House Republicans to introduce a bill to sanction Turkey
"These sanctions are not only a response to the Erdogan regime's violent attacks in northern Syria; Congress has long had concerns about the regime's cooperation with US adversaries, such as Russia."
By OMRI NAHMIASHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks to the news media with Vice President Mike Pence, 2019.(photo credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)
WASHINGTON – A group of 30 Republican lawmakers announced Thursday that they would introduce a bill to sanction Turkey, following the country's military operation against the Kurds in Northern Syria.Similar, bipartisan legislation was introduced earlier this week in the Senate by Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland).Among the House members who signed as cosponsors: Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, and Rep. Mac Thornberry, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee."President Erdogan and his regime must face serious consequences for mercilessly attacking our Kurdish allies in northern Syria, who incurred thousands of casualties in the fight against ISIS and helped us protect the homeland," said Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) in a press release."These sanctions are not only a response to the Erdogan regime's violent attacks in northern Syria; Congress has long had concerns about the regime's cooperation with U.S. adversaries, such as Russia," she wrote. "If Turkey wants to be treated like an ally, it must begin behaving like one. They must be sanctioned for their attacks on our Kurdish allies."Another co-sponsor of the bill is Rep. Dan Crenshaw, (R-Texas), a former Navy SEAL. "The great irony of the 'no more endless wars' camp's argument is that removing our small and cost-effective force from Northern Syria is causing more war, not less," he tweeted on Thursday. "Our presence there was not meant to engage in endless wars; it was there to deter further warfare."Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois), added that, "President Erdogan's assault on our Kurdish allies is reckless and reprehensible. The Kurds sacrificed 10,000 of their own men and women combating ISIS, and we cannot allow Turkey, a NATO partner, to attack them without repercussions."
