Thursday, July 14, the House passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prohibits next-generation F-16 fighter jets and F-16 modernization kits to Turkey unless the sale goes through a thorough certification process with Congress. The amendment prevents the United States from selling or transferring the jets to Turkey unless the administration certifies that doing so is vital to U.S. national security. It also identifies concrete steps to ensure that Turkey does not use the air fighters to transgress Greece's airspace. Most House Democrats (184) supported the amendment, and 60 Republicans also voted for it.
In the fall of last year, the Turks sought to purchase 40 F-16 fighter jets and 80 modernization kits for their current fleet of aircraft. Following the lifting of Turkey's objections to allowing Sweden and Finland into NATO, President Biden backed the sale, acting on poor advice from his foreign policy advisers. The unscrupulous Henry Kissinger may be gone; however, many of his acolytes remain.
But many lawmakers, led by Bob Menendez, the influential Chair of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, Carolyn Maloney, Gus Bilirakis, Chris Pappas, and Frank Pallone, Jr. in the House, oppose the sale. They are unwilling to ignore Turkey's human rights violations, hostility towards its neighbors, and blackmail. Ankara's duplicity in the war in Ukraine and Turkey's insistence on continuing to possess its Russian-built S-400 missile system also troubles many lawmakers.
In the war in Ukraine, Turkey considers Russia a "friend" and opposes sanctions against the Kremlin, a position that has set Turkey apart from Greece and other NATO countries that have taken such measures. Also, unlike other NATO countries, Turkey declined to close its airspace to Russia, and Ankara welcomes Russian oligarchs for tourism and investments. While other NATO and European countries shoulder the pain of the sanctions, Turkey seeks to enrich itself.
"For far too long, the United States has allowed Erdoğan to dictate his terms and hide behind Turkey's status as a NATO ally. He has done the bare minimum to bolster NATO's strategic posture since Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered the largest crisis the alliance has faced in decades," said Frank Pallone (N.J.). "The sale of American advanced fighter jets to Turkey will not incentivize Erdoğan to suddenly transform into a good ally. More likely, these weapons will lead to further death and destruction in the region. He's avoided facing real-life consequences greater than a slap on the wrist for his flagrant violations of international law at home and abroad, and it's time we finally say enough is enough." (pallone.house.gov).
“The passage of this bipartisan amendment sends a strong message to Turkey and to the international community that the United States will not allow the Erdoğan government to escape accountability for violating U.S. law and the standards of the NATO alliance,” stated Congressman Chris Pappas (N.H.) “I have consistently opposed the sale of F-16s to Turkey and advanced weapons and equipment to upgrade its existing F-16 fleet. It remains deeply troubling that President Biden supports moving forward with this sale despite Turkey's increasingly belligerent rhetoric and aggression towards Greece, a reliable democratic NATO ally. Actions speak louder than words. I will continue working across the aisle to take all necessary actions to prevent F-16s or any other American-made weapons from falling into Erdoğan's hands.”(pappas.house.gov).
"I am pleased that our amendment to block this unnecessary and dangerous sale passed the House. Turkey uses their air fleet to violate the sovereignty of a reliable NATO member and ally, Greece, and still possesses Russian S-400 anti-air systems, which led to their ejection from the F-35 program and the imposition of CAATSA sanctions," explained Carolyn B. Maloney (N.Y.). "Selling Turkey more F-16s or providing them with the technology to modernize their current fleet would not be in the interest of the United States or our allies… We must continue to hold Erdoğan accountable for violations of U.S. law, human rights, and the security of our ally Greece — not reward him." (maloney.house.gov).
"NATO membership comes with the responsibility to respect other member-states, and despite this obligation, Turkey has regularly allowed its fighter jets to violate Greek airspace, a strong and reliable NATO ally," noted Congressman David N. Cicilline (R.I.). "And in the past few months, faced with Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine–the biggest threat to European peace and security since the Cold War – we've seen a refusal from Turkey to impose sanctions aimed at stopping Russian aggression. These actions are part and parcel of the all-too-often unpredictable foreign policy of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and are counter-productive during a time in which NATO unity must remain resolute. Congress should not approve a sale or transfer of any F-16 fighter aircraft from the United States to Turkey unless it is in the vital interests of the United States and until Turkey commits to permanently ending its overfly missions in Greek airspace." (pappas.house.gov).
"Turkey has consistently demonstrated a complete disregard for following international law," argued Congressional representative Gus Bilirakis (F.L.). "Erdoğan repeatedly acts contrary to American interests, with his dangerous behavior contributing to the instability of the region. By passing this amendment, we are sending a strong message that this behavior will no longer be ignored or tolerated. Additionally, we are solidifying our steadfast support of Greece, which has consistently proven itself to be a reliable and unwavering ally." (bilirakis.house.gov).
The Turks violate Greece's airspace and territorial waters, and circulate a map showing several Greek islands, including Crete, in Turkey.
At home, Erdoğan has torn Turkey's democratic norms apart and imprisoned journalists and political opponents. The Turkish ruler has significantly curtailed the rights of women. Under the AKP, the number of women murdered by men rose rapidly, and Turkish femicide rates are among the worst.
Dying to Divorce (2021), a British documentary film directed by Chloe Fairweather portrays the brutal treatment of women in Turkey. President Erdoğan tells his audiences, “You cannot put women and men on an equal footing,” and “that’s against nature.” The Turkish regime has also been notoriously brutal toward LGBTQ+ communities.
Even worse is how the Turkish regime treats its ethnic and religious minorities. There have been killings, abuse, and discrimination against Kurds, Alevis, Armenians, Greeks, and Jews.
The United States cannot fight in Ukraine for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law and support the Turkish autocratic regime, tolerate Turkey's occupation of northern Cyprus, and constant intrusions in Greece's airspace and territorial waters. Nor can Washington tolerate the unrelenting Turkish attacks on the Syrian Kurds or the dropping of bombs on innocent Yazidi women and children. The Syrian Kurds helped the U.S. defeat ISIS and, in the war, lost 11,000 fighters.
A consistent and free of double standards foreign policy is crucial for U.S. credibility. To hand over to anti-democratic and belligerent Turkish regime F-16s would be a disgrace and insult to what we are fighting and sacrificing in the war in Ukraine. It will go against Congresses’s and President Biden’s commitment to defending democracy and international law. Furthermore, it would be a move against America’s real allies in the eastern Mediterranean, for it would adversely affect their security. And what is more? It will send the wrong message that the Turks can blackmail the United States and get away with it.
The U.S. House of Representatives has done its duty, and it is now the Senate’s turn.