Thursday’s debate turned out to be a “Scottish shower” for Turkey to Congress on the F-16, with the senator Robert Menendez to “detonate” Ankara by giving all the arguments against the sale of the fighters, and the American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to balance, saying yes, but under conditions.

There is anger in Turkey after the “hammering” of the American senator. With a barrage of posts, Erdogan’s most trusted partner Fahrettin Altun counterattacked, calling the US a “difficult NATO ally”. The director of communication of the Turkish presidency did the “black and white”, arguing, without naming it, that Greece is the one that violates Turkish sovereignty, while pointing out that the EU is responsible for the non-resolution of the Cyprus issue.

“Turkey does not deserve F-16s”

In 90 seconds Menendez “undressed” Turkey, without naming it, ending with a question to Mr. Blinken “how do you characterize such a country?”. When the US Secretary of State replied “a challenging ally”, Robert Menendez came back and said: “That country is Turkey. A country that does all these things doesn’t deserve to get F-16s.”

  • What do you call a country:
  • Which violates the airspace and territorial waters of another country without prior provocation?
  • Who exercises in the exclusive economic zone of another country?
  • Who is buying Russian military equipment in violation of US law?
  • Which has more lawyers and journalists in jail than almost any other country and jails its main political opponent before an election?
  • Which seeks by force to block the rights of an EU member state to research on its continental shelf?
  • Which has not only joined the EU sanctions. against Russia, but has exported about $800 million worth of goods to Russia?
  • Continuing airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, including against US partners such as the Syrian Democratic Forces?
  • Where did he stop the critical enlargement of NATO?
  • Which continues to occupy an EU country. with 40,000 troops and in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and seeks to open an area frozen by the United Nations?
  • Who denies religious freedom to the religious leader of millions of citizens of the Greek Orthodox faith?
  • Who has turned a church into a mosque in violation of UNESCO commitments?
  • Where arrests and imprisons US personnel?

– Blinken: I think I’d say it’s a challenging ally
– Menendez: Well, I call this country Turkey. And the reality is that I don’t think it’s worth selling the F-16 to a country like that.

“We are not violating anyone’s territorial waters – the US is a difficult ally”

Fahrettin Altun responded defiantly to Senator Menendez, showing how angry Ankara has become. As he claimed, Turkey does not violate the territorial waters or airspace of other countries.

“Distorted and deeply misrepresented accounts of our administration’s policies and approaches have unfortunately become a staple of US Congressional hearings. Let’s give straight credit to Robert Menendez. Turkey does not violate the territorial waters or airspace of other countries. Some of our neighbors have exhibited this type of behavior and we always respond appropriately.” he characteristically mentioned Erdogan’s “right hand”.

For Erdoğan’s “right hand”, others are always to blame, the United States and the European Union. “The USA is a difficult ally” he commented in a barrage of his tweets, while regarding the Cyprus problem he calls the EU… guilty.

“Yes, but with conditions” from Blinken about the F-16s

Anthony Blinken said yes to selling F-16s to Turkey, but with conditions. The Turkish government must assure that the fighter jets will not be used to threaten US allies, such as Greece, the US Secretary of State said.

“We are working diligently to ensure that whatever tensions exist between Greece and Turkey end, that they do not engage in any actions or rhetoric that would inflame the situation. We believe that Turkey should get the upgraded F-16s,” noted the American Foreign Minister.

“Which Turkey does the US want?”

“We want Turkey, as America I mean, at any cost to NATO, judging that it is so important that we must not lose it and that means we can turn a blind eye, or we want to impose some rules on Ankara , a framework of behavior which in the medium and long term will also benefit US interests?’ the professor of international relations – Director of the Institute of International Affairs of the American College of Greece Konstantinos Filis asked SKAI.