Greek Americans want to stop transfer of two used US warships to Turkey

December 27, 2012 | Filed under: Geopolitics

The Hellenic American Leadership Council is campaigning against the transfer of two decommissioned US Navy warships to Turkey.

According to the link from the Hellenic American Leadership Council found here:

It’s not even Christmas yet, and the U.S. House is set to deliver to Turkey a holiday present that would make any nation drool. On the gift list are two Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missle frigrates, the USS Halyburton and the USS Thach:

H.R. 6649  (PDF)was just introduced and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on December 11th, yet it may come up for a vote in the House as soon as tomorrow. The Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2012 provides for the transfer of U.S. of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients. One of the transfers is via sale (to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office of the United States) while the remaining transfers are grants (to Mexico, Thailand and Turkey).

The possible grant of these two vessels to Turkey should trouble U.S. citizens. That Turkey has been turning away from the West is a fact well-recited in news outlets across the political spectrum. What has received lesser attention is the fact that Turkey has used its military forces to increase tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey has repeatedly used its naval forces in an attempt to intimidate Cyprus and Israel as those countries explore the natural gas deposits in their exclusive economic zones. The Turkish Navy has “held live fire exercises near the natural gas fields of Israel and the Republic of Cyprus” in a move that was roundly condemned by officials who called out Turkish for its “gunboat diplomacy.”

Most troubling is that Turkey has insisted on using its warships for intimidation even in the face of U.S. interests in the region. As CNN reported:

Houston-based Noble Energy began drilling Sunday night on the southern coast of Cyprus, according to the state-run Cyprus News Agency.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said his country would respond by doing drilling of its own, perhaps within the week. He said the drilling ship might be escorted by Turkish warships.

Omer Celik, Vice Chairman of the ruling AK Party who oversees foreign affairs, took to Twitter to boast about the use of warhips for Turkish provocation, noting:

“Piri Reis, escorted by warships, has started research in the same area where Greek Cypriots are exploring,” , said on Twitter.

“We have shown clearly to everyone that we will not allow the eastern Mediterranean to become a Greek Cyprus-Israel goal,” he said in another message.

Turkey’s use of its warships to increase tensions in the region isn’t just limited to the use of those warships to lay claim to natural gas resources. Turkey has promised to use its warships to confront Israel in any future flotilla incidents.

These threats of force are not the only instances of Turkey working against vital U.S. interests.  Turkey has actively worked to undermine sanctions policy against Iran, and as recently as this week has sought waivers from U.S. sanctions in order to continue their purchases of Iranian oil.  By contrast, Greece — which has no room for economic sacrifice — cut off purchases of Iranian oil months ahead of the sanctions taking full effect.  Turkey also abandoned the Armenian Protocols — a U.S. backed initiative to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey and establish stability in the Caucusus.   With its key geographic position, Turkey could be a force for stability in several regions and on three continents.  In the past four years, Turkey has become exactly the opposite.

That the U.S. House is considering adding U.S.-made frigates to Turkey’s arsenal when those very vessels may be used to further Turkey’s antagonistic behavior towards Greece, Cyprus and Israel should trouble all citizens interested in regional stability in the Mediterranean region. Members may be tempted to vote for the bill because of a provision requiring repair of refurbishments of these vessels at a U.S. shipyard.  Yet, there are better methods for job creation than undermining the interests of the United States and its allies Greece, Cyprus and Israel in the region. Congress should vote against H.R. 6649.

No related news.

  • oxi

    Good luck Greek Americans, you guys are all asleep like the rest of the nation…
    The United States loves their Islamic brothers in arms more than Christian nations!

    • makos

      Quoting from this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_campaign_in_Egypt_and_Syria

      “In a letter to a sheikh in August 1798, Napoleon wrote, “I hope…I shall be able to unite all the wise and educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime based on the principles of the Quran which alone are true and which alone can lead men to happiness.”[7] However, Bonaparte’s secretary Bourienne wrote that his employer had no serious interest in Islam or any other religion beyond their political value.

      “Bonaparte’s principle was…to look upon religions as the work of men, but to respect them everywhere as a powerful engine of government…If Bonaparte spoke as a Mussulman (Muslim), it was merely in his character of a military and political chief in a Mussulman country. To do so was essential to his success, to the safety of his army, and…to his glory… In India he would have been for Ali, at Thibet for the Dalai-lama, and in China for Confucius.”[8]”

      We should study history because it teaches us so many things. American leaders certainly do so and I guess they currently follow the reasoning of Napoleon to manipulate religion as political leverage in this part of the world. Of course the US strategy is adopted to the reality of the Middle East in the 21st century. However I believe that the basic idea is the same. If it will be succesful remains to be seen.

      In any case this transfer of ships does not fall into this strategy. Turkey is not part of the Arab Spring movement. It’s probably the military complex behind this move. Turkey will also probably deny this offer anyway ( as it had did with similar offers in the past) since it will be better to construct new indigenous vessels rather to pay the US huge contracts to modernize these old warships.

  • oxi

    Turkey under the guidance of the axis of evil (U.S., UK, France) are excited about the defeat of Syria to the south and an Islamic militant regime put in place post-Assad because that would mean the 10% Christian minority would be eliminated in Syria.
    This reminds me of Kosovo all over again…

  • oxi

    Senate Does Not Approve Free Frigates For Turkey

    “We join with our Greek American friends in thanking Congressmen Engel, Sherman,
    Bilirakis, and Sarbanes for opposing this controversial measure giving away two
    guided missile frigates to an increasingly arrogant and antagonistic Turkey, and
    welcome the Senate’s decision to block efforts to ‘fast-track’ passage of this
    controversial measure in the final hours of the 112th Congress,” said Aram
    Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “This most recent setback for Turkey
    reflects the growing bipartisan understanding on both sides of Capitol Hill
    about the real price America is paying for Turkey’s growing hostility to U.S.
    interests and allies. Ankara’s failure is yet another signal that the era of
    Turkey’s having a blank-check in Washington is over.”

    http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsrussia-put-new-voronezh-dm-radar-combat-duty-early-2013

  • Cem

    Turkey should not demand or accept any foreign arm systems from its allies. On the contrary, it should invest and establish its own arm industry to be fully indipendant.

    We need to learn stand on our feet.

    I hope we politely refuse the US aid, since it makes us lazy.

    Happy new year to all…

    • makos

      Happy new year Cem. A country in this highly interconnected world cannot practically be independent in everything. But on the defense industry side I agree that if you are about to spend billions of dollars better spend them domestically and get numerous benefits on return. What you can avoid in terms of trade deficit do it, because the whole economy performance of a country comes down to that. Turkey is on the right track with its defense industry. Greece could and should had done the same years ago before the current crisis of course.

      The question however is whether our countries should spend so much money on armaments instead of giving all these funds to education, industry, hospitals etc. We are on a vicious cycle and this thing should stop for the benefit of our people.

      Regarding the specific issue, the bill did not pass, but Turkey would probably reject that offer anyway. It would be economically more viable to construct new indigenous vessels than modernizing these old ships. Some people inside the US probably just hoping to get some modernization contracts in the future from Turkey.

      • Cem

        Makos,

        I agree with you. Arming should not get ahead before education, health and prosperity.

        Ratios of education, health and defence is as follows in 2013 budget of Turkey :

        Education 17%
        Health 11%
        Defence 5%

        Have a nice day friend…