İBRAHİM ALJABİN
The visit of the three Republican members of the US Congress to the Republic of Turkey last month had more than one dimension, all of which were in favor of the path of Turkish-American rapprochement, which reflects positively on the Syrian issue. It brought Syrian news back to the American media from a different portal, and it also stimulated a sense of moral and humanitarian responsibility towards the people of the liberated north, but in the background important discussions were taking place that served the position of the Syrians towards the Assad regime and strengthened the cordon imposed on it to the same degree as it opened new horizons for a solution in Syria.
If this visit caught the spotlight, it included a bold appearance by Senator French Hill from Arkansas and his two companions, Senator Ben Cline from Virginia, and Senator Scott Fitzgerald from Wisconsin, inside Syrian territory, their meeting with Syrian children and their visits to the “Dar Al-Hekma” in addition to their participation in the ceremony honoring the President of the Council of Representatives. Secretaries of the Syrian Emergency Team (SETF), Gerry Adams, which was established by the Global Justice organization in the city of Gaziantep. There is something hidden behind this scene, represented by the important meetings that the senators held with Turkish officials.
Renewing Turkish–American relations
More than one factor is now playing a role in the transformation of Turkish-American relations, these days, starting from the period after the recent parliamentary and presidential elections that were decided in favor of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his party, and his allies. Let a new era begin, one of its most prominent signs was the decline of what was called the Turkish path of normalization with the Assad regime.
Although the Turks have repeatedly announced their intention to move forward with this normalization, and despite the Russians sponsoring meetings that took place between the Turks and Assad officials. However, the biggest obstructionist of all of this was Bashar al-Assad himself, who seemed to be implementing an Iranian-Russian agenda that prohibited him from any rapprochement with Turkey, the arch ally of the Iranians and Russians.
With more Russian involvement in the war against Ukraine, which President Vladimir Putin does not seem to be able to resolve in his favor, and with the arrival of a new Turkish foreign minister who maintains special relations with the West, it was natural to notice a development in relations between Ankara and Washington.
One month prior to the senators’ visit to Turkey, the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez, announced that he was holding talks with the administration of President Joe Biden regarding the suspension he imposed on future US sales of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara.
Menendez said at the time that he could decide on the suspension within the next week. This was accompanied by assurances from US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that Washington would move forward with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in consultation with Congress.
As a result of the negotiations with Turkey about Sweden’s accession to NATO, President Biden announced his thanks to Erdogan for his “courage” in abandoning his opposition to Sweden’s accession to the alliance, stressing his support for Ankara’s sale of F-16 fighters. In a meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Biden welcomed the success of major diplomatic efforts made to persuade Erdogan to abandon his objection to Sweden joining the bloc. Addressing Erdogan, Biden said, “I would like to thank you for your diplomacy and courage. I would like to thank you for your leadership.” Washington’s negative position on the aircraft deal is due to its anger over Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system, a decision taken by the Turks after what was described as the West’s “reluctance” to supply it with anti-aircraft missiles.
The Trump administration then used a US law called the Countering America’s Adversaries Act (CAATSA) to impose a ban on the sale of F-16 aircraft to Turkey. After President Biden arrived at the White House, the Turks announced that the Americans had offered to agree to sell F-16 aircraft in exchange for Turkey’s investments in the F-35 fighter program. Turkey returned to submit a request in 2021 to purchase 40 F-16 fighters worth $20 billion, in addition to modernizing 79 aircraft it owns.
Then the role of Congress in managing the game began, as its members objected to “Turkey’s policies in Syria” and its position rejecting Sweden’s joining NATO, which Turkey justified by Sweden’s support for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it, the United States, and the European Union classify as a terrorist organization.
In the middle of this year, voices rose in Congress calling again for approval of a deal with Turkey worth $259 million, which includes modernizing the avionics software for Turkey’s current fleet of F-16 fighters.
But Turkey did not abandon its demand to fulfill the joint pledge with Sweden, and what it described as “the eradication of terrorist elements targeting Turkey from their lands.” It is a natural right for a founding member of NATO that is exposed to declared and daily threats that are constantly being implemented by the PKK, which now has organized forces in northern Syria, where it occupies three governorates with direct support from the United States.
West Germany’s scenario initiative is on the dialogue table
This complex situation overshadowed the meetings of Senator Hill and his two colleagues with Turkish officials, and members of Congress held meetings with Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akçbar and Assistant Minister Ahmed Yildiz.
In these meetings, according to a private American source, there was talk about the necessity of unifying American-Turkish efforts in fighting terrorism and militias that threaten the security of both parties, and the senators reiterated Washington’s desire to see a kind of Turkish distance from Russian and Iranian policies, especially in the Syrian file.
The source added that the common interest of the United States, the United States, and Turkey requires further rapprochement in the Syrian file, while a Turkish official, who requested to remain anonymous, in exclusive statements on the “Global Justice Syria News” website, considered that these meetings constitute an “opportunity” for both parties that must be invested to achieve the two countries’ strategic goals in security. Hot issues, especially with regard to the Syrian file.
Earlier this year, Senator Hill reiterated that the US House of Representatives would not support any normalization with the Syrian regime, adding, “We must constantly resist the Assad regime.” Hill said at the time in a speech he delivered at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in the United States, that “under no circumstances should the United States wink, nod, or even hold a remote meeting with another government seeking to normalize diplomatic relations with… The Syrian regime,” considering that any form of normalization of relations with Assad is “a catastrophic mistake, and will not receive any support from the US House of Representatives.”
Hill also indicated in a press statement published on his official website of the US Congress, a few days ago, that he attended the annual ceremony of the Global Justice organization in the city of Gaziantep, and added that during his time in Congress, he worked tirelessly as a voice for the people and the innocents in Syria who have endured for years of torture and killing as a result of atrocities committed by the Assad regime. He continued, “It is vital that countries around the world, including the United States, work together to provide necessary humanitarian aid and confront the Assad regime.” The Republican Senator also pledged to continue working in Washington on Syria and its future.
The visit of members of Congress to Turkey and northern Syria re-introduced the “No Man’s Land” initiative and the “West Germany scenario,” which were presented by Global Justice in partnership with the Arab Democratic Alliance last year. These two initiatives require a Turkish-American rapprochement that guarantees the interests of both parties and provides the Syrians with a way out toward a comprehensive political solution. Based on the unification of the areas of Turkish and American influence in northwest and northeastern Syria, after neutralizing terrorism in the two areas at the same time and organizing the affairs of the vast area that can flourish through development, administrative reform, and local elections, to provide the opportunity for refugees to ret
