Ankara’s Allies Turn on Erdogan as House Committee Votes to Block F-35 Sale to Turkey

• 05.24.2019, 12:27
•  America,  Region,  World,  Diaspora

Al Jazeera

Congressional Turkey Caucus Co-Chairs Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) joined the bipartisan leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in condemning Turkish President Erdogan’s decision to purchase the Russian S-400 missile system, as this key panel overwhelmingly voted to block a pending sale of U.S. made F-35 jets to Ankara, reported Asbarez. 

The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), In Defense of Christians (IDC), and ANCA welcomed the House Foreign Affairs Committee decision. “Erdogan’s increasingly anti-American conduct has angered even Ankara’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill,” said HALC Executive Director Endy Zemenides, IDC President Toufic Baaklini, and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, in a joint statement. “Now is the time for a policy review that puts back on the table legitimate issues that were, for far too long, suppressed by Turkey’s former allies – from its continued occupation of Cyprus and obstruction of justice for genocidal crimes to its ongoing repression of Christian minorities.”

“Turkey’s impending purchase of the S-400 anti-aircraft system from Russia is very damaging for the U.S.-Turkey relationship,” Rep. Chabot told Committee members calling the purchase “totally unacceptable” for the U.S.