The world has condemned the referendum that narrowly gave near dictatorial powers to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Not only was the government accused of tampering with the close results, but the referendum represents the final demise of democracy in Turkey. Erdogan is also responsible for destroying the separation of church and state. However, Erdogan did get one call of congratulations . . . from the President of the United States.
In addition to Trump, Erdogan received another congratulatory call from Vladimir Putin.
We have followed the rapid destruction of the secular government and civil liberties in Turkey under the authoritarian rule of Erdogan. Erdogan used the recent failed coup to push his effort to create a de facto Islamic regime and to complete his work in arresting his critics, including forcing the resignation of thousands of secular academics, and suspending all civil liberties in a proclaimed state of emergency. Recently, Erdogan threatened the United States that he wants his greatest critic, US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, delivered to him and that a failure to yield to his demands would be a “big mistake.” Now, he has ordered the round up of journalists despite the fact that journalists helped him stay in power during the coup by bravely continuing to broadcast during the coup. In addition, his government is now arresting people who express doubt (with many internationally) about the coup. Erdogan has been known to use trumped up events to expand his power and many believe that he is not only using the coup as an excuse but engineered the coup. What is clear is that he has used the coup attempt to arrest dozens of journalists and thousands of opponents and critics.
Trump discussed the U.S. operations in Syria and the call reflected how important Turkey is to the United States — a strategic arrangement that Erdogan knows will forgive his converting one of the few secular democracies in the Muslim world into an Islamically based dictatorship.
While President Trump congratulated the authoritarian leader, the State Department was expressing reservations over irregularities in the close vote — concerns also raised by our European allies. The call is likely to go over poorly with millions of Turks who are continuing to fight for democracy, free speech, and the free press — all rights curtailed by Erdogan.
Why are we here? How did we get here?
We have two theocracies fighting it out (Iran and Saudi Arabia) in a proxy war. Before Iraq was stable, destroying the Assad government was a goal. Syria: increased Kurdish power and its a wasteland. Syria is a blown up land-of-crap. Turkey had Turkmen fighting Assad’s government. Add in Russia getting revenge for the loss of Ukraine. Religious zealotry: who thinks Turkey would become immune? Now Turkey is also broken. War is instability. 440 thousand Syrian deaths. This is what can happen when a nation losses its sovereignty. All those European jihadists came through Turkey.
And McCain is absolutely ecstatic.
Trump or DDT as is becoming more the case, is one megalomaniac patting another on the back. What do you expect. Trump/DDT is the main alligator going in to drain the swamp. The level of dupedness of his supporters is off the charts. How could anyone believe anything good will come of this scumbag.
The call was prescheduled to discuss extant policy questions and the precise wording of the ‘congratulations’ has not been quoted in any outlet. The term ‘congratulate’ was not used in yesterday’s remarks
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/17/press-briefing-press-secretary-sean-spicer-4172017-38
Is this just another red herring dreamed up by the Slimes and repeated ad inifinitum by Journ-O-Lists?
Turkey has been an ally. They are in NATO. They have a population that may not be capable of freedom like Wellesley College or somesuch. They had a coup that almost won. East of Corfu the Ten Commandments do not apply. We are probably lucky to have Erdogan there. Trump was fine to send his note to Erdogan.
I will do it: Congrats Erdogan!
Paul,,
He congratulated him on the destruction of the rule of law in Turkey. I’m sure Trump will get many calls back in return when the US is completely finished off as well.
What this shows is the US is more than happy to work with dictators and those who abuse their people as long as they play ball with the US. It shows that all the humanitarian bombing we do is a sham. We don’t bomb because we care about other nations’ people. We bomb because we want more power in the world, (plus it’s a profit center).
Our govt. runs around calling some dictators Hitler while we can’t fall over other dictators fast enough! The pretense that the USGINC. is acting from a moral stance is ridiculous. This is one more example of that ridiculous notion. USGinc. wants power and money. That’s our foreign policy. Whatever it takes. I’m just hoping more of our citizens will start to see through the humanitarian crap!
How not to conduct a coup d’etat. If you are going to play ‘the coup in-the-name-of-secular-society’ game, you are only as strong as your weakest link. That private ranked enlisted man has to channel his inner sociopath. I don’t enjoy killing bridges demonstrators per say, but I love the results. Killing cops? I am down-for-it. Ankle deep-in-blood: works for me. Has to be done. You have to make your drill sergeant proud. Chinese soldiers 1 : Turkish Soldiers 0.
Envy masked as admiration.
I do not see what the problem is, it is not like he called North Korea and congratulated them on the launching of a new rocket.
One keeps one’s friends close and ones enemies closer. I woulld rather have seen him support the establishment of Kurdistan outright but that inolves parts of Iraq, Iran, extends down northern Syria and eastern Turkey. Most of those lines drawn by the British after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire circa WWI
On the other hand there’s nothing to prevent our building up Kurdish forces even recognizing Kurdistan in any or all of the other three countries. as tie situation changes. Establishes a precedent and a refugee area conveniently close at hand, creates a reason for USA humanitarian relief support and protection and….the rest is in the future.
The Donald is no stranger to Lao Tze and no doubt used it in business as well.
As was said, “hard call” but a necessary call while other fish are fried one at a time. The focus now is ISIS , NK, and the drug cartels. The others can bide their time until the second eight.
I don’t see the problem: Trump is POTUS, not the Pope.
They’re both frauds.
Your latest concern is now for the integrity of Catholic teaching? Isn’t that cute?
Freedom and democracy!
I know that the Pinkos are outraged by the call (and love to bash Trump), but they need to try something new – thinking instead of feeling.
As Lord Palmerston said: “Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests.”
Look at the situation in that part of the world: Russia is an enemy; Iran is an enemy: and Turkey (the third of the large Black Sea powers) is drifting away from the U.S., the EU, and from NATO.
We need Incirlik, we need Turkey’s help in Syria, and we need the Bosporus in friendly hands.
It was important to make that call – in a perfect world, that call would not have been necessary, but strategic imperatives are more important that the etiquette of dealing with a dictator.
President Trump did what he had to do to serve American interests.
Amen! Well said!
Serve his businesses.
Yes, I’m sure if Obama did the same he totally wouldn’t be labeled a Muslim-sympathetizer seeking Sharia in the US.
Even though he was.
BO is a perfectly banal non-profit sector professional class specimen who knows little of Islam or Sharia and likely cares less. There’s a Youtube video of him making remarks in the Malay trader’s dialect that Indonesia uses as a lingua franca. He got through a few sentences in a generic American accent. The place never made much of an impression on him.
Diplomacy vs ‘virtue signaling’. One is power politics; the other is “the way things ought to be”. Despite hope-and-wishes, the 250 plus countries of the world can’t be America clones. It is a rough world out there. For every ” Arab spring” action, there is an equal-and-opposite dictatorial reaction.
I have friends in Turkey, and there is great paranoia being felt right now. However, it is doubtful that Erdogan wants an Islamic theocracy like his neighboring Iran is stuck with. Turkey is likely to remain a secular nation, but with the type of sanctimonious piety in politics that the US would have to endure if we elected a Mike Huckabee. Nothing changes the fact that Turkey has to navigate a foreign policy riddled with quicksand, whether it’s EU, Russia, Iran, USA, China, Israel, the Kurdish rebels on their borders and internally.
The Jul 15 coup was a horrendous setback to civil society. I have lingering worries about clandestine CIA involvement in grooming Gulen as an “alternative”. Only time will reveal the details of the coup’s planning and leadership. If the US was involved covertly, then President Obama will suffer yet another indictment to his naive-idealistic handling of foreign policy.
“…but with the type of sanctimonious piety in politics that the US would have to endure if we elected a Mike Huckabee.”
Just wait for Mythmas time, when fanatic Pence splooges Christianity on everything federal.
but with the type of sanctimonious piety in politics that the US would have to endure if we elected a Mike Huckabee.
Gov. Huckabee’s day to day discourse would bother a small minority of ghouls, whose discomfort is all to the good.
Wasn’t it Flynn’s job to investigate Gulen before Flynn got busted? Follow the money.
No, it was not. The National Security Advisor has a staff of about 30 and exists to collate paperwork from various agency and provide advice to the president. It’s not a gumshoe service.
The president was mistaken in congratulating the ascension of a dictator. As for the referendum, he would have won regardless of what the true count might have been.
From one tin pot dictator to another–“Love ya”!
https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/854335900591042560
https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/193337302066540545
She offered some courtesy remarks 5 years ago. Your point is what?
The business ties still exist. She got a new deal with the Chinese on their visit. Oh well, Ivanka and Jared are better than Bannon they say so look the other way. Kleptocrats are preferable to white supremacists is the thinking I presume.
He owns property in Istanbul. This makes him a ‘kleptocrat’ just how?
anon, that tweet is from 2012. What is wrong with you?
Also, I am sure you will all remember that Erdogan was foreign minister of Turkey then. Today he is the President.
Was not General Flynn paid by Erdogan? Follow the money.
Reblogged this on Welcome to My Corner Here on Word Press and commented:
I just picked this on the Turkey Elections–Professor Turley captured it eloquently as we’ve been sharing updates via Tweet at http://www.thedailyoutsider.com…..
Nicely Put Sir..Thank you…..Haaretz had a depiction that said it all..on how Erdgoran pulled down Ataturk’s Statue….