Note: This is a 2014 post.
United States’ State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, recently held a press conference following the recent Turkish elections. During the press conference and after being asked about accusations made by the Turkish government against Iman Fethullah Gulen (who just so happens to be living in Pennsylvania), Harf told the reporter to “Forget about the gentleman in Pennsylvania,” and instead moved on to rebuke Turkish officials for banning Twitter and Youtube. Harf further emphasized that Turkey was a powerful NATO ally, and quickly moved away from any discussion on Gulen – appearing annoyed at the very suggestion that Gulen had or continues to have -- any influence on the United States’ interaction with Turkey.
Harf might be exasperated over the questions on Gulen, but her general attitude is more than indicative of how the United States’ government has simply batted its eyes and shaken its head – ignoring the surreptitious activities of Gulen both here and in Turkey. This behavior by the State Department seems to solidify popular conspiracy theories that Gulen is in fact working in tandem with more clandestine United States’ government agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency. What other reasons could the United States have for allowing this crook and his collective band of brain-washed Gulenists to run unbridled and free to exploit the American education system and the taxpayers that support it?
To what end will our government allow this to continue? We get that the United States is protecting Gulen and quite possibly is actually complicit in the orchestration of events from his compound in the Poconos, but enough is enough. When the State Department in our country is more concerned with the use of Twitter and Youtube than the pillaging of American tax dollars – and the continuous violation of American civil rights -- and not to mention the other sundry and lengthy list of criminal activities being conducted in this country by the Gulenists; then probably it’s time to shift the priorities back to more significant issues and give us some bonafide answers about why the US government is allowing this ringmaster and his clowns to run their three-ring circus in our backyard and on our dime.
Why is the United States protecting Fethullah Gulen? Why did the United States grant him permanent residency based on his H1-B application that was fraught with inconsistencies? Why did former FBI and CIA agents testify on his behalf? Why despite credible evidence that the Gulenists have been committing a bevy of criminal activities in this country for the past 12 years have they been granted an untouchable status? Why indeed…
And note to Harf… Ditch the dismayed stare, shaking your head in disbelief, and the “I can’t believe he’s asking such a dumb question” approach, and do one of two things – investigate before you speak and give a convincing answer, or actually tell the truth (the latter preferred). You are -- after
all -- representing the United States and not Fethullah Gulen (we think...).
Below is C-span’s link to Harf’ press conference discussing Gulen and as published on March 31, 2014:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4488644/united-states-briefed-reports-fethullah-gulen
United States’ State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, recently held a press conference following the recent Turkish elections. During the press conference and after being asked about accusations made by the Turkish government against Iman Fethullah Gulen (who just so happens to be living in Pennsylvania), Harf told the reporter to “Forget about the gentleman in Pennsylvania,” and instead moved on to rebuke Turkish officials for banning Twitter and Youtube. Harf further emphasized that Turkey was a powerful NATO ally, and quickly moved away from any discussion on Gulen – appearing annoyed at the very suggestion that Gulen had or continues to have -- any influence on the United States’ interaction with Turkey.
Harf might be exasperated over the questions on Gulen, but her general attitude is more than indicative of how the United States’ government has simply batted its eyes and shaken its head – ignoring the surreptitious activities of Gulen both here and in Turkey. This behavior by the State Department seems to solidify popular conspiracy theories that Gulen is in fact working in tandem with more clandestine United States’ government agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency. What other reasons could the United States have for allowing this crook and his collective band of brain-washed Gulenists to run unbridled and free to exploit the American education system and the taxpayers that support it?
To what end will our government allow this to continue? We get that the United States is protecting Gulen and quite possibly is actually complicit in the orchestration of events from his compound in the Poconos, but enough is enough. When the State Department in our country is more concerned with the use of Twitter and Youtube than the pillaging of American tax dollars – and the continuous violation of American civil rights -- and not to mention the other sundry and lengthy list of criminal activities being conducted in this country by the Gulenists; then probably it’s time to shift the priorities back to more significant issues and give us some bonafide answers about why the US government is allowing this ringmaster and his clowns to run their three-ring circus in our backyard and on our dime.
Why is the United States protecting Fethullah Gulen? Why did the United States grant him permanent residency based on his H1-B application that was fraught with inconsistencies? Why did former FBI and CIA agents testify on his behalf? Why despite credible evidence that the Gulenists have been committing a bevy of criminal activities in this country for the past 12 years have they been granted an untouchable status? Why indeed…
And note to Harf… Ditch the dismayed stare, shaking your head in disbelief, and the “I can’t believe he’s asking such a dumb question” approach, and do one of two things – investigate before you speak and give a convincing answer, or actually tell the truth (the latter preferred). You are -- after
all -- representing the United States and not Fethullah Gulen (we think...).
Below is C-span’s link to Harf’ press conference discussing Gulen and as published on March 31, 2014:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4488644/united-states-briefed-reports-fethullah-gulen
