Turkish President Erdogan has abetted jihadist terror and cracked down on political dissent – making him a contributor to Mideast troubles – but a military coup is the wrong way to remove him, says ex-CIA official Graham E. Fuller.
By Graham E. Fuller
The dismaying coup events in Turkey may take some time to be resolved. But one thing is already clear — this attempt at military intervention, however the final scenario plays itself out, is a disastrous lose-lose event for everyone in Turkey.
If the military coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “succeeds,” we will have witnessed the return to the ugly tradition of military intervention involving at least four past coups against legitimately elected governments. Nearly all observers (including myself) believed that the half century of regular military coups were finally over.
President Barack Obama walks along the Colonnade at the White House with then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Dec. 7, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The governing AK Party had seemingly successfully banished the military at long last back to the barracks, with the grateful support of most of the country. If this coup “succeeds,” it plunges Turkey back into the same trap of “tutelary oversight” by the military that had been the ugly hallmark of earlier Turkish governance.
Coups generally leave disastrous legacies in countries that are working towards established democracy. How legitimate can any successor government be, when elected with the assistance of the military that pulled the plug on the last government?
AKP supporters who represent the biggest single political bloc in Turkey right now are appropriately enraged at this blatantly illegal effort to overthrow their legitimately elected government. If those seeking to remove Erdogan are doing so on the basis of his domestic religious policies, it will confirm the belief of the large traditional religious segment of the population that the military and the old guard secularists and “Ataturkists,” as usual, are anti-Islam.
At a time when externally supported jihadi Islamist movements like ISIS have wreaked havoc in Turkey through their devastating terrorist acts, the factor of religion in domestic politics will be ratcheted up several notches in a dangerous way.
Erdogan will appear a victim to his party’s large number of followers — even a “martyr” if he is jailed. A jailed Erdogan — a legitimately elected president — will be a dangerous presence to any successor government that will operate under the stigma of serving at the discretion of the military.
Class and ideological lines in Turkey will be intensified and move into the realm of more regular political violence. The unresolved Kurdish struggle is likely to grow more violent as well.
A Challenge for Secularists
Turkish liberals and secularist Kemalists who had come to loathe Erdogan face the choice of either accepting another coup crippling the democratic order, or supporting Erdogan as a legitimate leader despite their intense dislike of his policies.
Today’s Turkey blends the ancient with the modern.
For many liberals, a coup will be perceived as institutionally worse than Erdogan’s arbitrary, autocratic, willful, erratic and self-serving policies of the past few years.
The military will likely be deeply divided over the issue, also not as healthy as the tradition of military intervention into politics is resuscitated yet again. Some kind of broad civil conflict could well emerge that will require military intervention to keep order.
If Erdogan succeeds in crushing the coup, the outlook is hardly better. The military actors involved will have demonstrated their incompetence and their constitutional unreliability. Their institutional prestige will suffer markedly. Worse, Erdogan’s illiberal and authoritarian tendencies, which had grown increasingly disturbing over the past few years, will be hugely strengthened. He will grow more paranoid and self-obsessed.
The events will provide him with far more compelling grounds for further crushing of political opposition. Erdogan had already moved to undercut a free press and an independent judiciary and has been seeking to arrogate to himself new powers of a “super-presidency” via constitutional change.
An Erdogan who has survived a coup attempt will be far harsher, vindictive and illiberal and will unleash greater political and judicial powers against political opposition.
Erdogan’s mistakes, failings and the growing corruption of his government have already massively discredited his administration. He has been in the process of discrediting and undermining the long series of remarkable accomplishments of his party’s first decade of rule.
It is imperative that Erdogan be removed from power the same way he came to power — by the ballot box. His increasingly irresponsible administration must be voted down and out of office, putting effective end to his claim to being a successful leader any more.
Removing Erdogan by force protects him from the final repudiation — by the voters. No one knows exactly at what point the majority of voters would have turned against him, but that is the process by which all democracies remove failing politicians whose term of office comes to an end. A coup rescues him from such electoral defeat.
Spread of Terrorism
The military, or those elements that attempted the coup, may justify their intervention on the basis of rising disorder in Turkey due to the recent spread of terrorism. Erdogan’s disastrous foreign policies over the past few years, and especially in Syria greatly contributed to the rise of jihadi terrorism in Turkey, largely carried out by non-Turks. (These recent foreign policy failures stand in bold contrast to his inspired and successful foreign policies of his early years.)
F-15 Eagles taxi to the runway at 3rd Main Jet Base, Turkey, on June 18, 2015.(U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Eric Burks)
The coup plotters could conceivably gain some public support for their actions by claiming the need to maintain order in the country in the wake of devastating foreign-inspired terrorist attacks, rather than simply opposing Erdogan’s domestic policies. But if they justify their actions on the basis of “protecting Turkish secularism” they fall into the same tired Kemalist ideological line that has justified every single Turkish coup in modern history.
However much Erdogan has exploited religion in his policies, his other failings are far more serious, and “defense of secularism” provides no credible justification for military action.
Whether the coup “succeeds” or fails, it has already done irreparable damage to Turkey’s political tradition and its political future. It besmirches Turkey’s international standing which had seemingly emerged into the bloc of democratic states that had appeared to put an end to force and military intervention in their domestic politics.
However this coup event comes out, Turkey and Turkish politics have lost badly. Erdogan indeed deserves to be defeated on many grounds. But it must be by the ballot box, not by a military coup.
Graham E. Fuller is a former senior CIA official, author of numerous books on the Muslim World; his latest book is Breaking Faith: A novel of espionage and an American’s crisis of conscience in Pakistan. (Amazon, Kindle) grahamefuller.com
I respect Consortium News but having Graham Fuller give this site’s first take on the Turkey coup is nutty!
This is the same G.E Fuller who is “a former National Intelligence Officer for Near East and South Asia, a proponent of political Islam, an inspiration for the Iran-Contra affair, a character reference for CIA darling Fethullah Gulen, a former RAND analyst, and the father-in-law of the Boston bombers’ uncle” (from the Corbett Report).
This guy is nose-deep in ‘Islamism’ spookiness so anything he puts out in the wake of this coup has to considered a Psy-Ops attempt – much like that MSNCB’s ‘Erdogan is fleeing’ tweet that Boiling Frogs is tracking down.
It is interesting that Fuller is attempting to distance himself from the coup… but I’m still unsure why Consortium made themselves an outlet for this?
Graham Fuller’s biography should have included he has sent official letter to US court for granting residency to Gulen who is said to be behind the coup attempt.
Also Boston Marathon Bombing’s bombers are his relatives.
Such a strange and interesting personality.
And all the analysis here seems to be false now as Turkish people are united against US agents’ attempts in Turkey.
Sorry Surrender about what’s been going on.
I hope that you and your friends and family are ok.
It seems that governments – no matter where don’t pay attention to their first responsibility – first do no harm.
I don’t like games of chess with people’s lives hanging in the balance.
Good luck to you.
When ? red comments above I said is this my country where I have fear of my life And searching for 3days how to immigrate to EU. I am afraid even writing this post as latest information is they arrest civilians by looking at their whatsup messages. Indeed ? dont see a future And ? dont understand what is going on no matter how much ? read. They say
1. If this is a first attempt of coupe And they will go on. I dont want to live under coup athority
2. If US will go on until they create a Civil war And than ” save us”. I Will be death as I dont have a big family or sources to support me
3. If it is created to enpower Erdo?an so he can create islâmic republic. I dont want to live under a islamic rules
So ? dont care who planned this but all the exits are closed for me.
There is a bunch of verwell educated, passifist who only wants to live in free democratic country. When Erdo?an made The first balcony speech I was very happy because we can live together with islamist as we are pacifist And democratic but they want us to live like them. At univercity I was supporting them to go univercity with veils but they dont support me.
Everybody looks at The politic picture And talks as if our lives are nothing…
We the People of America are as helpless to stop this DeepState operation, as are you, our allies the Turks (ironically, “DeepState” is a phrase of Turkish coinage). A Higher Power must intervene on behalf of humanity. It’s being done, I believe. The Crop Circles and SkySpirals are indicators of something, not sure what. Pray to the Creator for help to do the right thing. Allah, Jehovah, God, Brahma, Zeus, Odin, Athena, doesn’t matter WHAT Name His/Her children cry out. The Creator will answer to His/Her children’s call. I’ve been reading that the entire TransAtlantic financial/economic system is about to blow…a general breakdown crisis comparable to what post-WWI Germany went through. This may suspend all DeepState ops everywhere, and everyone will be intensely focused on mere survival… help one another survive, or die…THAT will focus attention upon the true priorities of Life.
Surrender, (and by this chance, other visitors reading the comments)
All is well and safe in Turkey. Life is back to normal.
You are right, Fuller’s article is sickeningly inhuman, cold, manipulative mis-dis-informing, and un-intelligence stuff!
He is not aware of the incredible human stories that evolved over the nite of July 15-16 in Turkey, the stories of 250 martyrs and 1500 wounded by the gunshots, tanks, rockets, F-16s and helicopters. Or he just cold-heartedly ignores them, for he is at work with this piece.
Just check out the internet, TRTWORLD and other dissent and reliable media about the ‘Stand of the People of Turkey for freedom and democracy’ against the terrorist violence of the perpetrators, gulenists officers in the Army and the Air Force, a la ISIL and PKK style executions and actions on civilians. Imagine a tank on Pensylvania Avenue firing around as it runs over the cars in front of it during the evening rush hour, passengers inside, for example. Imagine people throwing themselves in front of the tanks. These thugs even bombed the Parliament, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, by F16s and helicopters all bought by the taxes of the people they fired at! They were ordered to fire and kill people whenever necessary.
They, the arrested rebels, now testify to their orders and that they receive orders from Gulen and do whatever he orders. One of these guys was the top aide of the Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Akar who was sacked and abducted to an Air Base near Ankara for 20 hours; the aide provided access to the rebel officers to enter Akar’s office who was in session with other Generals for they had had intelligence that an attempt was to be launched after midnite. The aide was given info on July 14 about the attempt to cooperate with the rebels.
Fear not and return to Turkey. If you are a criminal or have been an active PKK supporter so as to have killed and or bombed someplace and are on record, then still return, for you will have a chance to repent and be subjected to the least punishment with due process of law. You may even be pardoned and provided rehabilatation. If you have no such terrorist connections, you have nothing at all to worry about.
Do not also worry about Turkey becoming an Islamic Sharia State for there is no such danger especially after having prevented the failed coup attempt by the gulenists for whom Fuller is an advocate. If the attempt were succesful that would be the first step towards establsihing a Sharia State in Turkey. That Turkey turning into an Islamic State at all or under AKP/Erdogan is a bunch of BS propagated by the western media.
The freedoms and democracy in Turkey are no less than they are in the USA. Believe me I live in both countries without any concern about my freedoms and political preferences and advocacies. I might even say that lately I am a bit worried more about my safety in the USA in this regard, given the recent shootings.
Mr. Fuller serves a lot of edible stuffy-crap. He is one of the sponsors to have a green-card issued to Gulen. His insightful (!) information about Turkey and Erdogan is fed to him mostly by the Gulen-Gang as the color of his writing reveals. If you plot a coup against any leader in any country, if it succeeds “long live the new King”; if it fails, certainly it elevates the targeted leader to a higher level in the eyes of his followers and possibly bring in new sympathizers. That is all politics, it does not take a genius to figure out the outcomes! The picture then is bad for the plotters, but not so for the survivor.
Mr. Fuller’s characterization of Erdogan both personally and as to his policies is completely out of touch with reality. Such characterization has been served in the guided western media by such great opinion makers as Fuller himself to western readers over and over that they all inevitably seem to swallow and then form opinions based on such hash, as most of the comments above testify. Strangely, these characterizations are attributed to ERdogan’s later years in power when he happened to begin to differ with American policies and interests. Before then he was a wonderful man and politician.
Here are some of the misinformation about Erdogan and Turkey: Democratic freedoms and specifically the freedom of the press have been widest in Turkey during the reign of Erdogan and this has been/is all too good for all ethnicities in Turkey. Erdogan is a very well-disciplined no nonsense leader and a politician, not an authoritarian lunatic as Baronic western media likes to portray him in recent years. Fuller describes him as “arbitrary, autocratic, willful, erratic and self-serving policies “. Read this as : “shrewd and realistic; principled and disciplined outspoken leader; determined; unpredictable to his foes and opponents; serving the interests of Turkey (not the USA!) and the poor and the victimized and the oppressed”.
Fuller probably knows more about what is behind the failed coup attempt than Mr. Gulen does for whom he is the master. Shamefully, one must read between the lines of what he is professing here: The next recipe written for Turkey is more domestic violence and terrorist attacks by both ISIS-labeled and PKK-PYD gangs to get rid of Erdogan and put the leash on Turkey!.
By the way, there are criminals in jail and under prosecution in Turkey regardless of professional badges they wear. The freedom of the press in Turkey is no less than it is in the US and other western countries. The commentors ought to learn about the activities and adherents of the Gulen-Gang in education, judiciary, bureaucracy, business-world, and military in Turkey and elsewhere. Fuller had better worry about having the Gulen Gang in the US and the gang’s screwy ways and means wherever they are.
Finally, ‘lifting of the immunity of opposition’ is a completely irresponsible and misinforming statement: The lift is for all members of the Parliament including those of the AKP, for whom criminal accusations by the prosecutors have been filed to date. They will go thru a judicial process. Some members are of Kurdish descent who have materially provided help to and cooperated with the terrorist PKK, like as if some members of the US Congress have materially worked with ISIL! Get it Sir!?
What happen recently in Turkey is a win-win situation for Turkey, unfortunately for what Fuller has in mind. Please make some sense to give the voters in Turkey some credibility for insisting on having Erdogan to lead the country. They will take him down in the ballot box if they believe he is no more or ought to retire. But until then keep your hands off Turkey and Turkish politics and even the Middle East. Nobody needs your mind there!
Graham Fuller is former father in law of the Tsarnaev Bros’ uncle who once was married to Fuller’s daughter. The uncle has a history with USAID and his nephews include those Tsarnaevs known as the putative bombers of Boston Marathon memory.
Mr. Fuller is associated with Brzezinski inspired mayhem visited upon the Russians in Afghanistan at the hands of the late Osama bin Laden & Co.
Is it not an axiom that no one ever really retires from the Company?
We know that the junior Tsarnaev lad was tried and convicted in Boston’s Federal District Court and that his Boston Marathon bombing trial was so tightly managed such that the degree of control and limitations on defense counsel begged wonder as to the full background of relationships among the CIA, FBI, the unarmed witness shot dead by the FBI and why defense counsel shared that her client did it from the get go.
So, we may for good reason surmise that Mr. Fuller is very well connected and positioned to know all about the Turkish coup fiasco and probably could still connect many a missing dot in the Boston Marathon mystery.. Instigating horror apparently is what Fuller did.
Should readers know the fullness of his credentials?
Interesting how this “coup” was timed to occur shortly after he removed immunity from opposition PM members. This purge will extend far beyond the military.
Graham Fuller’s article is written in the thick of an action whose outcome may still be in play. It is humane and, I think, is dead right as far as it goes. With respect, however, I suspect that Mr. Fuller, 48 hours on, may himself be wondering if ‘eyes and ears’ are enough to give the full picture. How about the ‘nose’? There’s something very fishy about this whole story. I think it would be interesting to have GF’s further thoughts in light of Erdogan’s recent remarks, RT’s hunch that Gulen (and friends) may indeed be involved, and Murdoch’s ‘ruling’ that the ‘coup’ was a hoax. Another such well-written and perceptive analysis is not overkill here: it may be a geopolitical event of the first magnitude. (OK, second magnitude….)
If we want to know the identities of some potential suspects behind the coup in Turkey, we might want to take a look at the conservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute (A.E.I.) to point ourselves in the right direction.
Interestingly enough, an article entitled ‘Could there be a coup in Turkey?’ by Michael Rubin appeared as recently as March this year on the institute’s blog.
An organization that according to its Wikipedia entry boasts that “more than twenty staff members served either in a Bush administration policy post or on one of the government’s many panels and commissions” could certainly get the notice of some unhappy factions in Turkey’s military and political spheres. Whether those factions might have seen this article as the nod of approval for a course of action is entirely up to them and easily deniable.
The original article can be accessed through the link:
https://www.aei.org/publication/could-there-be-a-coup-in-turkey/
Geopolitical analyst Ulson Gunnar notes that “Turkey’s continued participation in US-led attempts at regime change in Syria has cost Turkey politically, economically and with several major terrorist attacks within Turkey carried out allegedly by the very groups Turkey’s government is supporting in Syria, the nation is clearly suffering in terms of security and stability.”
Questioning the coup’s execution, Gunnar further observes:
“The lack of any significant leading figure coming forward to lead the coup has led to speculation regarding several possibilities.
“First is that whichever faction launched the coup, did so as a means of testing its viability and garnering wider support if possible based on its perceived success. At the same time, they attempted to maintain plausible deniability by not openly leading it. However, by doing so, they may have undermined their chances of success.
“The second possibility is that the coup attempt itself was a ruse not intended to succeed, but like many of the other terrorist attacks carried out within Turkey itself, was intended as a means of justifying a further consolidation of power by President Erdogan.
“A third possibility is that the coup was indeed organized by Gulen from abroad, as a means of pressuring and coercing President Erdogan further down the destructive path he has brought Turkey down. It should be noted that in the lead up to the coup, President Erdogan uncharacteristically began attempting to mend relations with both Russia and Syria after bringing Turkey to the brink of war with both nations.”
Military Coup in Turkey
By Ulson Gunnar
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2016/07/military-coup-in-turkey.html
What’s the CIA and Mossad’s involvement, if any, here? What would an ‘ideal Turkey’ look like to the prevailing order?
Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich, independent researcher and writer, talks to RT International on the attempted coup d’etat in Turkey:
“This incident does not have the hallmarks of a military coup. It’s almost like a mutiny.”
http://mycatbirdseat.com/2016/07/failed-coup-soraya-sepahpour-ulrich-talks-to-rt/
Also see: “CrossTalk” Turkey’s reset
In other words, this will have turned out to be a backdoor path to Sultan Erdogan.
Who engineered this ‘amateur hour’ coup theater? Probably Erdogan himself. As things get sorted out others may turn out to have been involved. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if a few dim-bulb CIA types don’t have their fingerprints on it.
Over on the Saker there is the take that the coup was pro-NATO inspired. Moonofalabama is speculating how one of three of the reasons listed below are behind this failed Turkish coup;
>the Islamic movement following the preacher Fetullah Gülen, a former Erdogan ally and now arch-enemy who lives in the U.S. and has CIA relations; (reference Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954)
>the old Kemalist secularist movement in the military and deep state; (why not?)
>the Erdogan AKP movement in a false flag operation to seize more power; (sounds like something Erdogan would do)
So much too linger in ones mind…I’m going to get a pizza and watch a little league ballgame.
The Duran has a few stories on this Turkish coup. Here is an excerpt….
Erdogan called the attempted coup “a gift from God,” as it would help cleanse the military of “members of the gang.”
Wow! It’s housecleaning time in Turkey, by Erdogan standards, so what’s going on?
This is certainly a lot to keep your eye on. Maybe be careful for what you wish for.
And ask yourself this; how are the Saudi royals doing these days? And always keep your eye on Israel.
Home page of the Duran who has several stories regarding the events in Turkey….
http://theduran.com
I haven’t yet read the articles you cited, but the premise makes sense to me. And, it wouldn’t surprise me if there weren’t more American chicanery involved in the process too: Possibly NATO personnel dropping hints to the anti-Erdogan factions in the military that Washington would not disapprove if the mad dog strong man were taken out of the picture in a coup, but all the while making sure that Erdogan knew of the plans and that the opposition was not widespread, organized and fully dedicated to succeeding (“if you strike against the king, you must kill him”), basically what people are characterizing as a “false flag” incident. Now, Erdogan is strengthened beyond what would have been previously possible. He is already not just taking actions to purge his military, but also the country’s supreme court as well. How could a successful coup have been worse than the outcome we can all see coming? What this means for poor Syria is anyone’s guess, but Erdogan will do whatever he pleases, knowing he has few opponents left in his own country.
Realist, yes this Turkish coup, and who’s behind it, is difficult to figure out. Difficult due to the fact that no one amongst the cast of characters involved here inside this coup, has any worthy creditably to speak of. If it means anything today on CNN Gulen was quoted as saying that this coup was an Erdogan false flag, pulled off to give him more power among the Turkish populace. On the other side Erdogan is pointing towards Gulen, and this is where the CIA gets fingered as well. It’s all believable. I mean Erdogan has recently been with Putin. ISIS is said to be in their last days. Rumor has it the Saudi’s are going down. The best part is Hillary is on the horizon, and God only knows what that means. So where’s that leaves us I don’t know, but we will need to keep our news junky eyes on what occurs next.
Concerned about Syria read this….
http://syrianperspective.com
The Saker indicates that the coup was US/EU supported, that the foreign minister has said that the US supporters of the coup plotter Gulen cannot be friends of Turkey, and that Turkey has shut off access and electricity to the US airbase there at Incirlik. Apparently the plotters seized a Russian ship, and put the armed forces on drills in cities, where some were captured by citizens and claimed that they had not known of a coup attempt.
If so, the coup was another foolish US “regime change” attempt to get Israeli campaign bribes, and a fiasco that could drive a wedge between Turkey and the US/EU. If Turkey split with the US and Saudis and Israel, seeking from Russia natural gas and tourism and restrained Kurds, the major support of ISIS and AlQaeda in the North would be much weakened.
The Saker link is here http://thesaker.is/military-coup-in-turkey-sitrep-by-scott/
How can he be defeated at the ballot box when the people are made to believe the propaganda they are fed? And secondly, how is the ballot fair when they confiscated a large number of voted from Kurds while purposely engaging in Civil War?
Couple this with terrorist attacks, which may or not be State Sponsored, False Flags, Blowback, or a combination of these and the people will further be swayed by fear – thusly giving up freedoms for security.
Graham E, Fuller writes:
“Coups generally leave disastrous legacies in countries that are working towards established democracy.”
As Erdogan has spent most of the last few years swerving sharply away from democracy, I can’t see how he can be seen as ‘working towards established democracy’. Rather he seems to be heading Turkey towards dictatorship. Only last January, when talking about changes to the Turkish constitution, he was quoted by the Guardian as saying: “There are already examples in the world. You can see it when you look at Hitler’s Germany.” He was arguing for more power in what he termed an “…effective presidential system.” I find the term ‘effective’ distinctly chilling seen in the light of his stamping out media freedom and the arrest of many journalists.
With that sort of power grab in mind it’s difficult to see how change can be affected through the ballot box in the foreseeable future.
To my way of thinking a military coup attempt was inevitable in a nation with a long history of them. I fear the next may be just around the corner. The only surprise I find about yesterday’s events is that hardly any Turkey observers in the Western media appear to have seen it coming.
A “situation report” on the Saker describes the coup as a US/EU “regime change” attempt. Turkish officials are quoted sating that the coup plotter was Gulen, supported by the US, and that his supporters “cannot be our friends.” Turkey had blocked access and shut off electricity to the US airbase at Incirlik, and the US embassy warned US citizens not to go there. The shootdown of a Russian jet a few months ago is blamed on a faction of coup plotters in the Turkish air force.
Comments there suggest that a Turkey-Russia raprochement is in the works, in which Turkey might trade natural gas and tourism from Russia, and moderation of Kurdish ambitions, for cutting Turkish aid to northern rebels, so the US set off a coup attempt.
If so, this would drive a wedge between Turkey and the US/EU/Israel/Saudis and substantially change the balance of power there.
The Deep State may have deeper plans than we think. Both Erdogan/Muslim Brotherhood, AND Turkish Generals (Egyptian ones too, for that matter) are “Western” (as in “New Roman Empire”; NOT strictly American nor any other Nation-State of European ancestry, as they are all captured “Provinces” now) intel operations to keep a former nation with Muslim Empire roots from ever stabilizing, seriously developing (beyond colonial status as servicing “Western Empire” needs) and coalescing once again into a rival Muslim Empire that once again poses an existential threat to the “Western Empire”. A potentially rising Asian Empire of New “Mongol Hordes” is probably also on the Western Empire’s “hit list” and long-range strategic planning operations. I wonder if any former employee of Western Intel services would even come clean about this theory, besides just talking it back into the shadows of non-existence? I’ve read of a meeting between Obama and Putin agreeing that Erdogan must go away…if so, then it will happen. (The reason the Cold War was cold is because America and Russia have ALWAYS been allies to keep Brit Empire in check…now ALL three are on-board for New Roman Empire? Brexit is just about who will be “top-dog”?)
I am impressed. Your paragraph is great. I completely agree with you. I would like to meet you. Search me on twitter with “scyunus”
My theory only applies if the prevailing Zeitgeist of “Empire-Building” is due for a longer life. I suspect we’re in an era of “The Changing of Zeitgeists”. Crop Circles and Sky Spirals are indicators (perhaps?) that The Gods are introducing a new Zeitgeist for a New Era. Perhaps China’s (where Sky Spirals made first appearance in 1988) “Win-Win” policy, BRICS, SCO, AIIB, etc… are true after all, and the Era of Empires is passing from the World Stage (the Theater of The Gods…Moderns were perhaps wrong to discard the ancient, polytheistic wisdom?…we all suffered a great loss with the burning of the Library of Alexandria). I don’t text. I’m not interested in meeting up with anybody.
Another source legitgov.org states that “Turkish planes docked at US Incirlik Air Base took part in Friday night’s coup attempt, officials say.” Rather incriminating if so, at least in Turkish eyes.
Alleged coup leader was military attaché to Israel
http://www.timesofisrael.com/alleged-coup-leader-was-military-attache-to-israel/
” If those seeking to remove Erdogan are doing so on the basis of his domestic religious policies, it will confirm the belief of the large traditional religious segment of the population that the military and the old guard secularists and “Ataturkists,” as usual, are anti-Islam.”
This goes to show that Mr. Fuller is a Selefi Muslim admirer. Ataturkists are not anti Islam, they are anti wahabi-muslim brother-pakistan style keep the woman in the kitchen violent tribal Islam. Every Friday the ATA Muslims go to prayer, most of them observe fasting during Ramadan. Mr. Fuller is probably on the consulting staff to RT. Mr. Fuller got some of the facts right, BUT he is playing RT’s dangerous game when it comes to accusing Ataturkist of being anti Islam, his opinion can not be trusted.