Several GOP lawmakers have come out against Trump lifting sanctions on Turkey without guaranteeing its disposal of the Russian S-400 air defense system, echoing concerns from Israel and its allies in Europe.
The sanctions are codified in two laws, the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and a provision in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The provision calls for the president to certify the Russian air defense systems are neutralized before Ankara can access the F-35 stealth fighter technology.
“I can tell you we’re going to be taking the sanctions off. OK? I don’t want him to waste his time answering that question,” Trump replied to a reporter, referencing CAATSA, while sitting next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday.
But on Wednesday, the president seemed to waver when asked about Ankara rejoining the F-35 program, saying he hasn’t made a decision.
“I haven’t totally made up my mind, but my inclination is to say, look, he’s done everything,” Trump said of Erdoğan.
Trump’s signals drew immediate pushback from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier raised the alarm against welcoming Erdoğan back into the F-35 program.
“If you give this kind of radical regime, that admittedly smiles to the president of the United States when it’s necessary, when you give it that power, you’re going to see aggression in its wake,” Netanyahu warned in an interview with CNN on Tuesday.
Republicans and Democrats — wary of Erdoğan’s deepening authoritarianism, threats to neighbors and human rights abuses in the country — are pushing back on Trump’s overtures to the Turkish leader.
“Erdogan has aligned himself with Iran and Russia, harbored Hamas, refused to sanction Russia, undermined American counter-ISIS operations, continues to illegally occupy part of Cyprus, and has repeatedly directed illegal military jet overflights above the Greek Islands, and called for the destruction of Israel,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) said in a statement to The Hill, saying she opposes bringing Turkey back into the F-35 program.
Malliotakis was one of six GOP House members to sign onto a letter to Trump sent on July 2 warning against giving Turkey access to the F-35s without dealing with his aggression against allies and possession of the S-400.
Read the full report at thehill.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment