Is Erdogan's opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO about the F-16s?

[herding cats]

I admit I've not kept up all to closely, but I thought I read Senator Menendez wasn't a fan of the deal. Is this an effort to force Biden to try try and get the deal through Congress?

[dutch777]

1. Stated issue is their allowing parties Turkey considers hostile or terrorists to live there

I suspect it is a negotiating tactic for F16s or something else Turkey wants from EU, US or NATO.

[herding cats]

2. I should have mentioned their stated reason in my OP.

It's obviously just being used for leverage and I've been trying to figure out for what.

The F-16s were a proposed consolation prize (no F-35s) for assistance and support of Ukraine. It was all I could think of at the moment, but it could well be some other thing entirely.

[dutch777]

9. We really want Finland/Sweden in NATO so it can go from mere leverage to all out extortion

And I don't think Erdogan has any reluctance in going there. Good for his domestic politics and the final outcome. And he has little to worry about as the Russians may bad mouth him but he has the second largest standing army in NATO after only the US and controls the Straits out of the Black Sea to the Med. Would not be smart to make Turkey your enemy if you are RU.

[Chuuku Davis]

8. He wants F-35s

Not the F-16s we are providing.

[ripcord]

3. Finland has a more of a right to be in NATO than many of the nations that already belong

They at least meet the 2% spending on defense required by NATO, the majority of members are in breach of this requirement.

[herding cats]

4. No argument on their merit.

I completely agree. I was just trying to figure out what Erdogan's desires are here. He's leveraging for something and I'm curious as to what specifically.

[Carlitos Brigante]

5. K-U-R-D-S. nt

[mitch96]

7. +1 He has a real problem with them and they are in Sweden and Finland. ergo leverage..nt

[hack89]

6. A majority of Kurdish political refugees have settled in Sweden

They have a sizable community there with several members of parliament being of Kurdish descent.

The Turks are always demanding that Sweden extradite Kurdish "terrorist" back to Turkey and Sweden steadfastly refuses.

Finland has a sizable Kurdish population as well.