(Originally posted in 2016)
This past week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was in Washington DC to attend a nuclear security summit conference. On March 31, 2016, Erdoğan spoke at the Brookings Institute which graciously hosted the Turkish President. President Obama, who was facing criticism for not arranging a meeting with Erdoğan, finally agreed to meet with the Turkish President later that evening.
Obama’s narcissistic behavior towards the leader of a major ally and member of NATO, is embarrassing and juvenile. His initial refusal to meet with a world leader – is both an insult and disgraceful reflection on the United States’ administration.
Clearly, Obama’s priorities – like dancing the tango during his recent Argentina visit versus meeting with the President of Turkey in Washington DC, are somewhat eschewed.
In short order, Turkey and Erdoğan have become the world’s whipping post.
Turkey, which is about the size of the state of Texas, is getting slammed in every direction. Syrian and Iraqi refugees are fleeing into Turkey at alarming rates, Kurdish and ISIS terrorists are infiltrating Turkish borders and engaging in terrorist attacks, there is the never ceasing Cypriot- Greek conflict, the Russians are playing cat and mouse games with Turkey while cozying up with Syria’s Assad, sour relations with Israel, and rejection from the European Union -- and the United States – both of whom want Turkey to step up its anti-terrorism efforts and remain positioned as its strategic ally, all the while thumbing their noses at Erdoğan.
It’s easy for the world theater to cast aspersions on Turkey, because it’s not their borders that are over burgeoned with mass refugee populations; nor are they simultaneously battling internal terrorism and parallel constructions that are working overtime to undermine the Turkish government itself, all the while addressing all of the other security issues critical to Turkey’s welfare and survival.
As part of its “wag the dog” strategy, the United States is ramping up its concerted efforts to malign and discredit Erdoğan, rendering him as nothing more than an egomaniacal and authoritarian leader. At the same time the US government is spewing accusations of human rights violations against Turkey, it continues to allow the Gulenists to carry out their “human rights” violations here; using United States’ tax funded charter schools as a vehicle in driving organized crime and discriminatory actions against American educators.
Let’s give credit where credit is due.
While the US government dances the tango, Erdoğan’s government is footing the bill to hire an international law firm to dig into the Gulenists’ corrupt activities in the United States, something our government should have done 15 years ago.
And let’s not forget that the Gulen’s thugs, through their infiltration into Turkey judicial, police, and military forces, have for years - -imprisoned innocent people in efforts to silence them.
The attention to jailed Turkish journalists has taken precedence over the long-running practice of the Gulenists imprisoning their opponents, insidious actions that have suspiciously not been covered by the world press.
In the case of Turkey, imprisoning journalists for alleged actions against Erdoğan’s government does not place Turkey in the most favorable light – but again – the public is only being presented with one side, which through political manipulation, lacks objectivity and transparency. Journalism is a powerful tool. But journalists also have the ability to manipulate the truth to fit respective agendas, and more frequently than not -- do.
The anti- Erdoğan train is moving at warp-speed, and in its frenzied campaign to destroy Erdoğan’s credibility, seems solely focused on undermining the authority of one of the United States’ most significant allies. That strategy – shooting a race horse in the foot – will only provide a lead for the terrorists to move ahead while the rest of the world staggers behind.
This past week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was in Washington DC to attend a nuclear security summit conference. On March 31, 2016, Erdoğan spoke at the Brookings Institute which graciously hosted the Turkish President. President Obama, who was facing criticism for not arranging a meeting with Erdoğan, finally agreed to meet with the Turkish President later that evening.
Obama’s narcissistic behavior towards the leader of a major ally and member of NATO, is embarrassing and juvenile. His initial refusal to meet with a world leader – is both an insult and disgraceful reflection on the United States’ administration.
Clearly, Obama’s priorities – like dancing the tango during his recent Argentina visit versus meeting with the President of Turkey in Washington DC, are somewhat eschewed.
In short order, Turkey and Erdoğan have become the world’s whipping post.
Turkey, which is about the size of the state of Texas, is getting slammed in every direction. Syrian and Iraqi refugees are fleeing into Turkey at alarming rates, Kurdish and ISIS terrorists are infiltrating Turkish borders and engaging in terrorist attacks, there is the never ceasing Cypriot- Greek conflict, the Russians are playing cat and mouse games with Turkey while cozying up with Syria’s Assad, sour relations with Israel, and rejection from the European Union -- and the United States – both of whom want Turkey to step up its anti-terrorism efforts and remain positioned as its strategic ally, all the while thumbing their noses at Erdoğan.
It’s easy for the world theater to cast aspersions on Turkey, because it’s not their borders that are over burgeoned with mass refugee populations; nor are they simultaneously battling internal terrorism and parallel constructions that are working overtime to undermine the Turkish government itself, all the while addressing all of the other security issues critical to Turkey’s welfare and survival.
As part of its “wag the dog” strategy, the United States is ramping up its concerted efforts to malign and discredit Erdoğan, rendering him as nothing more than an egomaniacal and authoritarian leader. At the same time the US government is spewing accusations of human rights violations against Turkey, it continues to allow the Gulenists to carry out their “human rights” violations here; using United States’ tax funded charter schools as a vehicle in driving organized crime and discriminatory actions against American educators.
Let’s give credit where credit is due.
While the US government dances the tango, Erdoğan’s government is footing the bill to hire an international law firm to dig into the Gulenists’ corrupt activities in the United States, something our government should have done 15 years ago.
And let’s not forget that the Gulen’s thugs, through their infiltration into Turkey judicial, police, and military forces, have for years - -imprisoned innocent people in efforts to silence them.
The attention to jailed Turkish journalists has taken precedence over the long-running practice of the Gulenists imprisoning their opponents, insidious actions that have suspiciously not been covered by the world press.
In the case of Turkey, imprisoning journalists for alleged actions against Erdoğan’s government does not place Turkey in the most favorable light – but again – the public is only being presented with one side, which through political manipulation, lacks objectivity and transparency. Journalism is a powerful tool. But journalists also have the ability to manipulate the truth to fit respective agendas, and more frequently than not -- do.
The anti- Erdoğan train is moving at warp-speed, and in its frenzied campaign to destroy Erdoğan’s credibility, seems solely focused on undermining the authority of one of the United States’ most significant allies. That strategy – shooting a race horse in the foot – will only provide a lead for the terrorists to move ahead while the rest of the world staggers behind.
