Beware the Crazy Man.
Oh I know Gulen was once Erdogan's partner til their falling out, I just wonder if Turks actually believe he orchestrated anything or if they just want to clean house just because. I'm wondering how cynical they as a whole are being about him in other words.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
A procrastination in of itself
Erdogan has probably gone far enough off the deep end to believe. Someone likened events to Stalin's purges, I suspect that Stalin was probably paranoid enough to honestly think that everyone was out to get him.
Gulen better watch out for ice picks.
edited 6th Aug '16 3:15:16 AM by Silasw
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Who Am I?
Ive read that some people in Turkey think the US was behind the failed coup. Which is crazy conspiracy thinking, but shows you what the mindset is among the Erdogan supporters.
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Oh yeah, some former military leader (I think) did say the CIA was behind the coup since otherwise how could Gulen be allowed to stay? No, we've abandoned logic a long time ago.
Some Turkish guy commented that conspiracy thinking is extremely common in Turkey. Which is why his father always says "maybe, maybe not" to any accusation.
edited 6th Aug '16 7:29:41 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Erdogan to meet Putin for a ‘new beginning’
this Tuesday. Probably try lift the sanctions and get tourism flowing again to at least some degree.
Anka Aquila
Let's hope this new beginning is not a rehearsal of the Russian-Ottoman emnities of old.
Beware the Crazy Man.
Nah, that was last year's theme.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
Smart money is on Turkey wanting to switch up and join the Russian orbit.
"I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once."
Student of Story
It's what I've figured for awhile. EU is having problems, and requires too many compromises for Erdogan, too many checks on his authoritarian bent. Russia requires none of that, at least not at the start.
| Wandering, but not lost. | If people bring so much courage to this world...◊ |
Beware the Crazy Man.
The EU tends to not know what battles to fight on certain issues. This tends to alienate potential allies.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
And yet the Pentagon and Lockheed are still going to hand them the F-35, and they'll turn over what Moscow doesn't already know...
edited 8th Aug '16 9:08:01 PM by Rationalinsanity
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Beware the Crazy Man.
Isn't Turkey the biggest customer for them after the US for that particular plane or is that the UK?
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
The UK is ordering about 20 more than Turkey's 120 (Ankara has committed to 6, will probably buy 94 and has an option to get 120), but they chose the F-35B (the STOVL variant) while Turkey went with the F-35A (the conventional one). But Lockheed really wants to jack up production to get the price down about $15 million per unit or they are going to start losing orders to the Super Hornet/Gripen/Rafale/Typhoon.
edited 9th Aug '16 9:18:22 AM by Rationalinsanity
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Didn't the Chinese steal all the plans a few years back anyway?
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
I've been wondering about that too. Maybe they got hold of all the technical layouts and specifications, but actual production eludes them. And if the Chinese did steal the plans, that doesn't neccesarily mean they've shared what they know with Russia. Nixon didn't go to China for nothing.
edited 9th Aug '16 4:37:50 AM by Artificius
"I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once."
Oh, we know that they have no capability of producing anything like the F-35 or even Sukhoi engines. The J-20 is a bastardization, not a copy.
Turks do have a gas pipeline to Russia as well, so there's definitely an incentive to improve relations.
edited 9th Aug '16 4:56:55 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
The Turkish Justice Minister has said "anti-US hatred" is developing in the country because we are sheltering a "terrorist" (Gulen), and that the best way to mend ties is to extradite now.
The U.S., of course, says "show us the evidence."
They're really going to piss away a 70-year alliance over this, i'm afraid.
Putin mends broken relations with Turkey's Erdogan
The leaders of Russia and Turkey have patched up a damaging quarrel, pledging to restore close economic relations.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
The law in the night
Oh boy, dis gon be gud.
What is next? Turkey decides to unilaterally leave NATO?
Inter arma enim silent leges
Well, they're already blackmailing the EU on the refugee deal. It was predictable.
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Turkey signals joint defense plan with Russia, foreign minister says NATO member will establish military, intelligence system.
Ladies and gentlemen. We officially have a problem.
edited 10th Aug '16 7:48:35 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
V
By the by — Turkey has tried to buy Chinese missile defence systems and has built rockets based on Chinese versions in the past...
edited 10th Aug '16 8:58:25 AM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling On
V
Turkish military officer seeking asylum in United States: U.S. officials
The asylum bid is the first known case involving a Turkish military officer in the United States as Turkey purges military ranks after mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks in an unsuccessful attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan.
The case has the potential to further strain ties between the United States and Turkey, which is already demanding Washington hand over a U.S.-based Turkish cleric it alleges was responsible for the failed coup.
The two U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the Turkish officer was working at the headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Transformation, located in Norfolk, Virginia. They did not name him or offer his rank.
However, an official at Turkey's embassy in Washington said Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Mustafa Ugurlu had failed to report to authorities after Turkey issued a detention order for him last month.
"On July 22, on that day he left his badges and his ID at the base and after that no one has heard anything from him," the official said, also speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Turkish official said he was unaware of a subsequent asylum request. An April news article on the NATO website identified Ugurlu as the Norfolk-based command's assistant chief of staff for command and control, deployability and sustainability.
The Turkish official said two other lower-level officers had also been called back from the United States to Turkey.
"But there's no detention order for them," the official said. "One of them has gone back, and the other will go back shortly."
A spokeswoman at the Norfolk-based mission said 26 Turkish military personnel were assigned there, and she praised Turkey's contribution, including hosting U.S. and allies at its Incirlik Air Base, an important staging area for the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State militants in Syria.
"We want to state that Turkey is a valued NATO ally that continues to make important contributions to the fight against ISIL," U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Karen Eifert said, declining comment on questions about an asylum request. ISIL is an acronym for Islamic State.
A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Turkey's internal reorganization of its military has not had a practical impact on NATO-led commands.
"Turkey has notified NATO about the changeover of a number of Turkish military personnel. There has been no impact on the implementation of NATO-led operations and missions or on the work of NATO commands," the official said, declining comment on any asylum request.
"I would refer you to the Turkish authorities for any further details on their staffing."
One U.S. defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated there were around 160 Turkish military personnel on assignment in the United States, including those at NATO in Norfolk and others at exchanges at prestigious U.S. military institutions.
Navy Lieutenant Commander Patrick Evans said 123 Turkish military personnel were participating in the U.S. International Military Education and Training Program in the continental United States as of Aug. 9.
Asked how many of those participants had been recalled to Turkey, Evans said: "We are aware of one student currently at the Army War College who received a recall notice to return to Turkey."
The status of the student at the War College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was not immediately clear. Evans did not comment on any individual cases.
Not even great players who retired some years ago are safe (crossposted from the Beautiful Thread for the Beautiful Game).
Also, this bit at the end:
Turkey has repeatedly pressed Washington to extradite Gülen and has expressed exasperation at what it sees as the slow US response to its requests. Erdoğan has vowed to eradicate what he calls the “virus” of Gülen, and authorities have embarked on a relentless crackdown that has caused concern abroad.
According to Turkish officials, more than 35,000 people have been detained since the coup attempt, which left 240 dead excluding the plotters. Almost 11,600 of the suspects have since been released, but the rest are in jail and face trial or custody hearings.
edited 12th Aug '16 8:27:30 AM by Quag15
Quite a few actually, even had a comment in the newspapers from a leading member of an Islamic group here in Finland likening the purges to "purging a virus" (and got heavily rebuked by MP's). It's a well known fact that Gulen helped many of his followers to high positions when he worked with Erdogan, as both of them had a similar idea that the military and others were a problem. They had a falling out, which is where the entire conspiracy comes from, as Erdogan saw Gulen as a threat to his ascension.
Of course, there are probably millions who are connected and/or educated by the schools and businesses of Gulen's foundation making it an excellent stick to use against anyone.
edited 6th Aug '16 12:27:45 AM by TerminusEst
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