US Congress Threatens to Block F-16 Deal with Turkey

A Turkish F-16 fighter jet participates in an air show in Istanbul on September 21, 2021. (EPA)
A Turkish F-16 fighter jet participates in an air show in Istanbul on September 21, 2021. (EPA)
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US Congress Threatens to Block F-16 Deal with Turkey

A Turkish F-16 fighter jet participates in an air show in Istanbul on September 21, 2021. (EPA)
A Turkish F-16 fighter jet participates in an air show in Istanbul on September 21, 2021. (EPA)

Members of the US Congress have threatened to block any possible sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.

The lawmakers wrote a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressing their strong opposition to any similar approach due to “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s policies and his rapprochement with Russia.”

The lawmakers, led by Democrat Carolyn Maloney and Republican Gus Bilirakis, expressed “concern” over reports issued by Turkey on its plan to purchase “40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes.”

They affirmed their intention to block any arms deal once it is introduced to the Congress, noting that “Erdogan continues to violate US laws and the NATO principles.”

The letter mentioned the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), a federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The bill was approved by the Senate in July 2017 after it passed the House.

In late 2020, the US imposed sanctions on Turkey for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction with Russia’s main arms export entity, by procuring the S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

Turkey defied this law when it purchased the S-400 system from Russia, the letter stressed, pointing to the efforts to try to reach a solution that prevents sanctions against Ankara.

“Less than a year after the CAATSA sanctions were imposed, Erdogan’s government doesn’t seem to be willing to respect US laws, consider reasons behind expelling Turkey from the F-35 program or address causes of the Congress’s freeze of arms sales to Turkey.”

Instead, Erdogan announced in September that Ankara still intended to buy a second batch of S-400s from Russia.

The lawmakers called for imposing additional sanctions on Turkey if it goes ahead with purchasing the new system from Russia, a position approved by the US ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake.



US Condemns ‘Dangerous’ Maneuvers by Chinese Navy in South China Sea 

An aircraft identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Chinese Navy helicopter (L) flies near the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane during an aerial reconnaissance flight at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
An aircraft identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Chinese Navy helicopter (L) flies near the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane during an aerial reconnaissance flight at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
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US Condemns ‘Dangerous’ Maneuvers by Chinese Navy in South China Sea 

An aircraft identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Chinese Navy helicopter (L) flies near the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane during an aerial reconnaissance flight at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
An aircraft identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Chinese Navy helicopter (L) flies near the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane during an aerial reconnaissance flight at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on February 18, 2025. (AFP)

The United States condemned the "dangerous" maneuvers of a Chinese navy helicopter that endangered the safety of a Philippine government aircraft patrolling a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, its ambassador to Manila said on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Ambassador MaryKay Carlson also called on China "to refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law."

The Philippines said late on Tuesday it was "deeply disturbed" by the Chinese navy's "unprofessional and reckless" flight actions and that it will make a diplomatic protest.

Manila's coast guard said the Chinese navy helicopter performed dangerous flight maneuvers when it flew close to a government aircraft conducting surveillance over the Scarborough Shoal, endangering the lives of its pilots and passengers, actions.

China disputed the Philippines' account, saying on Tuesday its aircraft "illegally intruded" into China's airspace and accused its Southeast Asian neighbor of "spreading false narratives".

Named after a British ship that was grounded on the atoll nearly three centuries ago, the Scarborough Shoal is one of the most contested maritime feature in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have clashed repeatedly.

"The Philippines has undeniable sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc," its maritime council said in a statement using Manila's name for the shoal.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, putting it at odds with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China's expansive claim, but Beijing does not recognize the decision.