Turkish President Abdullah Gul (L) and U.S. President Barack Obama (C) attend a welcoming ceremony in the courtyard of the Cankaya Presidential Palace on April 6, 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Real Americans Defend Israel
September 6, 2011
by Bee Sting
"Say the secret word and win $100.00!" Groucho Marx would say to his contestants on an old TV game show. He would then ask questions of the contestants and if they happened to mention the "secret" word, they would win ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS automatically. I would like to apply that to today's news. Google "news" and one country peeps out above all others; well, actually two countries - Turkey and Israel - but the majority of the news is awarded Turkey's latest "true to form" Islamic actions towards the State of Israel, so the "secret" word today is .... drum roll, please ...... "TURKEY".
At a glance, here's the latest news on Turkey:
Now, I noted that the US is "concerned" over frayed relations between Israel-Turkey. I don't want to go over spilled milk, but the US probably should have been concerned about our relations with Turkey when Turkey refused:
to allow coalition troops to use their territory in the effort to depose Saddam Hussein in Iraq not only was a blow to the U.S.-Turkey alliance but set in motion circumstances that ultimately helped create the insurgency. Since then, Turkey has consistently set itself apart from its NATO allies on a host of security issues. Erdoğan’s desire to strengthen Turkey’s trade ties with Iran has fatally undermined the sanctions the United States has sought to impose on the Islamist regime’s effort to gain nuclear capability.
Those who wish to blame Netanyahu for the loss of Israel’s Turkish alliance have short memories. Long before the Turks provoked and then dumped Israel in their pursuit of greater influence among Muslims, they did the same to the United States. Rather than wondering what Israel can do to abase itself in order to regain Turkey’s good will, the better question to ask is what actions the United States Congress and the Obama administration can now take to show their displeasure with Ankara. ... quote from: Love of the Land
Turkish PM declares freeze on Israel ties
Looking back just one year ago, the US was not in Turkey's "good graces" after:
On March 4, 2010, the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee passed the “Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide” resolution by a vote of 23 to 22. The Turkish government showed its strong displeasure by immediately recalling Ambassador Namik Tan from Washington. Prior to the vote, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had cautioned against “a wrong step on March 4 and April 24” while Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had called on the Obama Administration to “convince the House of Representatives not to vote in favor of the resolution.”
Erdogan was predictably harsh in his comments after the vote. Saying that what had taken place was “a comedy” involving “Congressmen who cannot even find Armenia on the map” he warned that Turkey was “seriously concerned that this resolution approved by the committee despite all our warnings will harm Turkey-US ties and efforts to normalize Turkey- Armenia relations.” Unlike his two immediate predecessors, Obama had repeatedly claimed as senator and presidential candidate that the events of 1915 were ‘genocide’ and that he would acknowledge them as such if elected president Although the House Foreign Affairs Committee had passed similar resolutions in 2000 and 2007, neither had then been submitted to a vote on the House floor due to intense White House lobbying. In contrast to Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush had not committed themselves on the genocide issue and had a much freer hand in opposing the resolutions by emphasizing the dangers of potential damage to US-Turkish relations.
Obama had visited Turkey in April 2009, unusually early in his term in office and then hosted Erdogan at the White House in December. The reciprocal visits in the first year of Obama’s presidency served to confirm the importance both his administration and the Erdogan-led Turkish government attached to their relationship. ... continue readingAnd, just so no one gets the idea that Israel is to blame for the breakdown in relations between Israel and Turkey, read the full analysis of Turkey's anti-American relations with the USA - here:
"Speaking of hospitality, currently Turkey is the most anti- American country in the world. According to the latest poll, only eight percents of the Turks have positive opinion of the United States, while 82 percents have announced their negative attitude. The only consolation that could bring joy into the hearts of extremely optimistic and sunny personalities, is the fact that during the spring of 2003, i. e. in the immediate aftermath of the American invasion of Iraq, the percentage was even higher – as a matter of fact, 90 percents of the Turks have declared their anti- American sentiments." .... continue readingBut, Is Turkey simply unhappy with Israel, or the United States? Let's look at the headlines of September 6th (today's news) on GLOBES - Turkey threatens naval action if Cyprus drills
Noble Energy and Delek are due to begin drilling for gas at Block 12 later this month.Now, here's a real honest to goodness puzzle and one perhaps NATO should re-think:
6 September 11 13:58, Amiram BarkatThe Cypriot media reports that Turkey is threatening to attack Cyprus if it allows drilling of an offshore exploratory well at Block 12. Greece has already responded by telling Turkey to "act responsibly". Cyprus has been a member of the EU since 2004. ... continue reading
Turkey, a nation leaning towards a more extreme form of Islam; a country that refused to aid the US during the hunt for Sadaam; one who threatens US allies; a country with ties to Iran (led by a terrorist dictator who proclaims he will wipe Israel off the map) and at the same time, obstructs democracies from sanctioning Iran properly; and Turkey, today, threatens Greece/Cyprus with military action; and the "United states hopes to have the radar system deployed in Turkey (of all places in Europe!) by the end of the year! ... continue reading
Honestly folks, does Turkey sound like a country NATO or the US could trust with such a system? Shouldn't Congress be taking a step back to review exactly what Turkey's agenda is before continuing to arm a country that threatens allies?
Here's a brief analysis on the "Arming of Turkey"Is Turkey is trying to regain the Ottoman rule?
The Arming of Turkey
The international arms trade grew by 8 per cent in real terms in 1996 ... This is good news for defence exporters ... But hardly for anyone else. -- editorial, Financial Times
The majority of what their military has is from us, so of course US weapons are involved in whatever it is they do. -- US State Department official
Training has been provided in the UK to members of the Turkish armed forces as is normal practice between NATO nations. -- Lord Gilbert
We'll finish terrorism but we are being held back by democracy and human rights. -- General Ahmet Corekci, Deputy Chief of Staff
Indiscriminately, the Turkish army is terrorising the local people on the grounds that they are supporting the terrorists ... -- Human Rights Watch
... there is no room for liberated regions and activities aimed at language, racial, class or sectarian differences in our homeland. The government will defeat the disease and heads will be crushed. -- President of Turkey
The Kurdish Question is a veritable powder barrel, endangering the stability of not only Turkey and the Middle East but also peace in Europe. -- Danielle Mitterand
The logic of [Saddam Hussein's] military build-up was that he eventually had to use his new arsenal in an attempt to pay for its purchase. -- Lawrence Freedman
Turkey is a stabilising and balancing element in the Balkans, Caucasus, and the Middle East where risks and the threats such as extreme nationalism, fundamentalism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and ethnic conflicts have appeared. -- 1998 Turkish Ministry of Defence White Paper
Turkey is a pariah state. It has been engaged in a war of genocide against the Kurds, gross violations of human rights, invasion and occupation of northern Iraq and northern Cyprus. Much of the military hardware to enable Turkey to carry out its repressive policies has been Nato supplied, the users Nato trained. Turkey has the largest armed forces in Nato outside of the United States. .... continue reading
In closing, I want to share with you a quote from a Turkish writer who posted on Twitter the following comment:
"I have never ever witnessed a situation when an American ally is threatened by another state and the US is still silent."And what this Turkish writer is marveling about is the same thing Americans marvel with deep amazement about and that is, how does our Congress sit silent, while our friends (allies) are threatened by Turkey - another Islamic country, murdering Muslims (Kurds) in northern Iraq; breaking ties and threatening other allies and our president and leaders in Washington wish to reward this same country with military aid for the sake of protecting Europe!
Have we all gone out of our minds? Or, worse, is it a case of just not giving a damn what happens, as long as we bow and appease our enemies?!
