Navigating diplomatic skies: Despite Sweden's NATO bid gaining traction, Turkey's F-16 sale is in jeopardy.

WASHINGTON ― T??kish P??si??nt R?c?? T???i? E?????n s?nt th? ??ti?ic?ti?n ???t?c?ls ??? Sw???n’s NATO ?cc?ssi?n t? ???li?m?nt this w??k, ??t it’s ?ncl??? wh?th?? th?t’s ?n???h t? l?ck ??wn th? $20 ?illi?n s?l? ??? 40 n?w F-16s th?t Ank??? s??ks.

Th?t’s ??c??s? th? ???? k?? U.S. l?wm?k??s wh? w??l? n??? t? ????nli?ht th? Bl?ck 70 F-16 ?i?ht?? j?ts t? T??k?? ??? v?icin? c?nc??ns ????t ?th?? iss??s ?n??l?t?? t? Sw???n’s NATO ?cc?ssi?n.

A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft of the “Solo Turk” solo aerobatics display team performs aerial manuevers during the airshow part of the official celebration marking the 38th anniversary of the self-proclaimed “Turkish Republic of North Cyprus” (TRNC), recognised only by Turkey, in the northern part of Cyprus’ capital Nicosia on November 15, 2021. (Photo by Birol BEBEK / AFP) (Photo by BIROL BEBEK/AFP via Getty Images)

Th? ch?i?s ?n? ??nkin? m?m???s ?? th? ????i?n ????i?s c?mmitt??s in ??th th? S?n?t? ?n? H??s? c?n ?nil?t???ll? ?l?c? h?l?s ?n ??ms s?l?s. An? ?s ?? ?i?ht n?w, ?t l??st tw? ?? th?m w?n’t c?mmit t? si?nin? ??? ?n th? s?l? j?st ??t.

S?n?t? F???i?n R?l?ti?ns C?mmitt?? Ch?i?m?n B?n C???in, D-M?., t?l? ?????t??s Th??s??? h?’s ?l??s?? t? s?? T??k?? m?vin? ??sitiv?l? ?n Sw???n’s NATO ?i?, n?tin? “it’s cl??? th?t th?? h?? t? ??t this ??n? ?????? w? w??l? c?nsi??? ??ms s?l?s.”

“B?t th??? ??? ?th?? iss??s th?t w? ?v?l??t? ?n ??ms s?l?s,” C???in ?????. “Th? ?s? ?? th? w????ns s?st?ms, th? h?m?n ?i?hts iss??s ?n? c?nc??ns th?t w? h?v?. S? th??? ??? ?th?? iss??s th?t w?’ll ?? l??kin? ?t.”

“B?t I ??n’t w?nt t? ?iv? ?n? si?n?ls ?i?ht n?w ??c??s? w? h?v?n’t h?? th?s? c?nv??s?ti?ns with th? ??minist??ti?n,” h? s?i?. “I ?i?st w?nt t? h??? ???m th? ??minist??ti?n.”

Th? U.S. St?t? D????tm?nt h?s ??t t? ???m?ll? n?ti?? C?n???ss ?? th? T??k?? F-16 s?l?, ??t n?ti?n?l s?c??it? ??vis?? J?k? S?lliv?n s?i? in J?l? th?t th? Bi??n ??minist??ti?n w??l? m?v? ???w??? with th? ???l ??t?? E?????n ?????? t? li?t his h?l? ?n Sw???n’s NATO m?m???shi?.

Th? ???ic? ?? H??s? F???i?n A???i?s C?mmitt?? Ch?i?m?n Mik? McC??l, R-T?x?s, ?i? n?t ??s??n? t? ? ?????st ??? c?mm?nt ?? ???ss tim?.

A s??k?s???s?n ??? R??. G?????? M??ks ?? N?w Y??k, th? t?? D?m?c??t ?n th? H??s? F???i?n A???i?s C?mmitt??, s?i? th? ??nkin? m?m??? “l??ks ???w??? t? th? T??kish ???li?m?nt’s ??ti?ic?ti?n ?? Sw???n’s NATO ?cc?ssi?n, ?s w?ll ?s th? c?ss?ti?n ?? ?tt?cks ?n U.S. ???tn??s in th? ???i?n, c??????ti?n ?n c??nt??in? illicit R?ssi?n ?in?nci?l ?l?ws ?n? ? ??-?sc?l?ti?n ?? t?nsi?ns in th? A????n.”

“Th? t??nsmissi?n ?? th?s? ???t?c?ls ?l?n? h?s n?t ch?n??? his ??siti?n, ?n? h? h???s th?? ??? imm??i?t?l? ??ti?i?? ?n? ??????ss is m??? ?n ?ll th?s? iss??s,” M??ks’ s??k?s???s?n s?i?.

T??kish ?i?st?ik?s h?v? ??m?????? civili?n in???st??ct??? in K???ish-h?l? n??th??st S??i?, c?ttin? ?? w?t?? ?n? ?l?ct?icit? th????h??t m?ch ?? th? ????. Th? T??kish st?ik?s h?v? kill?? ?t l??st 218 civili?ns, ?cc???in? t? th? K???ish-l?? ??minist??ti?n, which is ??ck?? ?? ????hl? 900 U.S. t????s st?ti?n?? in S??i?.

T??k?? l??nch?? its l?t?st c?m??i?n ???inst n??th??st S??i? ???li?? this m?nth ??t?? ? ????? link?? t? th? K???ist?n W??k??s’ P??t?, ?? PKK, ?tt?ck?? th? Int??i?? Minist?? in Ank???, inj??in? tw? ???ic??s. Th? PKK is ???ili?t?? with th? K???ish-l?? ??minist??ti?n in n??th??st S??i?.

T??k?? h?s ???vi??sl? ?s?? Am??ic?n-m??? F-16s it ?wns ???in? its ??i?? ???i?l ?tt?cks in n??th??st S??i?. T??k?? ?ls? st?ti?n?? F-16s in Az????ij?n ???in? th? 2020 w?? with A?m?ni? ?v?? th? ?is??t?? N????n?-K?????kh ???i?n. Az????ij?n w?n th?t w??, ?n? m??? th?n 100,000 A?m?ni?ns ?l?? th? ???? in S??t?m???, ? m?v? A?m?ni? h?s ??sc?i??? ?s ?thnic cl??nsin?.

Ask?? ?? D???ns? N?ws ????t T??k??’s ?cti?ns in S??i? ?n? Az????ij?n, S?n. J?m?s Risch ?? I??h? — th? t?? R????lic?n ?n th? S?n?t? F???i?n R?l?ti?ns C?mmitt?? — s?i? h? h?s c?nc??ns. H?w?v??, h? ?????, h? m?? still ?iv? th? ????nli?ht ??? th? F-16s sh??l? T??k?? ??ti?? Sw???n’s NATO m?m???shi?.

Risch t?l? ?????t??s th? Bi??n ??minist??ti?n h?s n?t ???ch?? ??t t? C?n???ss sinc? E?????n s??mitt?? th? ??ti?ic?ti?n ???t?c?ls t? ???li?m?nt, ??t s?i?: “I ??n’t think th?? ???ll? n??? t? sinc? w? h?v? h?? l?n?, ??t?il?? c?nv??s?ti?ns ????t th?t. Ev??????? kn?ws wh?t th? ????m?t??s w???.”

Whil? th? F-16 s?l? still h?n?s in th? ??l?nc?, T??k??’s m?st si?ni?ic?nt ??st?cl? t? th? ???l is n? l?n??? ? ??ct??. S?n. B?? M?n?n??z, D-N.J., l?st his ??siti?n ?s ch?i?m?n ?? th? ????i?n ??l?ti?ns ??n?l ??t?? th? J?stic? D????tm?nt ?nv?il?? ? c?????ti?n in?ictm?nt ???inst him in S??t?m??? — th? s?c?n? ?? his ??litic?l c?????. As s?ch, M?n?n??z h?s l?st his ??th??it? t? ?nil?t???ll? h?l? ?? ??ms s?l?s.

M?n?n??z h?? v?w?? t? h?l? th? F-16 s?l? ?v?n i? T??k?? ??ti?i?s Sw???n’s NATO ?cc?ssi?n, citin? ? lit?n? ?? ?th?? iss??s. On? ?? his m?st ???min?nt c?nc??ns w?s T??k??’s ?????t?? inc??si?ns int? th? ?i?s??c? ?? ??ll?w NATO ?ll? G???c? ?n? its ?n??in? ?cc???ti?n ?? n??th??n C????s.

Th? N?w J??s?? D?m?c??t h?s ?l????? n?t ??ilt? t? ch????s in?ic?tin? h? ?cc??t?? ??i??s ???m E???t ?n? in t??n l???i?? his S?n?t? c?ll?????s n?t t? c?t ?? c?n?iti?n U.S. milit??? ?i? t? C?i??. M?n?n??z ??m?ins in th? S?n?t? ?n? is s??t?? ?n th? F???i?n R?l?ti?ns C?mmitt??.