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Candidly Speaking: Turkey's Erdogan - An Autocratic Islamist Bigot

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  • Candidly Speaking: Turkey's Erdogan - An Autocratic Islamist Bigot

    CANDIDLY SPEAKING: TURKEY'S ERDOGAN - AN AUTOCRATIC ISLAMIST BIGOT

    [ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]

    By ISI LEIBLER
    10/28/2013 22:22

    Erdogan seeks to conceal his true intentions and convey the illusion
    that he is a role model for an enlightened Islam which blends with
    democracy.

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo: Reuters After
    over 50 years of Israeli-Turkish intelligence cooperation, the
    Turkish disclosure to Iran of the identities of Mossad operatives -
    apparently subsequently executed - illustrates the depths to which
    Israel-Turkey relations have descended under Islamist autocrat Prime
    Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

    Erdogan seeks to conceal his true intentions and convey the illusion
    that he is himself a role model for an enlightened Islam which blends
    with democracy.

    Nothing could be further from the truth. Erdogan is a fanatical
    Islamist and a vile bigot who lavishes praise on the Muslim
    Brotherhood, Hamas and Hezbollah and whose behavior is more reminiscent
    of an Ottoman sultan than a democratically elected leader.

    Erdogan has employed Islamist demagoguery to win three elections
    and has exploited his power and position to intimidate the media and
    destroy the opposition.

    He has purged the army of its secular officers through primitive show
    trials and brutally repressed freedom of speech.

    Today, there are more imprisoned journalists in Turkey than in
    Communist China and perhaps any other country in the world.

    Erdogan's brutal response to environmentalist protesters against
    the redeveloping of Gezi Park in central Istanbul a few months
    ago, wounding over 4,000 peaceful demonstrators, exemplified his
    authoritarianism and brutality.

    Der Spiegel quotes Turkish human rights organizations attesting
    that he subsequently engaged in a campaign to punish journalists,
    teachers and other activists involved in the protests, arresting at
    least 3,000 people, including children.

    Since his demagogic outburst against President Shimon Peres in Davos
    live on TV in January 2009, followed by his dramatic storming out
    of the meeting, Erdogan's attitude toward Israel has dramatically
    deteriorated.

    He shamelessly allies himself with the genocidal Hamas and refers to
    Israel as a "terrorist state" which "massacres children" and "knows
    well how to kill." Only a few weeks ago, Erdogan hosted Hamas leader
    Khaled Mashaal in Turkey for the third time in 12 months.

    Clearly, he reached the conclusion that as a major global Israel-basher
    he reaps dividends among the Arab masses and furthers his dream of
    becoming head of a new Ottoman Sunni empire.

    ERDOGAN'S ANTI-ZIONISM is a natural extension of his anti-Semitism.

    As far back as 1974, he directed and played a leading role in a
    play entitled Maskomya, based on the evil global influence of Jews,
    Communists and Freemasons. As mayor of Istanbul in 1998, he stated,
    "Today the image of the Jews is no different from that of the
    Nazis." In 2006 he endorsed the popular virulent anti-Semitic film
    Valley of the Wolves about an American Jew who trades in body parts.

    He blamed the Gezi Park environmental protest on the "interest
    rate lobby," the "dual loyalists" and the "rootless cosmopolitans,"
    clear references to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. His deputy
    explicitly attributed the blame for the riots on the Jewish Diaspora.

    Erdogan has made outrageous statements in international circles. At
    a UN conference in Vienna in February, Erdogan stated, "Just like
    Zionism and fascism, Islamophobia must be regarded as a crime against
    humanity."

    Only a few weeks ago he blamed Israel for the upheavals in Egypt,
    stating, "What is said about Egypt? That democracy is not about the
    box. Who was behind this? Israel is. We have evidence in our hands."

    When subsequently pressed to substantiate this xenophobic outburst,
    all he could do was to quote the French Jewish philosopher Bernard
    Henri Levy (not an Israeli) who had made negative references to the
    Muslim Brotherhood in 2001.

    One of Erdogan's favorite remarks is "There is no Islamic terror."

    He also publicly undermines American efforts to boycott Iran and
    continues to provide Tehran with reliable trade outlets. Nonetheless,
    the US still considers Turkey a principal ally with which it shares
    "bonds of trust."

    In June 2012, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Turkish Foreign
    Minister Ahmet Davutoglu launched "The Global Terrorism Forum," a
    counter- terrorism organization comprising 30 founding members from
    which Israel was notably excluded.

    In September 2013, the US and Turkey expanded this organization by
    creating a $200 million joint venture fund - "The Global Fund for
    Community Engagement and Resilience" - purportedly to combat extremist
    ideologies amongst young people in the Muslim world.

    American taxpayers are footing the bill for this exercise, organized by
    an Islamist leadership that endorses Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and
    has shamelessly hosted former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
    and President Omer Hassan al Bashir, the genocidal leader of Sudan
    charged with war crimes.

    THE SURREAL nature of Turkish influence is best exemplified by
    the ongoing story of the Mavi Marmara flotillas that sought to
    break Israel's weapons embargo on Gaza in May 2010. Following
    the international incident, Erdogan demanded that Israel issue an
    unequivocal apology for the death of nine Turkish protesters associated
    with al-Qaida who were aboard the boat.

    When Israel acted in accordance with the ruling of an independent UN
    inquiry that found that it need not apologize for the loss of lives,
    Erdogan recalled his ambassador, orchestrated show trials against IDF
    personnel, and sought to exclude Israel from global organizations,
    including NATO - this, from a leader who has never acknowledged his
    country's massacre of 1.5 million Armenians in World War I.

    Following his visit to Israel in March 2013, President Barack Obama
    allegedly pressed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to apologize
    and pay compensation to the Turkish terrorists' families. Despite
    bitter condemnation in Israel, Netanyahu complied in order to restore
    relations with Turkey so that Israel and Turkey could cooperate on
    issues emerging in Syria. Erdogan agreed to cooperate with Israel at
    all levels.

    But, unsurprisingly, the Turkish prime minister has failed to adhere
    to his commitment. Immediately after Israeli issued its apology,
    Erdogan announced his intention to visit Gaza, and demanded Israel
    lift its maritime blockade against Hamas. Six months later, Erdogan
    still has not restored diplomatic relations nor suspended the show
    trials of senior Israeli officials.

    The Greek ambassador to Israel informed The Jerusalem Post that Turkey
    was still continuing to block Israel's participation in NATO . This
    month, President Abdullah Gul stated that Israel had extended its
    apology "too late."

    IN LIGHT of this, it is disappointing that Obama continues to praise
    Erdogan as a "moderate Islamist" who "has shown great leadership,"
    ignoring the fact that he has effectively violated all the undertakings
    brokered by him in relation to Israel and continues to actively
    undermine efforts to impose sanctions on Iran . Not to mention that
    only a few weeks ago Erdogan announced a "strategic partnership"
    with China.

    The reality is that while the inveterate anti-Semite Erdogan has his
    way, he will veto any efforts to improve relationships with Israel,
    despite the major strategic and economic benefits that would accrue
    to both countries.

    Thus, even if the US clings to the fantasy that Turkey represents
    a moderate, democratically influenced form of Islam, we should not
    delude ourselves. Erdogan is running an anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli
    regime that supports Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. As long as he
    remains in power, Israel-Turkish relations will remain cold at best.

    The writer's website can be viewed at www.wordfromjerusalem.com. He
    may be contacted at [email protected].

    http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Candidly-Speaking-Turkeys-Erdogan-An
    -autocratic-Islamist-bigot-330005

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