Bibi’s Chess Game Erdoğan thought he had outmaneuvered everyone.

Bibi’s Chess Game

Erdoğan thought he had outmaneuvered everyone. He was sure the F-35 deal he had arranged with Trump was already in his pocket - until Bibi entered the picture.

A few years ago, Turkey thought it was on top of the world when it purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense system. Today, thanks to what the writer calls a brilliant move by Bibi, Turkey realizes that system is a burden.

So what supposedly happened behind the scenes? When Erdoğan first tried to buy F-35s, the Americans rejected Turkey because of its deal with Russia for the S-400 system. After that refusal, the Turks worked hard to get back into the program.

Their new plan was to “sell” the Russian systems to the United Arab Emirates, tell the Americans, “See, we got rid of it,” and obtain the world’s most advanced fighter jets. Russia had reportedly agreed, talks were progressing, and the Turks were already celebrating.

But then Benjamin Netanyahu saw through the scheme. The post claims Bibi immediately made a brilliant diplomatic move with the UAE: he used quiet diplomatic contacts and pressure, explained what lay behind Turkey’s plan, and derailed the deal almost at the last minute.

Now Erdoğan is stuck with the Russian system. And the strongest part? The Israeli Air Force has long known how to get around that system with relative ease. That gives Israel a significant strategic advantage over Turkey—and, the writer says, it is driving Erdoğan mad.

People can say what they want about Bibi, and his critics can keep talking. But no one can deny his strategic and diplomatic brilliance or his ability to read the situation and think several moves ahead. One quiet move behind the scenes, and Turkey was left without F-35s.