B-B-B-Biden And The Jets

Issue #197

Elevator pitch for a horror movie about snow in eastern Turkey:

Here’s the opening scene. Then, the snow starts fighting humans for world domination. And here’s the end, where we dig ourselves out after the storm. Fill in the blanks, add a cast and it’s a guaranteed Os-Kar.

In this week’s recap:

• Biden advances F-16 sale to Turkey

• TİP MP stripped of parliamentary seat

• Mayoral candidate consultations

• Church attack in İstanbul

• Income inequality grows in Turkey

• Hygiene wins divorce case

And in our reports this week:

• Hediye Levent on the Turkey-Syria “normalization” process

• Miriane Demers-Lemay and Nicole Graaf on Marama Sea restoration efforts

• Gonca Tokyol on why the CHP stuck with Lütfü Savaş

Biden looks to jet the job done. © POTUS

Turkish parliament’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession last Tuesday has nudged the jet sales forward it seems.

Following Ankara’s decision US Pres. Biden reportedly sent a letter to key committees declaring intent to start the process of F-16 aircrafts sales to Turkey “without delay.”

Turkey’s long red light on Sweden’s membership was seen as a major impediment to getting congressional approval for the deal, which was first requested in late 2021.

With Pres. Erdoğan signing the protocol Thursday, its publication in the Official Gazette and the original copy of the decree taking a New York trip as a proof, the Biden administration informed congress of its intention to proceed with the $23 billion sale of 40 F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits to Turkey.

As previously signaled, Washington will simultaneously sell Greece more advanced F-35 jets. 

Following Biden’s notification, congress has 15 days to block the sale, which is not expected, journalist Hümeyra Pamuk commented in this X thread, meaning the sale could be finalized soon, and we might stop making jet puns. Emphasis on “might”.

For their parts, US Envoy to Turkey Jeff Flake and US Dep. State Sec. Victoria Nuland showed support for the sale, highlighting Turkey's role in NATO and its relations with the US.

Some analysts argued the sale could potentially reverse the course of strained US-Turkey ties, but it won’t be easy MEI Turkey Program Director Gönül Tol wrote:

“The sale of F-16s to Turkey is indeed welcome news for those seeking to turn the page in the bilateral relationship, but the mistrust between two capitals might complicate those efforts.”

In addition, Ankara’s Sweden vote is expected to lift several Western arms export bans to Turkey, which according to Tol was the main reason Ankara blocked NATO expansion in the first place. 

In a critical development, Canada announced Monday it would roll back a 2020 decision to restrict the sale of air-strike targeting technology to Turkey. The components are used for Turkey’s Bayraktar drones.

– Verda Uyar