U.S. Senate defense bill would bar Turkey from buying F-35 jets

https://www.reuters.com/ ^ | 5/24/18 | Patricia Zengerle

[BBell]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate committee passed its version of a $716 billion defense policy bill on Thursday, including a measure to prevent Turkey from purchasing Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets.

The amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, from Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator Thom Tillis, would remove Turkey from the F-35 program over its detention of U.S. citizen Andrew Brunson, Shaheen’s office said.

Brunson, a Christian pastor who could be jailed for up to 35 years, denied terrorism and spying charges in a Turkish court this month. He has been in pre-trial detention since 2016.

It also faults NATO ally Turkey for its agreement with Russia in December to buy S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries. Ankara wants the system to boost its defense capabilities amid threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants at home and conflicts across its borders in Syria and Iraq.

According to Shaheen’s office, the intention to purchase the Russian system is sanctionable under U.S. law.

[BBell]

Turkey is supposed to receive it's first f-35s on June 21. We will see what happens.

[DIRTYSECRET]

THE NEW ONE? You must be joking!

[littleharbour]

Sure, Turkey needs Russian surface to air missiles to defend against the massive Kurdish and Islamist air forces. Those missiles are for possible conflicts with Israel, US and other NATO allies. Giving any American weapon systems to Turkey is suicide. Turkey needs to be expelled from NATO and isolated.

[BBell]

The first f 35s that Turkey receives on June 21 will not leave the US until November 2019. They will be kept here so that Turkish pilots can train in them and then the pilots and jets go to Turkey.

This gives us time to work.

[b4its2late]

Yep. Turkey been stabbing the US in the back long enough. Same with Pakistan.

[Laslo Fripp]

One of Shaheen’s constituents is BAE Systems in Nashua NH

She is biting her nose to spite her face.

[null and void]

Countries do not have friends, they have interests.

Turkey’s interest are in direct conflict with America’s interests.

[Spruce]

There is no way the Turk aircraft will not have a remote kill switch deep in the code

[G Larry]

Have we removed American Nukes from Incirlik, AFB yet?

[SeekAndFind]

Well, Turkey will go to China or Russia for their planes. Or, they can build their own planes... this, I’d like to see...

[BBell]

I have read that they have been but I’m not sure.

[Wuli]

Good Move. House should follow and President should sign it.

Turkey under Erdogan has consistently moved away from being a loyal NATO partner to charting its own Islamist course in the Middle East, and recently in direct confrontation with U.S. allies in the region.

Turkey under Erdogan has started shedding the secular government pillars constructed after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and become an intolerant and domestically dictatorial country, arresting and silencing opposition whether from government, from the media or just among private citizens. It’s governance stands as an opposing contrast to all other NATO nations.

Then there is the issue of Cyprus and steady threatening actions towards fellow NATO member Greece.

The U.S. should privately present a classified bill of particulars against Erdogan, to all NATO members minus Turkey, and seek a consensus to vote Turkey out of NATO.

The U.S. word to those NATO members should be, as far as the U.S. is concerned, we would prefer to continue NATO for our membership in an Atlantic alliance with European members. But if the present structure must include Turkey, we will begin to make our own Atlantic alliance with whom we can, minus Turkey. It’s up to Europe if it wants to divide itself on this issue.