Turkey begins receiving Russian missiles in challenge to U.S. and NATO

[rooster59]

Turkey begins receiving Russian missiles in challenge to U.S. and NATO

By Sarah Dadouch and Idrees Ali

 

First parts of a Russian S-400 missile defense system are unloaded from a Russian plane at Murted Airport, known as Akinci Air Base, near Ankara, Turkey, July 12, 2019. Turkish Military/Turkish Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

 

ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Turkey began taking delivery of an advanced Russian missile defence system on Friday, a move expected to trigger U.S. sanctions against a NATO ally and drive a wedge into the heart of the Western military alliance.

 

The first parts of the S-400 air defence system were flown to the Murted military air base northwest of Ankara, the Turkish Defence Ministry said, sealing Turkey's deal with Russia which Washington had struggled for months to prevent.

 

Reaction from Washington, which has threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey, was limited, with acting Defence Secretary Mark Esper saying the U.S. position has not changed.

 

President Donald Trump gave a 30-minute speech on trade on Friday afternoon at a plant in Milwaukee run by a subsidiary of defence contractor Lockheed Martin but made no mention of Turkey.

 

Washington has opposed Turkey's purchase, saying Russian military hardware is not compatible with NATO systems and that the acquisition may lead to Turkey's expulsion from an F-35 fighter jet programme.

 

Investors in Turkey have been unsettled by the deal. The Turkish lira <TRYTOM=D3> weakened as much as 1.6% to 5.7780 against the dollar, before recovering somewhat, after the ministry announced the arrival of the S-400 consignment. The main Istanbul share index <.XU100> fell 2.13%.

 

Turkish broadcasters showed footage of huge Russian Air Force AN-124 cargo planes offloading equipment at the air base.

 

"Today three cargo planes arrived," Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told state-owned Anadolu news agency, adding that deliveries would continue in coming days.

 

A second delivery by air will take place soon, Russia's TASS news agency quoted an unnamed military-diplomatic source as saying. A third delivery – of 120 guided missiles – will be carried out by ship at the end of the summer, the source said.

 

Twenty Turkish servicemen received training from Russia in May-June and 80 more Turkish servicemen will receive training to use the S-400 system, the source was quoted as saying.

 

"We are aware of Turkey taking delivery of the S-400, our position regarding the F-35 has not changed," Esper told reporters earlier in the day and said there will be "more to follow" after he spoke with his Turkish counterpart.

 

But the Pentagon then cancelled a planned news briefing on Turkey.

 

"Minister Akar told his U.S. counterpart that Turkey remains under a serious air and missile threat and that purchase of S-400 defence systems was not an option but rather a necessity," the Turkish defence ministry said about the phone call, adding that Ankara was still assessing acquiring U.S. Patriot missiles.

 

ERDOGAN-TRUMP TALKS

 

Turkey says the system is a strategic defence requirement, particularly to secure its southern borders with Syria and Iraq. It says that when it made the deal with Russia for the S-400s, the United States and Europe had not presented a viable alternative.

 

President Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting President Donald Trump at a G20 summit last month that the United States did not plan to impose sanctions on Ankara for buying the S-400s.

 

Trump said Turkey had not been treated fairly but did not rule out sanctions, and U.S. officials said last week the administration still plans to act.

 

There has been bipartisan opposition in the U.S. Congress to Turkey's purchase and the reaction from lawmakers have been more stern, calling the State Department and Pentagon to remove Turkey from the F-35 program. "President Erdogan was given a very clear choice. Unfortunately, he has clearly made the wrong one," a statement from House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee said.

 

Under legislation known as Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which targets purchases of military equipment from Russia, Trump should select five of 12 possible measures.

 

These range from banning visas and denying access to the U.S.-based Export-Import Bank, to the harsher options of blocking transactions with the U.S. financial system and denying export licences.

 

Washington says the S-400s could compromise its Lockheed Martin <LMT.N> F-35 stealth fighter jets, an aircraft Turkey is helping to build and planning to buy.

 

Turkey could also face expulsion from the F-35 programme under the sanctions. Erdogan has dismissed that possibility, but Washington has already started the process of removing Turkey from the programme, halting training of Turkish pilots in the United States on the aircraft.

 

Investors in Turkey have been concerned about the impact of potential U.S. sanctions on an economy which fell into recession after a currency crisis last year.

 

Turkey's dollar bonds dropped to three-week lows on the news of the delivery, while the cost of insuring exposure to Turkish sovereign debt also rose.

 

Fitch ratings downgraded Turkey's sovereign rating to 'BB-' on Friday and said it remained vulnerable to deterioration of ties with the U.S. and added that while any U.S. sanctions on Turkey might have minimal direct economic effect, warned that their impact on sentiment could be significant.

 

The S-400 acquisition is one of several issues which have frayed ties between the two allies, including a dispute over strategy in Syria east of the Euphrates River, where the United States is allied with Kurdish forces that Turkey views as foes.

 

The detention of U.S. consular staff in Turkey has also strained relations, along with disagreements over Iran, Venezuela and Middle East policy. Turkey has long demanded Washington hand over a Muslim cleric who Ankara holds responsible for an attempted coup in 2016.

 

(Additional reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, Orhan Coskun in Ankara, Maxim Rodionov and Tom Balmforth in Moscow, Phil Stewart in Washington and Roberta Rampton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Writing by Daren Butler and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Dominic Evans, Gareth Jones and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-13

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[sammieuk1]

Turkey has long demanded Washington hand over a Muslim cleric who Ankara holds responsible for an attempted coup in 2016.

 

But the real perp is now buying Russian rockets and go's by the name of sultan ????

[Tug]

Well hopefully we will get to study them so we know how to defeat them

[ezzra]

Much murky and calandatines dealing are behind this purchase of the S-400 missiles, on one hand turkey want to buy the F-35 from the Us, on the other comes this 'Up yours Trump' move that confuses the situation, Erdogan and the Turkish economy are not doing well at the moment which also add to the uncertainties, time will tell... 

[expatfromwyoming]

And the idiot Trump thinks Iran is the biggest threat to world peace!!!!

Erdoğan has turned from neighbourhood bully-boy into a geostrategic threat. Under his choleric, resentful leadership, Turkey has ceased to be a reliable friend of West. Sound familiar with Trumps bully boy America

[mercman24]

the same bankrupt country that wants to join the EU, and what have they got to say about that .another lame duck. that will bring nothing to the table. an economy based on sell fake products.

[30la]

When adult children play at war, the result is death!

[jany123]

History lessons of tomorrow will likely include segments on how the trump adversely changed geopolitical power blocks of today.

[Dumbastheycome]

Get get nastier yet. If the US imposes sanctions Turkey  might cancel the fated F35 's and opt for Russian aircraft as a matching set.

[Dumbastheycome]

Just now, jany123 said:

History lessons of tomorrow will likely include segments on how the trump adversely changed geopolitical power blocks of today.

I agree. The world is realigning . Only tomorrows history will reveal the outcome.

[Morch]

33 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Get get nastier yet. If the US imposes sanctions Turkey  might cancel the fated F35 's and opt for Russian aircraft as a matching set.

 

If the USA will impose "sanctions", they most assuredly include cancelling (or putting on hold) F-35 sales to Turkey. So Turkey "cancelling" them is a bit redundant.

 

That said, Turkey is also a partner in the international production line of the F-35. So on the one hand, a big lose of jobs and income, while on the other hand some trouble replacing Turkish produced parts (at least in the short term).

 

Buying Russian aircraft, on top of the current system could very well spell the end for Turkey's NATO membership.

[expatfromwyoming]

Does Trump care what Turkey does- not on your life. As long as he can say "America First"

The approval of the U.S. Congress is required for the completion of the sale of the much wanted Patriot system, but as he publicly stated Trump has assured Erdoğan that there will be no congressional blockade on the Patriot sale to Turkey without explaining how he will be doing so. He used US jobs as a argument while saying he wants Turkey to spend more money on U.S. weaponry thus making jobs for Americans.

Trump also said that there will be no problem ahead in delivering the F-35 aircraft to Turkey, which is one of the parties of the production of the high-tech fighters.( first he blocks and then steps back-again). Trump’s argument that we have to provide Israel, Saudi Arabia,UAE and a host of other untrustworthy countries with bombs that land on school buses, hospitals and weddings in order to preserve US jobs is unconscionable and demonstrates a warped sense of priorities.

During 2017 to 2018, U.S. arms sales to foreign governments rose 33 percent due to the Trump administration’s non existent constraints on supplying foreign militias.

Before entering the White House, Trump loudly proclaimed under him a “lifetime restriction” on top defense officials working for private defense contractors. Again another lie. After the resignation of Gen. James Mattis, Patrick Shanahan filled the post as head of the Def Dep. Before joining the Trump administration, Shanahan spent three decades working for Boeing — a blatant conflict of interest for the person responsible for overseeing federal contracts with private defense contractors. One egregious example is Heather Wilson, who has been secretary of the Air Force since 2017. In 2015, Lockheed Martin paid a $4.7 million settlement to the Department of Justice after the revelation it had used taxpayer funds to hire a lobbyist for a $2.4 billion contract. That lobbyist was former New Mexico Representative Wilson, ranked as one of the “most corrupt members of Congress”. Mark Esper, the secretary of the Army, was VP of government relations for Raytheon before joining the Trump administration in 2017. 

Just as President Eisenhower suggested, it is time for an alert and knowledgeable citizenry to challenge the reasoning behind the U.S.’s endless wars and fight for a more peaceful future.

[Enoon]

 

Turkey and Syria wish to prosecute a genocidal war against the Kurds.

 

This was always on the cards after the Kurds became emboldened by the (ultimately) catastrophic US/UK invasion of Iraq.

 

It will place Turkey in conflict with US, so they obviously require an AD system that the US does not know inside out, supplied by a someone who has the ability to rapidly modify it against evolving threats.

 

The evil conspiracy of Blair/Bush continues to wreak its foul havoc upon the region.

 

 

 

[Morch]

19 minutes ago, expatfromwyoming said:

Does Trump care what Turkey does- not on your life. As long as he can say "America First"

The approval of the U.S. Congress is required for the completion of the sale of the much wanted Patriot system, but as he publicly stated Trump has assured Erdoğan that there will be no congressional blockade on the Patriot sale to Turkey without explaining how he will be doing so. He used US jobs as a argument while saying he wants Turkey to spend more money on U.S. weaponry thus making jobs for Americans.

Trump also said that there will be no problem ahead in delivering the F-35 aircraft to Turkey, which is one of the parties of the production of the high-tech fighters.( first he blocks and then steps back-again). Trump’s argument that we have to provide Israel, Saudi Arabia,UAE and a host of other untrustworthy countries with bombs that land on school buses, hospitals and weddings in order to preserve US jobs is unconscionable and demonstrates a warped sense of priorities.

During 2017 to 2018, U.S. arms sales to foreign governments rose 33 percent due to the Trump administration’s non existent constraints on supplying foreign militias.

Before entering the White House, Trump loudly proclaimed under him a “lifetime restriction” on top defense officials working for private defense contractors. Again another lie. After the resignation of Gen. James Mattis, Patrick Shanahan filled the post as head of the Def Dep. Before joining the Trump administration, Shanahan spent three decades working for Boeing — a blatant conflict of interest for the person responsible for overseeing federal contracts with private defense contractors. One egregious example is Heather Wilson, who has been secretary of the Air Force since 2017. In 2015, Lockheed Martin paid a $4.7 million settlement to the Department of Justice after the revelation it had used taxpayer funds to hire a lobbyist for a $2.4 billion contract. That lobbyist was former New Mexico Representative Wilson, ranked as one of the “most corrupt members of Congress”. Mark Esper, the secretary of the Army, was VP of government relations for Raytheon before joining the Trump administration in 2017. 

Just as President Eisenhower suggested, it is time for an alert and knowledgeable citizenry to challenge the reasoning behind the U.S.’s endless wars and fight for a more peaceful future.

 

How does this convulsed rant relate to the topic at hand, though?

[Redline]

Turkey is self destructing-another know it all dictator

[puipuitom]

The most stupid decission ever: to deliver the F35 to Turkey, so they can investigate that plane in connection with the shooting down capacity of the Russian S-400 anti aircraft missiles.

Better forget Turkey as Western ally at all as long as the Sultan is in charge.

[tonbridgebrit]

57 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

If the USA will impose "sanctions", they most assuredly include cancelling (or putting on hold) F-35 sales to Turkey. So Turkey "cancelling" them is a bit redundant.

 

That said, Turkey is also a partner in the international production line of the F-35. So on the one hand, a big lose of jobs and income, while on the other hand some trouble replacing Turkish produced parts (at least in the short term).

 

Buying Russian aircraft, on top of the current system could very well spell the end for Turkey's NATO membership.

"Buying Russian aircraft, on top of the current system could very well spell the end for Turkey's NATO membership".   ???

What on earth are you on about ? Look, NATO needs Turkey far more than Turkey needs NATO. That's why Turkey is in NATO.
Why does NATO need Turkey ?  Islam is not a threat to world peace, the Middle East is not a threat to world peace. But NATO continues with the lie that Islam is a threat. And because NATO (Washington) has said that Islam is a threat to Europe and world peace, that's why they need to make it look like that Turkey is a vital barrier between Europe and Islam.

Whatever happens, they will never boot Turkey out of NATO.  Turkey is staying, whatever anybody says.

[Dumbastheycome]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

If the USA will impose "sanctions", they most assuredly include cancelling (or putting on hold) F-35 sales to Turkey. So Turkey "cancelling" them is a bit redundant.

 

That said, Turkey is also a partner in the international production line of the F-35. So on the one hand, a big lose of jobs and income, while on the other hand some trouble replacing Turkish produced parts (at least in the short term).

 

Buying Russian aircraft, on top of the current system could very well spell the end for Turkey's NATO membership.

The F35 is a bit of a lemon so either way is probable.

Turkey is widely considered a rogue member in NATO anyway so also probable.

In any event it is yet another symptom of retractions in accords at  many levels.

 

[Morch]

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

"Buying Russian aircraft, on top of the current system could very well spell the end for Turkey's NATO membership".   ???

What on earth are you on about ? Look, NATO needs Turkey far more than Turkey needs NATO. That's why Turkey is in NATO.
Why does NATO need Turkey ?  Islam is not a threat to world peace, the Middle East is not a threat to world peace. But NATO continues with the lie that Islam is a threat. And because NATO (Washington) has said that Islam is a threat to Europe and world peace, that's why they need to make it look like that Turkey is a vital barrier between Europe and Islam.

Whatever happens, they will never boot Turkey out of NATO.  Turkey is staying, whatever anybody says.

 

Oh, you're doing the bogus list of not-a-threat-to-world-peace again? Funny how many countries do see things in the ME as being a threat to world peace, though. 

 

I don't think NATO stated anywhere or at any time that Islam is a threat. Unless you can support that with anything, it would seem you're the one lying. NATO isn't (Washington), either.

 

You've no idea about "never". And you deciding Turkey stays amounts to little.

 

 

[Morch]

56 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

The F35 is a bit of a lemon so either way is probable.

Turkey is widely considered a rogue member in NATO anyway so also probable.

In any event it is yet another symptom of retractions in accords at  many levels.

 

 

As far as I'm aware, Turkey wasn't planning on ditching the F-35. If anything, there was talk about expanding orders. Seeing as Turkish firm benefit from the project, it's in Turkey's interests for it to go on.

 

Wouldn't know about "rogue", but certainly plenty of issues and comparability problems. Regardless, even if things go this way, it's going to be complicated. There's no mechanism, I think, to "kick" a country out of NATO.

[Galactus]

On 7/13/2019 at 5:51 PM, Dumbastheycome said:

The F35 is a bit of a lemon so either way is probable.

Turkey is widely considered a rogue member in NATO anyway so also probable.

In any event it is yet another symptom of retractions in accords at  many levels.

 

 

rogue member?

you mean the one bear the burden of cold war by risking getting nukes from Russia by holding US offensive jupiter missiles and nukes in their soil? ( check: Cuban Missile Crisis)

not a rogue member, when helping US and NATO forces for Iraqi invasion multiple times? and helping them by providing bases in Turkey?

not a rogue member when fighting in Korea, Afghanistan, Balkans, Somalia and all those countries in turmoil? which no NATO member wanted to send soldiers?

a rogue member, which was denied Patriot missile defense system by its 'NATO allies and USA' multiple times although rockets were raining from Syria and threat from middle east?

Sorry, i dont think so. 

If we speak about rogue states in this world, biggest is USA at every imaginable level from invasions, assassinations, oppression, sanctions based on bs, coupes instigated by CIA, wars based on shitty reasons like 'hey, there are chemical weapons in Iraq!' and a lot more that you can imagine.

 

Morever, hypocrisy of US and NATO and EU as usual kills me.

Greece also holds Russian S300 missiles and for decades! So Greece is fine but Turkey cant?

Also, I find the reasons like s400 missle systems can follow F35 patterns, record them and report it to Russia as a bs too.

F35 planes fly over Russian s400 systems daily in Syria.

F35 planes belong to Norway fly from Russian border which is heavily fortified with s400 missiles. Norwegian F35 planes also pass over them daily.

So, these are a problem but F35 planes in Turkey flying over s400 system again belongs to Turks is a problem?

 

What i feel here is, US got a big but  t hurt just bc Turkey as an independent and sovereign country, chosen a missile system originated from Russia.

and didnt give any s h  ite to hawkish US fascists who are dictating what weapons Turkey should buy or not. What Turkey should say or what Turkey should do and more.

and of course now it is very hard for US to even think about an air assault kind of thing towards Turkey. US lost its strategic depth and angry for this.

 

turks did the best for their country as an independent and sovereign country.

and if NATO would like to remove Turkey (which it is impossible and only Turkey can leave by itself by the way according to NATO rules) just bc it bought a weapon system from Russia which Turkey was denied multiple times by its "NATO allies', just be it but then lose everything in middle east and eastern Europe to Russia as there will be no turks to balance that region towards US and NATO favor.

 

[Dumbastheycome]

2 hours ago, Galactus said:

 

rogue member?

you mean the one bear the burden of cold war by risking getting nukes from Russia by holding US offensive jupiter missiles and nukes in their soil? ( check: Cuban Missile Crisis)

not a rogue member, when helping US and NATO forces for Iraqi invasion multiple times? and helping them by providing bases in Turkey?

not a rogue member when fighting in Korea, Afghanistan, Balkans, Somalia and all those countries in turmoil? which no NATO member wanted to send soldiers?

a rogue member, which was denied Patriot missile defense system by its 'NATO allies and USA' multiple times although rockets were raining from Syria and threat from middle east?

Sorry, i dont think so. 

If we speak about rogue states in this world, biggest is USA at every imaginable level from invasions, assassinations, oppression, sanctions based on bs, coupes instigated by CIA, wars based on shitty reasons like 'hey, there are chemical weapons in Iraq!' and a lot more that you can imagine.

 

Morever, hypocrisy of US and NATO and EU as usual kills me.

Greece also holds Russian S300 missiles and for decades! So Greece is fine but Turkey cant?

Also, I find the reasons like s400 missle systems can follow F35 patterns, record them and report it to Russia as a bs too.

F35 planes fly over Russian s400 systems daily in Syria.

F35 planes belong to Norway fly from Russian border which is heavily fortified with s400 missiles. Norwegian F35 planes also pass over them daily.

So, these are a problem but F35 planes in Turkey flying over s400 system again belongs to Turks is a problem?

 

What i feel here is, US got a big but  t hurt just bc Turkey as an independent and sovereign country, chosen a missile system originated from Russia.

and didnt give any s h  ite to hawkish US fascists who are dictating what weapons Turkey should buy or not. What Turkey should say or what Turkey should do and more.

and of course now it is very hard for US to even think about an air assault kind of thing towards Turkey. US lost its strategic depth and angry for this.

 

turks did the best for their country as an independent and sovereign country.

and if NATO would like to remove Turkey (which it is impossible and only Turkey can leave by itself by the way according to NATO rules) just bc it bought a weapon system from Russia which Turkey was denied multiple times by its "NATO allies', just be it but then lose everything in middle east and eastern Europe to Russia as there will be no turks to balance that region towards US and NATO favor.

 

Note that I stated the widely held opinion but not as I hold. 

[ChouDoufu]

On 7/13/2019 at 4:32 PM, Morch said:

 

If the USA will impose "sanctions", they most assuredly include cancelling (or putting on hold) F-35 sales to Turkey. So Turkey "cancelling" them is a bit redundant.

 

That said, Turkey is also a partner in the international production line of the F-35. So on the one hand, a big lose of jobs and income, while on the other hand some trouble replacing Turkish produced parts (at least in the short term).

 

Buying Russian aircraft, on top of the current system could very well spell the end for Turkey's NATO membership.

would that not be a great loss for nato?

doesn't turkey have the largest military in nato, excluding the usa?  i believe they maintain the equivalent of germany and france combined.

the us would also lose their airbase, intel station, and nuke depot at incirlic. 

i imagine putin would love parking his aircraft at his new turkish airbase, and have a little more input over which warships turkey allows through the bosphorus.

 

[bristolboy]

On 7/13/2019 at 6:52 PM, Morch said:

 

As far as I'm aware, Turkey wasn't planning on ditching the F-35. If anything, there was talk about expanding orders. Seeing as Turkish firm benefit from the project, it's in Turkey's interests for it to go on.

 

Wouldn't know about "rogue", but certainly plenty of issues and comparability problems. Regardless, even if things go this way, it's going to be complicated. There's no mechanism, I think, to "kick" a country out of NATO.

Seeing that it's a hugely expensive piece of hardware and costly to maintain, it's unlikely that the economic benefits outweigh the costs.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

would that not be a great loss for nato?

doesn't turkey have the largest military in nato, excluding the usa?  i believe they maintain the equivalent of germany and france combined.

the us would also lose their airbase, intel station, and nuke depot at incirlic. 

i imagine putin would love parking his aircraft at his new turkish airbase, and have a little more input over which warships turkey allows through the bosphorus.

 

 

I guess it depends how you look at it. In recent years, there were quite a few issues regarding relations and cooperation between Turkey, NATO and the EU. And Under Erdogan, Turkey's actual commitment to NATO may be questioned. Unless mistaken there were already limitations imposed by Turkey on USA activities from Incirlik air base on various occasions. There were reports about Germany withdrawing troops deployed there as well. Regarding nukes, some views see this as a potential liability.

 

It would be more of a loss if Turkey either turned hostile or allied with Russia.

 

Both Turkey and the USA are led by ego-driven, impatient and volatile persons. Neither very accomplished on the international relations front. It doesn't bode well for the future, and it might be problematic to fix, even when the two are out of office.

 

 

 

 

[usviphotography]

On 7/12/2019 at 8:22 PM, ezzra said:

Much murky and calandatines dealing are behind this purchase of the S-400 missiles, on one hand turkey want to buy the F-35 from the Us, on the other comes this 'Up yours Trump' move that confuses the situation, Erdogan and the Turkish economy are not doing well at the moment which also add to the uncertainties, time will tell... 

It isn't really murky at all. Like Trump pointed out in his comments, Turkey actually wanted to buy a missile system from US, but Obama Admin queered the deal so Turkey had no choice but to buy the Russian offering. I'm sure the F-35 sales will be cleared eventually. Trump isn't going to allow Lockheed to get screwed over what is at this point spilled milk. Withholding the F-35's only made sense as a threat to coerce Turkey not to buy S-400 (except it didn't really make sense because US wasn't offering Turkey a US made alternative under any terms the Turks could accept). But now that the money has been exchanged and system delivered, the only thing withholding the F-35's accomplishes at this point is screwing Lockheed and costing American jobs.    

[Dumbastheycome]

On 7/13/2019 at 5:53 PM, Morch said:

 

How does this convulsed rant relate to the topic at hand, though?

Why is it that you so predictability react to opinion based on valid interpretation that you have no counter to with bogus claims of irrelevance? That background supporting factors in interpretation of events that are in opposition to your function does not detract validity of opinion. Perpetual demonstration of sad face only indicates personal disappointment. Not more. 

[Credo]

1 hour ago, usviphotography said:

It isn't really murky at all. Like Trump pointed out in his comments, Turkey actually wanted to buy a missile system from US, but Obama Admin queered the deal so Turkey had no choice but to buy the Russian offering. I'm sure the F-35 sales will be cleared eventually. Trump isn't going to allow Lockheed to get screwed over what is at this point spilled milk. Withholding the F-35's only made sense as a threat to coerce Turkey not to buy S-400 (except it didn't really make sense because US wasn't offering Turkey a US made alternative under any terms the Turks could accept). But now that the money has been exchanged and system delivered, the only thing withholding the F-35's accomplishes at this point is screwing Lockheed and costing American jobs.    

Well I am not surprised that you don't have a source for Trump's usual blaming of Obama for his own screw ups.

 

[arithai12]

Today, NATO is meaningless.

[Credo]

16 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Today, NATO is meaningless.

And I wonder whose fault that is?