Joe Biden, almost less than stellar understanding of foreign policy, took a nosedive when US-Turkey relations would be affected by rejecting an arms sale.
In contrast to Ukraine, which is getting arms and is not an official ally, Turkey has had dealings with the US, which benefitted Washington. But, the president's treatment over an ally who has assisted in brokering peace with hostile forces will tell on Biden's already discredited foreign policy, which has not worked.
US negotiates sale with Turkey
Denying to sell to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan a total of 40 F-16 jets due to the advisors would not pan outright as it might come back to bite back at Washington, reported the Express UK.
Two US representatives, Gus Bilirakis and Frank Pallone, asked the president to deny the request of Ankara to update the Fighting Falcons into the updated variant.
They allege that Erdogan has been using its military forces to cause problems in the Eastern, Med, Middle East, and other places like Northern Africa South Caucasus, noted the World News.
Ankara allegedly uses US weaponry to assist Turkey and Turkish-backed forces in conducting war crimes. They imply that the new jets will be used for these purposes in this part of the world. Both representatives are saying the Erdogan government is undemocratic and occurrence of human rights in Turkey.
They are also opposed to Ankara's request because of its obliviousness to the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), added to the case of human rights.
An already tense international scene that has only slid to worse should make Joe Biden regret his treatment of US-Turkey relations.
Why Turkey is important to NATO
NATO cannot do without Ankara due to its geopolitical position as the gateway to the East and West that is realized as important by Brussels and even the Kremlin. But American politicians like Mr. Biden are one-dimensional and cannot see the big picture.
Strategically Turkey is a choke point located in the Black Sea where Russian naval vessels would risk passing a NATO-controlled coast; that makes Erdogan vital to the west.
The short-sightedness of the White House is that the Turkish government does not entirely put a stock on the US.
Ankara is more than willing to deal with anyone who can offer a defense deal; even if the US denies the sale, others are willing to sell. When the sale of Russian S-400 missile and air defense batteries was reported, the US had a fit.
President Erdogan bought the alleged stealth killer mobile surface-to-air missile system for $2.5 billion. Americans said the SAM system would be a danger to NATO and its F-35 stealth fighter, which is threatened by it.
The US and NATO warned Ankara, who went ahead with purchasing four missile batteries during July 2019. Seven days later, Turkey was kicked out of the F-35 program despite the money it plunked in.
President Donald Trump used the Under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (August 2017), where Ankara was penalized, cites CNBC.
Joe Biden just speared US-Turkey relations by denying the F-16 sale, also endangered the position of Washington if Erdogan refused any request.
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