Wallander, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. “The US Department of Defense fully supports Turkey’s modernization plans for its F-16 fleet.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with President Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid on Wednesday, and the two leaders held talks for about an hour. The F-16 deal was expected to be a priority of the meeting, but it’s not clear if the issue was discussed.
In a readout of the meeting, the White House said Biden “welcomed Turkey’s conclusion of a trilateral agreement with Finland and Sweden that paved the way for Allies to invite them to join NATO.”
Ankara managed to get some concessions out of Sweden and Finland, including the lifting of export controls that the Nordic nations imposed in 2019. Sweden and Finland also vowed not to support Kurdish militant groups that Turkey considers terrorist organizations and said they would respond to Turkey’s extradition requests for suspected terrorists.
The F-16 deal could be Ankara’s reward from Washington for lifting its objection. Turkey also wants to return to the F-35 training program, and for the US to lift sanctions it imposed over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.
Erdogan, of course, is especially fond of using F-16s to attack Kurds.
Why dont the Kurds just live as Turks? They all share the same religion. I could understand if they werent Muslim, but they are.
I mean the ethnicities are closely related, doesnt make sense to me.
Me too. Not that a whole lot of people adore having Erdogan for pres., but I’d appreciation clarification on this pt as well. What is the source of the hostility?
I’ve talked with Turks, secular Turks: They just tell me the Kurdish rebels are crazy and very bad. They claim to be fine with other Kurds.
I saw somewhere the Kurdish birthrate is higher than the rest of Turkey. So, maybe Kurds will grow strong… Turks are difficult for me to understand, because some of them seem to be Greeks who have become Turks.
I also hear that Turkey has lost some of its industry; however, it has built dams, restricted water to its Arab neighbors. Ah, Turkey also has many Syrian refugees, millions. And Erdogan might dream of a Muslim Turkish empire. Lots of poor people involved, people who dont get enough nutrition, worry about their kids. I dunno who truly believes in what.
How large is their population throughout the whole area, turkey to Iran? And have they a general ethnic solidarity?
That depends on what constitutes the “whole area.” The area claimed by the Kurds as Kurdistan is home to a majority of the world’s Kurds. It is comprised of parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. A guess at the population there is at least 30 million. There hasn’t been a census in a long time.
Like the Armenians then, we should be supporting them. Regional cultures, tongues, ethnicities are extremely valuable. More so today than ever, as Capitalism/Consumerism/Scientism are having so much globalist success at erasing all that and replacing it with a uniform commercial pseudo (pop)culture in American English.
Yup.
I dunno. I’ve only talked to Turks, never met a Kurd.
I can say many young Greeks have left Greece for job opportunities, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Turkey is the same, bogged down by pensions.
Most likely the details you want about Kurds are complicated by diversity within the group. Even the PKK would have factions.
I see, and no doubt Washington/Israel is gaming them for all their worth.
Kurds are an ethnically and linguistically distinct people. They have long sought their own nation state, which was promised to them by the victors of World War One, who then promptly betrayed that agreement.
Islam is no more monolithic than Christianity or other major religions. And the fact that people may share a religion is hardly a reason to decide that they should be willing to share a nation.
Because they aren’t Turks and they don’t want to be. Why don’t Americans just live as Britons?
Thanks, Red, that helps. Soooo they’re about to be betrayed by the West again?
One factor to look into is whether the young, both Kurd and Turk, are still divided. Generational gaps appear huge throughout the world.
Agriculture isn’t the only thing that makes a person right wing, but it has greatly declined as a percentage of the global workforce. People are urban and transient now, influenced by culture from all over, lured by dreams of riches in wealthy countries. And the US funds globalism.
The conflicts we see might just be the last gasps of the old world, but that doesn’t mean the new is enduring or better.
I just watched Biden’s press conference. This guy is the dumbest president US has ever had.
Wait until the next election when the US “finally” gets some “real progressive” in office. Clown empire will be realised.
Who might that be?
I expect someone who pledges loyalty to the empire while checking left wing boxes. Maybe AIPAC is losing popularity; so, maybe there will be some change.
AOC is enormously popular, but I dunno if she’s imperial enough to get support.
It’s not just what voters will support but who will get funding and media support. Dems are becoming very cult like in how they don’t question the official position; so, they should readily follow a Neocon.
Also, the chambers of commerce want certain things. Big money gets its way.
They just keep getting dumber and dumber.
“The F-16 deal could be Ankara’s reward from Washington for lifting its objection.”
Similar to the sun “could” be rising in the east.
Quite Obvious! But I think it was a well played move on Turkey’s part. They had a chip to play, they had leverage, and they wanted something. Seems they will get it. I’d be willing to bet the Sanctions against them for buying Russian arms will also be lifted soon if not already. Well played Turkey, well played!
But, Turkiye has F-16 already. They want F-35…?!
Such generosity! Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Venezuela — what a clinb down. Needs must.
Those places where insults are remembered long. It will be a cokd day in hell before those forget. But will take what comes free.