NO. 33

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) is aghast the U.S. government is pursuing a policy of appeasement toward Turkey regarding Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system, which is a blatant violation of U.S. law. 

            According to news reports, President Donald J. Trump is seeking “flexibility” from Congress on imposing sanctions on Turkey, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has proposed the possibly of entering into a free trade agreement with Turkey in exchange for Turkey not activating the missile system.

            “This is an outrage,” President Nick Larigakis said. “It has always been the policy of the U.S. government to appease Turkey; to apply a double standard.  We have seen it with the Cyprus problem, and we are seeing it again, here, with Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400s. Turkey is a habitual violator of the rule of law and the inability of the United States to hold Turkey accountable for its actions is unacceptable.”

            Larigakis added the White House’s statement, and subsequent briefing by Pentagon officials in response to Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400s, were further illustrations of the United States’ appeasement of Turkey.

            “Turkey’s suspension from the F-35 program should not just be exclusively tied to its acquisition of the S-400s, as Pentagon officials made clear.  Rather, it should also be tied to how Turkey is a destabilizing force in the eastern Mediterranean by way of its gunboat diplomacy and gross violation of the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus and its ceaseless violations of NATO ally Greece’s airspace and seaways, including threats to Greece’s own exclusive economic zone near Kastellorizo.

            “AHI has long advocated and maintained Turkey is an unreliable ally, ranging from the Cold War, through to Operation Iraqi Freedom, where it refused to allow the United States to use bases in Turkey to open a northern front against the Saddam Hussein dictatorship unless a certain ransom was met; through to the present day with the acquisition of the S-400s,” Larigakis said. “Turkey’s defiance of the rule of law will continue until the United States government holds Turkey accountable for its actions and ceases the double standard it applies to Turkey. NATO allies must be held to the same standards as adversaries such as Russia and Iran if the United States is to uphold its own values and democratic principles.”