We might as well sell the F35 to the Russians and train them as well
As long as the neo cons are able to maintain the fiction that NATO is in the best interests of the American people and that countries like Turkey, who did all they could to establish and aid ISIS, are real American allies, the security of the United States is at risk. Enough human and material treasure has been squandered and sacrificed futilely. The time has long passed for a major reassessment of America’s true interests and needs.
Kick ‘em out!
Erdogan fears his own air force, which is why he wants the S-400s.
Those F 35s turned over but still here must not be allowed to leave the US. Under no circumstances can they be flown out of the country.
I am somehow familiar with what were and still the Turkish thoughts behind the deal.
The talk is that they wanted the US system first but it was denied so they went for the alternative. They understand the deal might have consequences regarding procurement of F-35s but their view that US is seeking for any reason to kick them out of the program anyway allegedly because Israel wants to stay a single F-35 user in the region.
They also argue in the military circles that F-35 is inferior to F-16 anyway so losing it is not that big a deal.
Overall they view abandoning S-400 would make the government look like an American puppet to both domestic hardliners and neighbors, primarily Russia and Israel. They also afraid Russia would perceive them as weak and dependent on US as a result and might create different obstacles in trade and Israel would see there is leverage and would try to influence US to push on Turkey on other issues too.
That is how they see it and why the deal is likely to happen.
It means we should kick Islamist Turkey out of NATO.
If our CIA wasn’t so incomptent the coup against Erdogan would have been successful and we wouldn’t be facing these choices now. Erdogan continues trading with Iran violating sanctions and is cozying up to Russia. Either we take him out or we’re gonna have to kick Turkey out of NATO.