JD: They’ve actually I think already stopped the delivery of any F-35s the stealth fighter jet into Turkey because Turkey’s been playing footsie over there with Russia. They are supposedly acquiring those S400 ground to air anti-missile weapons.
KT: And I think that was Vice President Pence who basically cautioned the Turks against buying the S400s. But frankly the idea that we would even consider selling them our top of the line stealth fighter the F-35 just defies comprehension. I’m glad the Vice President and the President stepped in to put an end to any sale to Turkey of the F-35.
JD: Tayyip Erdogan who is the President. It seemed like he was President for life. That may have changed a little bit. They’ve had some elections and national elections. The two major cities Ankara which is the capital and Istanbul the largest city in Turkey they both lost as it relates to Erdogan’s political party. Is that weakening Erdogan enough that he will get rid of his ambition to be that caliph in the caliphate of the world?
KT: This loss of the Ankara mayor ship and possibly of Istanbul the results are not yet finalized there. It really is a big blow to Erdogan. It’s the first national electoral challenge since the Turkish Lira loss 30% of its value last August. And I think it shows that the Turkish people are waking up a little bit to Erdogan’s mismanagement of the economy. It doesn’t suggest yet that they are upset with his broader ambitions which you just laid out. If he can’t put the chicken in every pot without crashing the economy then I think he’s going to have a problem.
JD: Ken Timmerman with details on President Erdogan’s loss of the F-35’s that were to be given to him by America even as he fights for his political life.
