The debate over whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey is back on the table in Washington, and the argument against...

The debate over whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey is back on the table in Washington, and the argument against it goes well beyond Greece. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after it purchased Russia's S-400 missile defense system. Since then, Ankara has pushed repeatedly to get back in. The concern now being raised is not just about regional stability but about the aircraft's classified technology ending up in Russian hands. Turkey's strategic record makes the case against the sale almost too easy to argue. Ankara has maintained deliberate ambiguity in its relationship with Moscow and Tehran, has systematically targeted Kurdish forces that the US has publicly described as a bulwark against radical Islamist elements, and has allowed Turkish industry to reverse-engineer American defense systems. Its relations with Israel have deteriorated sharply, and it has made explicit military threats against Greece. The F-35 is not just the backbone of American air power. It is the primary fighter platform for a significant portion of NATO allies, including Poland and Finland, two countries on the front line of any potential Russian expansionism into Europe. If Turkey acquires the jets and its ties to Moscow continue, those countries' aircraft could be flying with compromised technology. The op-ed making this case in To Vima draws a sharp historical parallel: George Kennan's 1946 Long Telegram gave the US a coherent, long-term framework for dealing with Soviet expansionism, one that guided American foreign policy for four decades. The argument is that Washington has rarely shown that kind of strategic patience since, and the potential F-35 sale to Turkey is a textbook example of short-term economic logic overriding long-term security interests. The author's conclusion is blunt. Turkey would not use these aircraft against its stated adversaries. Based on its current trajectory, Greece and Israel are the more plausible targets. #Greece #Turkey #F35