As Turkey we, in line with the alliance and strategic partnership relation between the two countries [Turkey and America], do what falls to us, and will continue to do so. We have thus far acted in a way to which our mutual interests require,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a standing-room only gathering of Turkish-Americans who excitedly packed the Diyanet Center of America in Washington DC, Wednesday night.
by Melissa Hemingway and Micheal John
First Lady Emine Erdogan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spent a lot of time last night meeting countrymen including two Turkish (child) entertainers. Erdogan spoke at length to a standing-room only gathering of Turkish-American community representatives who excitedly packed the Diyanet Center of America in Washington DC, Wednesday night. Photo Credit: Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Photo Art/Cropping/Enhancement: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective Magazine
Speaking to a happy group of representatives from the Turkish American communities, President Erdogan said that Turkey has never hesitated to take whatever steps have been necessary for Turkey’s security and the Turkish people’s future. Erdogan added that, “All other issues are of secondary importance when it comes to our independence and future.”
“Operation Peace Spring does not target our Kurdish brothers and sisters, it is an operation that targets solely terrorist organizations,” and President Erdogan stressed that Turkey has shown through this operation that it will not allow a terror corridor in the north of Syria.
“We will by no means allow the establishment of a terror state, either. We have foiled in a very short span of time the trap set under the pretext of combatting the Da’esh (Arabic disdainful acronym for ISIS/Islamic State). The only true and tangible effort for the return of millions of Syrians living abroad is the places we have made secure.”
President Erdogan said Turkey has captured over 3 thousand ISIS members in Al-Bab. He added that there are more than two thousand ISIS members already in prisons in Turkey. And that made the audience happy.
President Erdogan spoke at length to a standing-room only gathering of Turkish-American community representatives who excitedly packed the Diyanet Center of America in Washington DC, Wednesday night. Photo Credit: Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Photo Art/Cropping/Enhancement: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective Magazine
Erdogan stressed that so long as the PKK / YPG terrorist organization are not gone from the region, Syria and Turkey will not be safe.
President Erdogan also added with firmness, “and, we expect the U.S. to immediately end its support to the terrorist organization (PKK / YPG).”
US President Donald Trump handled well the difficult pile of trouble left behind to him by his predecessor Barack Obama. America’s relationship with the PKK terror group, calling them, “The Kurds”, has annoyed anyone who has any connection to the region and made the US look like a hypocritical jackass. Few people have been more offended than the Turks by President Obama’s bizarre arming of the non-state PKK actors who now use those weapons to kill Turkish women and children along the border of Turkey with Syria. The entire population of Turkey including the real Kurdish people have come to despise America to some extent. That’s not good for a very important ally to feel that way. — Photo Credit: Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Photo Art/Cropping/Enhancement: Rosa Yamamoto / Feminine-Perspective Magazine
Editorial footnote:
Turkey’s first Lady Emine Erdogan and Turkish President Erdogan met earlier Wednesday with USA First Lady Melania Trump and US President Donald Trump. Lengthy talks also took place between officials of the two sides.
Only Trump’s excellent effort at diplomacy stood out from these meetings. The two sides otherwise agreed to disagree.
Many issues remain outstanding as Turkey drifts further away from NATO and closer to Russia. On the face of it, that should not be a problem but unfortunately, Vladimir Putin’s path has been more than a little rocky. The skilful statesman has turned Russia into a very unhappy fiefdom of gangsterisme. Recep Erdogan is no match for Vladimir Putin.
Turkey will foreseeably not do well as a bedfellow of Russia, think most Russian scholars not-aligned with Putin, which is most Russian scholars in all.
Hence future historians will not likely judge Barack Obama kindly on this horrible betrayal of a solid ally. Turkey deserved better than what Obama did to a NATO member that has otherwise connected huge parts of the world to the North Atlantic alliance.
US President Donald Trump handled well the difficult pile of trouble left behind to him by his predecessor Barack Obama.
America’s relationship with the PKK terror group, erroneously calling them, “The Kurds”, has annoyed anyone who has any connection to the region and made the US look and feel hypocritical.
Few people have been more offended than the Turks by President Obama‘s bizarre arming of the non-state PKK actors who now use those weapons to kill Turkish women and children along the border of Turkey with Syria. Both sides of that border are covered in blood. It is no less true, however, that Europe, which suffers the PKK‘s criminal antics including child-soldier boot camps, is less than thrilled.
The entire population of Turkey including the real Kurdish people have come to despise America to some extent. That a very important ally would feel that way spells a breaking relationship. Trump seems to see that and works at repair.