Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Remind Me Again: Why Is Turkey Still In NATO?

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to jail journalists, threaten Israel’s existence, denounce those Arab states that have dared to normalize ties to the Jewish state, bully Cyprus and Greece over gas deposits in their maritime waters, and destroy the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Turkish secularists who refused to abandon Kemalism. His latest outrages are reported on here: “Israel, Turkey trade blows in row over NATO involvement in Gaza,” by Gabriel Gavin, Politico, July 13, 2024:

Turkey has doubled down on a pledge to block NATO cooperation with Israel until a “permanent cease-fire” is in place in Gaza, amid an escalating war of words over the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this week accused Israel of violating the fundamental human rights of Palestinians in its military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

“The brutal murder of innocent people by Israel in hospitals where they go for treatment, in ambulances, in marketplaces, in centers where humanitarian aid is distributed, and in areas defined as safe, is the gravest violation of human rights,” Erdoğan said in an interview with Newsweek.

Apparently Erdogan would like us all to forget the invasions by Turkish troops in Libya, Syria, and Iraq, and the Turkish attacks, aggression, and ethnic cleansing of Kurds. Erdogan wishes us to forget his using Syrian refugees as mercenaries in Libya, his buying of Russian defense technology — the S-400 missile defense system — despite American pleas and warnings not to do so, his urging on Azerbaijan in its ruthless war against Armenia, his publicly praising by name the main Turkish planners of the 1915 Armenian genocide, Enver Pasha and Talat Pasha, and his working with Iran to oppose the US role in Syria. Erdogan’s regime sees alliances building around and against it while Erdogan has managed to antagonize almost all of Turkey’s neighbors in the Middle East, and even more important, its fellow NATO members, including Washington. Erdogan wants to wreck Israel’s relationship with NATO and make the alliance a tool of the jihad against the Jewish state.

“Western nations that provide Israel with weaponry,” the Turkish leader argued, “do so at the expense of being complicit in these violations.”

“Until comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Turkey,” Erdoğan said on Friday at a summit of alliance members in Washington.

NATO was meant to be a military alliance of Western, democratic states. When Turkey was allowed to join in 1952, at a time when it was much more a democracy, the country continuing along the secularist, westernizing path that had been prepared by Kemal Ataturk in in the1920s. But Turkey is now the odd man out in NATO, neither Western — as Erdogan continues to re-Islamize, and de-Kemalize, the country — nor truly democratic. Erdogan has made 74 changes to the Constitution, giving him as president sweeping new powers, and allowing him to possibly remain in office until 2029. Erdogan sits, the new Padishah, in his 1,500 room White Palace (the “Ak Saray”), entertaining his neo-Ottoman dreams of leading the Muslim world, and brooking no domestic dissent.

Under Erdogan, Turkey is no longer a functioning Western democracy. It still holds elections, but there is no free media, without which a real democracy is impossible. Those journalists who dare to write anything against Erdogan are arrested and jailed: Turkey has more journalists behind bars than any other country in the world, not excepting China and Russia. As for ordinary citizens who are judged to be against the regime, they can expect, at the very least, to lose their jobs, as hundreds of thousands have done, and some are arrested and imprisoned.

Erdogan has not treated his fellow NATO members well. He has accused the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria of being run by “Nazis.” When the Netherlands cancelled – for security reasons — a campaign rally for Turks in that country, that was to have been addressed by Turkey’s foreign minister, Erdogan described the Dutch government as “Nazi remnants and fascists.” When Germany’s former Chancellor Angela Merkel called for an end to discussions about possible Turkish membership in the EU, Erdogan called her also a “Nazi” – a charge he has made a half-dozen times against Germany whenever that country’s policies annoy him. And when Austria shut down some “extremist” mosques and expelled their imams, Erdogan was again quick to describe the Austrians as “Nazis.” Germany and the Netherlands are members of NATO; though not a member, Austria closely collaborates with the organization. Erdogan has no qualms about attacking in such an intolerable fashion two fellow members, and one quasi-member, of NATO.

Turkey was allowed to join NATO both because it was then a democracy and because it had chosen to help the West against the Communist bloc, as it demonstrated in sending troops to join NATO forces in the Korean War. In the nearly 70 years since, Turkey’s major military contribution to NATO has been allowing the American Air Force to use the air base at Incirlik, which is not exactly an overwhelming contribution. When the American forces were invading Iraq in 2003, Turkey did allow the Americans to use its air space, but more importantly, it refused to allow American forces to use Incirlik Air Base, and would not permit the movement of American ground troops through Turkey. That is not what the Americans should have expected from a member of NATO.

Erdogan and those closest to him have not apologized for, nor withdrawn, their pan-Islamic plan for the destruction of Israel. Many, including Erdogan, continue to talk of “liberating” Al-Aqsa, overlooking the fact that Al-Aqsa needs no “liberation” – it is controlled by the Muslim Waqf which is under Jordanian authority. A new Turkish ambassador to Israel, whom one would have thought would have been chosen for the post because he was well disposed to the Jewish state, once claimed that “Zionism is racism,” that Israel has “displaced millions” and committed many “massacres.” Erdogan has repeatedly echoed such rhetoric since Oct. 7, even as the U.S. has professed support for Israel. So remind me again: why is Turkey in NATO?

Comments

  1. Obama initiated the White House sympathies toward Moslem ideology and Biden’s regime has continued and strengthened it – most of his staff despises Israel.

    • The sooner the Straits of Bosphorus are established as the Nutal Boundary between Europe and the Middle East the better.

    • Not surprising bearing in mind Obama is a MUSLIM and a Russian plant, as per revelation in 1991/2 in Moscow dinner party . Not even eligible to be President of U S A as NOT American born, but in KENYA where THE real birth certificate was issued before his mother whisked him off to Indonesia until his early teens ( where he became Muslim ) and then whisked again to Hawaii, ( OUTPOST of America but at least America. There are NO educational records of him in Hawaii ) . Then to Chicago and lodged with the rarest of rare American, a COMMUNIST husband and wife.

      • It war his mother who faked the Hawaiian birth certificate. Look on YT for “Ann Dunham is Loretta Fuddy”. She had a chin reduction to become Loretta Fuddy.
        .
        Loretta Fuddy “died” in a plane accident over water, the pilot was a stunt pilot, 9 passengers, one “died”, the others survived. Look at the woman Obama presented as his mother. No way this is an unaltered version of Ann Dunham. She had some surgery after the plane crash.

  2. For many years Observer Delegates to NATO have questioned Turkeys involvement in NATO.
    The questions arose shortly after Erdogan took power.
    1. Like Hitler Erdogan has been without reservation forthright in his desire to restore a Fascist Caliphate surrounding the Mediterranean.
    2. Erdogan wanted Turkish law to reflect Sharia law in opposition to Turkeys secular Constitution
    3. The Turkish military are tasked in the constitution to remove opposition to the Constitution namely a government such as Erdogan’s.
    Erdogan had turkeys military leaders and politicians loyal to the constitution imprisoned, many for life for attempting to do their constitutional duty.
    4. Under Obama’s NATO Putin’s friend Erdogan locked down America’s NATO base in Turkey and seized control of 60 American Nuclear bombs and missiles. (Did the US ever regain control) Today the bombs are still in Turkey and have not been removed as appeasement to Erdogan staying in NATO.
    Erdogan is not a NATO ally, is not supportive of Democracy and is supportive of Jihadis in NATO member nations and has even fired on US Troops in Syria.

    • Erdogan is someone who wants to realize the full scope of Ottoman glory, emphasizing that Turkey regains its leadership of both the muslim & Turkic worlds

      ➤ On the islamic side, Turkey has endorsed the muslim brotherhood and piqued Iran for a role in the leadership of islam. Previously, Saudi Arabia used to be the recognized leader, but as its Arab-centricity has alienated non-Arab muslim countries such as Pakistan, it has given them an entry point. Iran might have been a competitor, had they been sunni and not shi’a
      ➤ Turkey therefore has a bunch of allies – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Yemen, Somalia, Libya’s GNA, Algeria. Giving it some traction as a muslim leader country
      ➤ On the racial front, Turkey also leads a group of countries called the Organization of Turkic States, along the lines of the Arab League. It has 4 of the -stans – Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, along w/ Turkey itself. Turkmenistan is not yet a member, but has observer status. Only 2 countries that keep it from being contiguous are Armenia and Iran

      As far as Incirlik goes, the US needs to shut that down and pull out all the military hardware from there. Put it in Bulgaria or Greece, if needed, or better yet, get some of it to Israel

      Problem is that US foreign policy still doesn”t see Turkey as an adversary. But islam is every bit as much a rival as Communism ever was. Now, Arabs are less enthusiastic about dawa activity as it would mean dilution of their dominance of the ummah, something that they’ve noticed increasingly w/ non-Arab countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, et al. Iran is a shi’a country, so while some desperate sunnis, like the Palis, might be for them, most are not. It gives Turkey an opening to lead a bloc of its own much larger than post-Soviet Russia could ever dream about

  3. Why is there any association between muslims and western civilization? The UK is experiencing widespread, unreported (by mainstream media) riots by Pakistanis because a Pakistani was killed in…..Pakistan.

    • While listing Ankara’s treatment of other NATO members, Hugh overlooked Turkey’s behavior towards Greece, which is anything but neighborly

      One thing – NATO doesn’t have any mechanism to expel anybody. As a result, it is stuck w/ whoever is in it.

      I heard that the EU was putting together a continental military of its own. If that’s the case, they don’t need NATO: US does have priorities outside the region, be it in the immediate neighborhood, battling Mexican drug cartels or Venezuelan human traffickers, or in the Indo-Pacific region

      Therefore, it’s now a good idea to dissolve NATO. Let the EU put together its army, and if it wants to, Canada can join. But we have to turn our attention to the Americas as well as the Asia Pacific: NATO cannot remain our top priority

      If NATO is dissolved, it would likely instantly end the war in Ukraine, since Russia will no longer fear anti-Russian troops/missiles on Ukrainian territory

      • ࿗Infidel࿘ says,

        “If NATO is dissolved, it would likely instantly end the war in Ukraine, since Russia will no longer fear anti-Russian troops/missiles on Ukrainian territory”

        Now that’s an interesting angle…

  6. Remind Me Again: Why Is Turkey Still In NATO?
    ……………………………………

    Damn good question–Turkey would never qualify for membership in NATO if applying today. They should be ousted.

  7. This appears to be a moot point. NATO of little consequence in the Mi(u)ddle East because Turkey will not attack Israel before NATO is embroiled in a hot war with Russia and Erdogan’s immediate crisis decision then will have no relation to Israel.

    Ursula Van Der Crazy and the EU allies are all in on the defeat of Russia yet their combined forces, short of the US military, would lose that war. Like the scrawny kid with a, “bodyguard”, the EU will likely drive the West into a hot war with an overstep. Frankly, if this develops, unlike a general Mideast War, no oceans will protect anyone and the, ignorant-about-Israel, pro-Hamas, youthful protestors in the EU and US will be scrambling to save their own skin.

    The situation is far more dire than the Cuban Missile Crisis. The US had something to trade – missiles in Turkey – the real cause of the crisis. There is nothing to trade and a few hundred thousand reasons, in Russian minds, for Russia to turn Old Europe into a smoking mess. Russia will not settle for a “freeze”, just as Israel will not with Hamas, and then have repeat wars fed by interlopers.

    I am astounded by the blindness toward the actual result, if the EU persists(at US urging). Maybe old empires just choose to end like a depressed person considering an accelerated end to life when fruitful rivers no longer flow in his direction?

    • If NATO gets involved in a war w/ Russia, you can bet that Turkey will not be a part of it. Despite the sanctions, Erdogan has made it a point not to close the Sea of Marmara to Russian shipping. Also, at the start of the war, Turkey was even one of the mediators b/w Russia and Ukraine

  8. The sooner the Straits of Bosphorus are established as the Nutal Boundary between Europe and the Middle East the better.

  9. Turkey is nowhere near the North Atlantic and then Turkey demanded to join the European Union even thought its not in Europe though some pricks scream about the sliver of Turkey being in Europe which is not even 1% of Turkey and the Capital of Turkey is 1000 Klms from Europe.
    So tell me again why Turkey is in NATO but then tell me again why NATO still exists as it came UP with Berlin Wall is why did it not go DOWN with the Berlin Wall?.

    • Very true! NATO missed a historic opportunity in the 90s & 00s when it turned down Russian overtures to join, even while it was expanding Eastwards. Essentially, it proved President Gorbachev as a chump for trusting James Baker, who gave a verbal commitment that NATO wouldn’t expand beyond Germany. Gorby should have insisted that that commitment be in writing, so that Western countries could be held to it

      However, the Russians weren’t the only losers here. The US has been in a big way, since during the Cold War, the Soviets and the Chicoms were not allies ever since the 1970s, after the Sino-Soviet rift, something that President Nixon exploited to the hilt. That remained to the end of the Soviet Union. Whereas today, our foreign policy establishment has allowed a Moscow-Beijing axis to develop, thanks to their insistence on treating the Kremlin as an adversary

  10. IF Turkey were to be removed from NATO it would immediately join the Russian version, taking all armaments and missiles as well.

    • We need to pull out of Incirlik, and empty all the military hardware there (unlike in Afghanistan). Just shut it down! Give the Turks nothing that’s ours

      We also need to fix our relations w/ Russia and pull out of NATO, if not dismantle it altogether. It’s now almost 35 years since the end of the Cold War: we don’t need it. There was a time Russia wanted to join NATO: the right course then would have been to add Russia, and remove Turkey. In which case, NATO could have continued its core mission of combating communism, but pushing it to China’s borders. Instead, we’ve pushed Russia into Beijing’s hands

      If one remembers, ever since Nixon normalized relations w/ Beijing, the US never had to deal w/ a Sino-Soviet alliance, right until the end of the Cold War. But somehow, our geniuses in the State Department and the Council of Foreign Relations forgot to flip the switch and turn the focus on Beijing, even after the Tienanmen Square massacre. End result is that today, we’re confronting a Moscow-Beijing alliance, after brilliantly making sure that we didn’t have to during the Cold War.

  11. Turkey was admitted into NATO in 1952.

    It was likely never anticipated that they would someday go rogue.

    Now – what to do?

    • Disband NATO, and build new alliances, w/o including Turkey in them

      Also, US shouldn’t be a part of any: we need to independently move against China or Russia, whoever is a bigger threat at any given time. But there should be an attempt to separate Russia from China and bring them to our side. Even if we have to dump the European globalists in order to get there

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