By Ata Atun
Prof. Dr. (Civ. Eng), Assoc. Prof. Dr. (Int. Rel.), Dean of Cyprus Science University, Politicial Advisor to the President of the State of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
U.S. President Joe Biden remarked while attending the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Madrid, “We need to update the F-16 aircraft while also selling them to Türkiye. Not doing this is not in our best interests.” His remarks sparked American anti-Türkiye organizations to take action. In addition to a scandalous letter defaming Türkiye, these lobbies sent President Biden a letter with the message “Do not sell F-16s to Türkiye” signed by 35 members of the US Congress. We are not surprised by the lobby’s anti-Turkish actions, but it is wrong to hand over control of the floor to these masters of misinformation.
The US’s policies for the Balkans, the Sea of Islands, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Caspian Region, the Caucasus, and the Black Sea Region are all dependent on Türkiye. Now let’s talk about whether the US will be influenced by these lobbies. Türkiye is the main player. President Biden’s involvement in these provocations, as well as that of the Pentagon, would undoubtedly hurt US regional interests. For political reasons, Greece is no longer as significant to the US as it once was. The Greek lobby’s anger is actually a tear of frustration.
I believe that the fact that 37 more nations, together with the United States, are taking part in the EFES-2022 military exercise in the Sea of Islands shows Türkiye’s significance as a regional force. Events like the demise of anti-Türkiye organizations, which were once elevated to the status of American allies in the Middle East, and the subsequent loss of this position, as well as the emergence of the global food and energy crisis with the Ukraine-Russia war that marked the year 2022, seriously exposed Türkiye’s regional value in terms of the establishment of regional peace and the transfer of grain and energy to neighboring countries. How strongly U.S. regional interests are connected to Türkiye may be shown by the U.S. Department of Defense’s funding for the upgrading of Türkiye’s F-16 fleet.
Despite these facts, it is inevitable that the center of gravity within the Western bloc will start to move if US President Biden cannot persuade the US Congress and the sale of new F-16s to Türkiye cannot be realized. It is obvious that the United States will lose a significant amount of strength in the region if it loses the Incirlik airbase and electronic listening facility, the Kürecik Air Defense system, the Sinop regional listening facilities, and notably Türkiye as an ally as a result of the lobbying.
The center shift refers to the US ceding control of regional administration in NATO and Europe to other nations. This change could manifest itself, for instance, when Türkiye and Britain’s military and commercial ties grow. The western bloc’s US-centric center could start to move eastward toward Europe. Most significantly, this might shatter Ankara’s long-standing trust in Washington. In other words, when the US’s relationship with Türkiye, a regional power, breaks down, Washington’s already waning influence in the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Caucasus will reach a breaking point.
In conclusion, the United States must now pick a side.
Is it Türkiye, the country that, when the USA is in need, offers a spoonful of honey by saying “we’re allies, man!”. Or the weak, unimportant nations like Armenia, Greece, and the Greek Cypriot Administration that no longer hold any regional significance?
Biden and his team will need to use common sense, despite the fact that it will be detrimental to the United States to be swayed by these masters of misinformation who are solely supported by lobbying.