Why IS Turkey part of NATO?
The Clarion Project posts a brutal summary of the
beating and torture of military personnel by Turkey's Islamist police in the aftermath of the supposed coup attempt last week. It finishes off with this:
Since 1952, Turkey has been a member of NATO, which is supposed to
defend freedom and democracies. However for decades, Turkey has been a
center of torture and other human rights abuses of the worst magnitude.
If the Turkish government authorities, police officers and so many
average citizens are capable of torturing, starving and raping even
their own soldiers and citizens, how can they be worthy of being
recognized as a Western ally and partner?
Moreover, we can only imagine that if
this is what they do to their own soldiers, imagine what they have been
doing to their minority citizens, who they fundamentally see as
“enemies” -- Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Jews, Kurds, Alevis and
others.
By the way, is their EU application still live? And what on earth is the President of the United States doing hugging Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan?
Read the whole thing.
Labels: Islamic terrorism, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, torture, Turkey, Turkish army, Turkish Kurds, Turkish regime change, Turkish repression
R. Moshe Shternbuch: If Russia conquers Istanbul put on your Sabbath finery for the Messiah
Some of you might recall this post which quoted the
Vilna Gaon as saying that a war between Russia and Turkey would be a
precursor to the Messiah's arrival. Someone questioned whether the Gaon actually said that. Thanks to
Yonatan H who put me onto this audio of Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch, the head of the Badatz Eida Haredith in Jerusalem who says in the name of the Gaon (known as the Gra) that if Russia conquers Istanbul, get ready for the Messiah's arrival.
For the Hebrew readers, there's more
here (including the audio).
Labels: Istanbul, Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Russia, Russian weapons, Syria, Turkey, Turkish army, Vilna Gaon
Turkish general says government has to own shooting down of Russia plane
Back in November, the Turkish air force downed a Russian jet. Afterward, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that had they known that the plane was Russian, they might have acted differently during what was about 17 seconds(!) over disputed Turkish-Syrian territory. Now, a Turkish Air Force General says - surprise -
that's a lie.
Pilots of the Turkish Air Forces (THK) followed the rules of engagement as outlined by the government during the downing of a Russian
jet near the Syrian border on Nov. 24 and would have been accused of
neglecting their duty if they hadn't done so, a general who remained
anonymous told a daily on Wednesday.
Speaking with the Sözcü daily, the general from the THK underlined
that the government must accept any political responsibility as it is
the government that outlines the rules of engagement for border
violations, which are considered orders to the army.
THK head Gen. Abidin Ünal has been targeted by pro-government Twitter
users saying that he had placed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government in a difficult
situation after bilateral relations with Russia broke down as a result
of the downing of the jet.
According to Sözcü, some Twitter users tweeted after the incident
that Ünal must resign as he shot down the Russian jet without orders
from the president. “Resign! Otherwise, Reis [Erdoğan] will take care of
you,” another user tweeted.
The anonymous general also underlined that it is a border violation
when any jet belonging to a foreign nation violates another nation's air
space, even for a second. “The rules of engagement are outlined by the
government according to a specific time, region and purpose to protect
its borders. The armed forces will automatically follow them,” general
said.
“Had we known it was a Russian plane we might have acted
differently,” Erdoğan said in an exclusive interview with France 24 news
channel on Nov. 26. “But our pilots know the rules of engagement and
have to do their duty to protect Turkish airspace,” he added.
During a parliamentary group speech of his party on Nov. 25, Prime
Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said the THK had carried out orders given by
him personally. “Despite all the warnings, we had to destroy the
aircraft,” he said.
According to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), the Russian jet violated
Turkish airspace for 17 seconds and there were no warning shots.
The Turkish General Staff said on Nov. 24 that it shot down the
Russian Su-24 jet after warning it 10 times in five minutes by radio.
However the Russian Defense Ministry claims it was shot down in Syrian
airspace.
Something tells me that the Turks are going to be really sorry about this. On Sunday, I posted this on my Twitter feed:
I have since spoken to a neighbor who is an expert on the writings of the
Vilna Gaon who has confirmed to me that the passage does exist, but he has not yet shown/told me where it is.
Hmmm.
Labels: Russia, Russian weapons, Syria, Turkey, Turkish army
In an emergency, Turkey lacks pilots
110 Turkish fighter pilots have quit the country's air force in protest of the Turkish government, and in particular in protest of the series of trials of military officers. As a result, in case of an emergency,
Turkey does not have enough pilots (link in Turkish) (Hat Tip:
Tuna T).
Hmmm.
I wonder if this might affect Israel's plans for Iran....
More
here (Hat Tip:
Joshua I).
Labels: Turkey, Turkish army
What goes around comes around: Turkey headed for civil war?
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has largely defeated his secular, Kemalist opponents. Many of the military's leaders are in jail, as are more journalists than any other country in the world. While this development is negative for Turkish democracy, it also may turn out to be
negative for Erdogan himself.
Yet, while Erdoğan may appear to be at the pinnacle of power, it is his government’s “Gülenist” allies who have grown increasingly powerful. Members of the transnational Gülen movement – inspired by followers of Fethullah Gülen, a Pennsylvania-based Muslim theologian – are staffing Turkey’s police, judiciary, bureaucracy, and universities. The Gülenist media now set the country’s new ideological tone, producing a steady stream of disinformation in their vocal support of the country’s show trials.
These trials are, in fact, often staged to serve Gülenist ends specifically. Prominent detainees, such as the journalist Nedim Sener and police commissioner Hanefi Avci, landed in jail after exposing the wrongdoings of Gülenist police and prosecutors. Editorials in Zaman, the Gülen network’s Turkish-language daily newspaper, no longer mince words: a new Turkey is being created; those who stand in the way are getting what they deserve.
Erdoğan has benefited greatly from Gülenist support, yet he detests sharing power and remains suspicious of the movement. Early on, he successfully exploited the Gülenist-supported political trials in order to demonize the opposition. But, as the charges have increased in scope and implausibility, the trials have complicated his relationships with the military, domestic liberals, and outsiders such as foreign media and the European Union. Moreover, individuals close to him and his administration have recently become entangled in the net of judicial manipulation, which suggests that he may be losing control over the police and the special courts.
Given that the fight against the common enemy, the secularist old guard, has been decisively won, an eventual break between Erdoğan and the Gülenists is perhaps inevitable. Unfortunately, regardless of which side emerges victorious, the outcome will not be good news for Turkish democracy.
Read the whole thing. It could not happen to a nicer guy. Heh.
Labels: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish army, Turkish repression
Turkey's economic lie
Just another reminder that I'm in Boston where the Sabbath has not started yet.
There's a certain Muslim commenter on this blog who keeps telling us how Turkey has a better economy than the European Union, and how they're such an economic powerhouse that no one can stand up to them, etc. Investigative Reporter Guy Bechor says
it's all a lie.
Some refer to him as “the Middle East’s new sultan in a neo-Ottoman empire” – yet the truth about Erdogan’s kingdom is utterly different. We are not facing an economic power, but rather, a state whose credit bubble will be bursting any moment now and bringing down its economy.
The budget deficit of the collapsing Greece compared to its GDP stands at some 10%, and the world is alarmed. At the same time, Turkey’s deficit is at 9.5%, yet some members of the financial media describe the Turkish economy as a success story (for comparison’s sake, Israel’s deficit stands at some 3% and is expected to decline to 2% this year.)
While Turkey’s economy grew by some 10% this year, this was merely the result of financial manipulation.
So how does the system work? The banks in Erdogan’s Turkey handed out loans and mortgages to any seeker in recent years, offering very low interest rates; this was in fact a gift. As the interest rate was so low, Turkish citizens used more and more credit, mostly for consumption.
And how did Turkey’s Central Bank finance this credit party? Via loans: Erdogan’s bank borrowed money in the world and handed it out to its citizens. However, Turkey’s deficit kept growing because of it, until it reached a scary 8% of GDP; by the end of the year the figure is expected to reach 10%.
Turkey’s external debt doubled itself in the past 18 months, which were election campaign months. Only a small part of the deficit (15%) was financed by foreign investment. The rest constitutes immense external debts.
Now it’s clear that Erdogan’s regime bought the voters in the recent elections. Most of the Turkish public elected him not because of Islamic sentiments, but rather, because he handed out low-interest loans to everyone. I will provide you with cheap money so you can become addicted to shopping, and you shall elect me.
If you think Obama's America has high unemployment, Turkey's is 13%. Their currency has plummeted against the dollar (which has actually strengthened over the last few months), and the Turkish stock exchange has dropped 40% in the last six months.
From here on, I'm afraid, Bechor may be engaging in some wishful thinking.
Once the bubble explodes, the score with Erdogan will be settled, by the journalists his government ordered to arrest, by army officers charged with imaginary accusations, by the restrained scientists, the politicians, and mostly the general public, which shall be facing an economic disaster.
And this is where Israel comes into the picture. Why talk about the approaching economic catastrophe? Why talk about this disgrace, when it’s better to create an artificial crisis vis-à-vis Israel, a spin that the whole world will be talking about instead of talking about the sinking Turkey? After all, the Marmara raid happened more than a year ago, why did it emerge again now? Is it only because of the Palmer Report?
Yes, but... now that Erdogan has established total control over the army, isn't it more likely that he will use to prevent the journalists, officers, politicians and general public from exacting revenge on him?
Turkish spring anyone? What could go wrong?
Labels: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish army, Turkish economy
