No Stealth For You!: Trump Signs Defense Bill That Blocks Transfer Of F-35s To Turkey - The Drive
▻http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/22859/no-stealth-for-you-trump-signs-defense-bill-that-blocks-transfer-of-f-35s-
▻https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/jjjajja111c.jpg?quality=85
The escalating F-35 saga between Ankara and Washington D.C., which you can read about here, hit a crescendo today when President Donald Trump signed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) at Fort Drum in upstate New York. Language in the bill specifically stops the delivery of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Turkey—a NATO ally and one of the first international partners on the program dating back two decades. Turkey has plans to buy 100 of the stealthy fighters, 30 of which are already on order, and has invested $1.2B into the program so far.
The sanctions have sent Turkey’s already faltering economy into a tailspin, with its currency, the Lira, taking a huge nosedive. Erdogan has stated that America’s move to impose sanctions is a “stab in the back” and his administration is working to forestall more economic damage and to stabilize the situation. He also said that “economic terrorists” will be dealt with, which apparently includes media that print negative information about the economy.
As the once tight relationship between the U.S. and Turkey fractures, Turkey continues to be pulled closer into Moscow’s orbit, especially in an economic sense—a reality that is very concerning for its NATO partners. Beyond its increasing affinity towards Russia, the F-35 and S-400 issues, and the escalating spat over the extradition of religious figures, many other issues between the Washington D.C. and Ankara persist.