« Democrats Try Changing the Subject to Distract from Internal DissensionNYT Obscene Pro-Clintonism, Anti-Trumpism »

Turkey’s Erdogan Running Wild, Geopolitics in Play

July 29th, 2016

Stephen Lendman

Wannabe sultan Erdogan’s policies aren’t pretty. His reign of terror continues into its eighth day, likely lots more purging ahead.

What’s unfolding followed what looked like a stage-managed sham military uprising - sloppy, inept and stillborn when initiated, Erdogan never in danger of being toppled.

Citing “Turkish and foreign intelligence sources inside Turkey,” investigative journalist Wayne Madsen called the July 15 uprising a “ ‘false flag’ coup…limited by Erdogan’s design from the start.”

“The coup attempt was a standard ‘fly paper’ operation,” used to flush out opposition elements, seeing which ones stick, eliminating them as a threat to his absolute rule.

He’s taken full advantage, using the events of July 15 to eliminate potential challenges - cleaning house, targeting tens of thousands.

His mass purge continued on Saturday, signing a decree, usurping power to detain anyone for any reason up to 30 days - targeted individuals denied legal rights guaranteed under Turkish and international law.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, he ordered closure of 1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade unions, 15 universities, as well as 35 hospitals and medical facilities - over suspected links to regime opponent Fethullah Gulen, longtime CIA asset living in Pennsylvania. He denies involvement in the July 15 uprising.

State of emergency powers let Erdogan enact laws without parliamentary approval, crush fundamental freedoms as he sees fit, do whatever he pleases unrestrained - tyranny by any standard.

Turkey needs more prison capacity to handle large numbers arrested and detained. How many more remains to be seen. For now, daily targeting continues.

A massive military restructuring is underway, overseen by the prime minister, defense minister and chief of staff.

“They are all working together as to what might be done, and… within a very short amount of time a new structure will be emerging. With this new structure, I believe the armed forces will get fresh blood," Erdogan explained.

His pledge to protect democracy while mass purging and arrests continue is laughable on its face. Despots always claim they’re right, concocting phony reasons to make their case.

Erdogan long ago lost credibility, a thuggish outlaw, waging wars at his discretion, crushing fundamental freedoms while claiming democratic credentials.

Legitimate opposition is considered terrorism or treason. Critics, including journalists, human rights workers, academics, students and children, are subject to arrest and imprisonment. Cleansed courts are more rubber-stamp than ever. Guilt by accusation is automatic.

According to Fars News, Rai Alyoum and other Arab media cited Ankara diplomats, saying Russian intelligence warned Erdogan of the July 15 uprising hours before initiated - based on “intercepted highly sensitive encoded radio messages,” information passed to Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated no advance Russian knowledge of what happened on July 15.

Both countries are adversaries, not allies - notably on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict. Turkish relations with Washington are cool - US policy toward Russia extremely hostile.

Putin’s outreach to Erdogan, if true, is geopolitically sound, attempting to get Turkey to stop supporting terrorism in Syria in return for restoration of normalized ties.

Billions of dollars in trade are at stake, business Turkey’s economy vitally needs. Perhaps Erdogan promised to do more than he intends, playing the Russia and US card simultaneously. He can’t be trusted.

Putin is too savvy to fall for his tricks. Yet an opening exists to damage Washington’s imperial agenda further.

Russia’s intervention against terrorism in Syria hurt greatly. Getting Turkey on board for diplomatic conflict resolution would be a huge Putin victory, a major Obama setback.

Given Erdogan’s untrustworthiness and unpredictability, nothing can be counted on except in hindsight if successful.

Whatever unfolds, Washington won’t sit idle on the sidelines watching, letting the chips fall where they may. Not a chance!

-###-

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Networkve Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network

No feedback yet

Voices

Voices

  • Paul Craig Roberts US Democrat Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was sentenced to eleven years in prison by federal district judge Sidney Stein for acting as an illegal agent for Egypt and accepting cash and gold…
  • Tracy Turner Before beginning any herbal regimen, consult a licensed physician and also be sure to ask about drug interactions with herbs. This article is not a substitute for a licensed physician and does not constitute medical advice. Traditional…
  • James B. Whisker When the Grand Council of Fascism on 25 July 1943 removed Benito Mussolini from his position as head of government, fascism ended in Italy. Its ending was as surprising as its beginning, when, on 28 October 1922, some 300,000…
  • Cathy Smith China weathered the current political and economic upheaval of Belt and Road Initiative: Catalyst for Global Development or Vehicle for Neo-Colonial Control? The Silk Road of the Ancients (2nd century BCE-15th century CE) and China's BRI…
  • Dr. Vladislav B. Sotirovic The concept of human security is a controversial approach by a certain group of post-Cold War 1.0 academicians (after 1990) for the purpose of redefining and at the same time making broader the meaning of security in global…
  • Fred Gransville Synthetic Media: The Backbone of the Totalitarian Surveillance State in 2025-2027 By 2027, a few short years ahead, the United States will have fully completed the transition from a constitutional democracy to a totalitarian state…
  • By David Swanson, World BEYOND War Remarks at the Sixth International Conference for World Balance in Havana, Cuba, Jan. 30, 2025 Video here. Before I start I want to express sympathy for the people who have died in a plane crash in Washington, and I…
  • Unraveling the Chemtrail Phenomenon: Aerosols, Geoengineering, and the Sky's Hidden Agenda Tracy Turner What's Really in Our Skies? For years, millions have been watching in the sky a new unidentified mystery: elongated streams deposited by aircraft…
  • Chris Spencer Image from: France 24 Is Deep Seek American's Chinese Savior, or Just A Different 51 Flavor(s) of Censorship? DeepSeek: Unlocking the Internet Beyond Censorship In today's digital landscape, mainstream search engines like Google and Bing…
  • Paul Craig Roberts Update: According to the latest information I have, The J6 political prisoners in the D.C. prison have been released. Kentucky is still holding one. Everyone else released except for about 6 who are being held on unrelated state…
February 2025
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
 << <   > >>
            1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28  

  XML Feeds

powered by b2evolution
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted articles and information about environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. This news and information is displayed without profit for educational purposes, in accordance with, Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 of the US Copyright Law. Thepeoplesvoice.org is a non-advocacy internet web site, edited by non-affiliated U.S. citizens. editor
ozlu Sozler GereksizGercek Hava Durumu Firma Rehberi Hava Durumu Firma Rehberi E-okul Veli Firma Rehberi