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Turkey has increased its provocative and aggressive acts in the Aegean, including directly threatening Greece. The #NoJetsForTurkey coalition is sending a letter to Secretary of State Blinken asking for a strong administration stance on Turkey's actions, including refusing to sell F-16s to Turkey unless it ensures those F-16s will not be used against Greece. Please add your name to our letter, which we will delivering to the State Department in Washington, D.C.
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Dear Secretary Blinken:
We are writing as concerned American citizens with regards to the potential sale of new F-16 fighter jets to Turkey and modernization kits for its existing F-16s.
Since November 1, 2021, we have been monitoring Congressional inquiries into the status of this potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) and expressions of Congressional opposition to an FMS without strict conditions. The responses – and in most cases, lack thereof – of your State Department and the Administration is disheartening and disappointing.
It has been two years since sanctions have been imposed on Turkey for violating the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Since the imposition of these sanctions, the Erdogan government has made it clear that it has no intention of coming into compliance with U.S. law or dealing with the underlying conditions that led to Turkey’s ejection from the F-35 program and Congressional holds on purchases of American weapons by Turkey. In September 2021, President Erdogan declared his intention of purchasing additional S-400s and several times over the last year various Turkish officials expressed a willingness to purchase Russian fighter jets.
Ankara clearly is more committed to continuing its CAATSA violations than it is to its responsibilities as a member of NATO. At a time where the rest of NATO is displaying unity and resolve, Turkey is attempting to hold Finland and Sweden's accession hostage to outrageous demands for Sweden to violate the rule of law. Meanwhile, Turkey also continues to constantly violate international law in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
It would be diplomatic malpractice to fail to address the unprecedented level of Turkish incursions into Greek airspace and over Greek territory. Notwithstanding Ankara’s lies about where its airspace violations occur, Turkey has launched a provocative and consistent program of flights directly over Greek territory and inside of Athens’ Flight Information Region, both of which are illegal. These actions, the maintenance of a casus belli against Greece, and the constant questioning of Greek sovereignty has created a flashpoint within NATO.
Turkey has also violated the privileged position the U.S. had long given it with regards to
acquisition of arms. Turkey has gone far beyond using American weapons for defending its territory by lending them to Azerbaijan for attacks against Armenian civilians and by using them to attack Kurdish partners that are leading anti-ISIS military operations.
Turkey seems to believe that once they are in possession of American weapons they are free to use them against America’s interests, allies, partners, and in violation of American law.
Here in our own legal system – particularly in the cases of Halkbank and the Sheridan Circle attacks – we have witnessed a Turkey that believes that it is above the law. Turkey is NOT above the law, but the actions of too many officials in your Department and the Administration in general are encouraging Ankara to maintain this posture.
Under present circumstances, we oppose a sale of both new F-16s and modernization kits to Turkey and will work with Congress to ensure that Turkey complies with Americans laws, values and interests before being given access to American weapons.
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