I recently posted a blog column on the troubling image of President Donald Trump calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on his success in securing what are viewed as near dictatorial powers in the close recent referendum. Erdogan did not waste any time in using the powers. Turkish police have arrested 1,000 people suspected of being supporters of Erdogan’s main opponent, US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.
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. Previously, Erdogan threatened the United States if it didn’t hand Gulen over to him and that a failure to yield to his demands would be a “big mistake.” He also 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.
Thousands of opponents are now being arrested or questioned under those newly acquired powers. Thousands of teachers have been fired under Erdogan and tens of thousands detained since his rise to power.
I cannot understand how Erdogan can bomb and kill our Kurdish allies ,placing our embedded troops in harm’s way, and we do not vigorously protest? We should warn that dictator that if his bombers come near our troops again, they will be shot down!
Everyone seems to be posting in code. Oh well, here goes (but I’ll at least translate).
4567890okjugtfrdcvbu887yghbnjkioiuhenejmdll ? xxlol
Trans: Huh?
Thug #1.
Shikaku Dai-ichi.
Errogan resistance started with a small environmental protest when one of his cronys wanted to unnecessarily cut down a tree.
I watched Turkmen with safe havens in Turkey over run Syrian army posts a year ago on YouTube. Russia has both eyes open about Syria. The Turkmen on the Northwest border have since been kicked-out of Syria. Rex Tillerson said ‘Russian sanctions will remain until Crimea is given back”. Tell me how well that has worked for the Tibetians in China?
Secularist-Nationalists had their chance in the coup is point one. Point two is the Saudi Arabian/neoconservative project in Syria has come home to roost in Syria.
The US strengthened the Kurds while arming the most radical of Islamists. Do you expect this zeal not to affect Turkey? The genie is already out of the bottle. This is the fruits of war and destabilization.
In history, this used to be what happened in China until Mao Zedong kicked out the foreign powers.
the Saudi Arabian/neoconservative project in Syria
Is a nutty figment of your imagination.
Agree with all the sentiments about Erdogan – he is both a dictator and contemptible.
But, he rules Turkey – a (still) moderate Islamist state in an increasingly radical region. Look at Turkey’s Black Sea neighbors – Russia and Iran. Look next door at Syria.
Bottom line, in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.
By comparison to the other despots in the region, Erdogan is good for the U.S.
Who knows what tomorrow brings, but right now we are lamenting the loss of democracy in Turkey; that regret has to be tempered with the recognition that it could (and probably will) be a lot worse.
You forget about the Shah in Iran with that lesson in history.
Turkey is devolving under Erdogan. It’s up to the citizens to stand up and take their country back. Agree with you mikepouraryan – Ataturk must be whirling in his grave.
Reblogged this on Welcome to My Corner Here on Word Press and commented:
The march to tyranny continues in Turkey. Ataturk is spinning in his grave…..
IIRC, Gulen is kind of a liberal Muslim, and if so, Erdogan is smart to stamp that stuff out. Liberals will destroy a nation quicker than you can say “Haydi düğmeleri kapatarak elektrik tasarrufu yapalım*” ten times without screwing it up.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
* Turkish for “rubber baby buggy bumpers.”
Amazing the things you support. When men like Erdogan are in charge they kill any one who disagrees with them.. liberal, conservative, it doesn’t matter.
Apples and Oranges.
I’m shocked…gambling in a casino and a casino owner congratulating another for fixing the tables. Yes shocked!
Justice Holmes – we were all shocked!!!!
Muslim-on-Muslim crime. How sad.
More is yet to come. Sic semper tyrannis
Yup.
Sounds a lot like Hitler after he got new powers after the Reichstag fire. This does not bode well for Turkey.