Thirty-five US lawmakers on Friday sent a letter to US President Joe Biden objecting to a potential sale of F-16 fighter jets and mechanical upgrades to Turkey, citing Ankara's extensive human rights violations at home and abroad.
The bipartisan letter, released by Congressman Frank Pallone on Twitter, called for no sale of the fighter jets due to Turkish President Erdogan's destabilizing actions and violations of international law, and promised to do everything possible to prevent the sale.
In their letter, US lawmakers stressed that the Erdogan regime has repeatedly used its military power to destabilize the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, the South Caucasus and North Africa over the years.
Erdogan's use of worrisome tactics contrary to the common good of the NATO alliance should come as no surprise. His regime has repeatedly used its military power over the years to destabilize the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, the South Caucasus and North Africa. During these incursions, Turkish and Turkish-backed forces used US-made weapons and components to commit war crimes, including targeted bombing of civilian targets such as hospitals and schools in Iraq, Syria, and Nagorno-Karabakh. They have also been repeatedly used to violate the sovereign territory of NATO allies and partners such as Greece and Cyprus. It is unlikely that these are the actions of a devoted ally of the United States and Europe, the lawmakers’ appeal to the US president says.
NATO member Turkey has applied to acquire 40 F-16 Blok 70 Viper fighter jets and up to 80 upgrade kits for its existing F-16 fleet following the purchase of Russian S-400 systems. The acquisition of Russian weapons in 2019 prompted the US to remove them from the program to develop and acquire the F-35 fighter jet.
In June, Washington again showed willingness to sell upgraded fighter jets after Turkey ended its opposition to Finnish and Swedish attempts to join the NATO alliance, but any potential deal between NATO allies on fighter jets would require congressional approval.
