So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

[DanieMarie]

..and it wasn't another terrorist attack.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/world/europe/tumult-in-turkey-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-know.html?_r=0

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/turkey-coup-attempt-reaction-world-160715215141043.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/16/turkey-coup-president-erdogan-says-military-elements-guilty-of-t/

Basically, a portion of the military attempted a coup. It was not successful, but it left over a hundred dead and over a thousand injured.

Personally, even though most world leaders were against the coup, I wish it were successful. This was not a revolution based on ideology. Edrogan may be "democratically elected," but he hasn't exactly treated his country like a democracy since he took power. Press freedom has eroded to a dangerous degree, people are losing their rights to protest against their government and speak freely on opposing political opinions, and military and judicial figures are being jailed and replaced with more "sympathetic" members (which is part of why this happened. The people responsible for the coup said they wanted to overthrow Erdogan and hold another election. Nothing more. I have a feeling that Erdogan is going to use this as an excuse to take even more power than he already has.

[ThePaganMafia]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

Found out there was a super rare Pokemon in the Presidents office. Hence the coup.

[Medusa]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

I have literally stopped watching or viewing any news. What's the point. I can't keep up with people I don't care about dying. I ain't even trying to be flippant. But if I don't stop here and view the happiness around me, I'm going to turn into a crazy person who cries when they drop their bread. I have no empathy at the moment. It's on hiatus.

[DanieMarie]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

I dunno. It probably doesn't affect you much over there, but whoever is the leader of Turkey affects us over here A LOT.

Most European leaders were quick to condemn the coup, but I really wonder. Most don't have great relationships with Erdogan and are pretty tired of appeasing him. I think they probably knew it wouldn't be successful and wanted to avoid pissing him off. Had the coup actually been successful, it probably would have been another story.

At least our parliament finally voted to recognize the Albanian Genocide despite the fact that it really, really pissed off Turkey (and especially pissed off Erdogan). Pressure to not recognize mass murder is one of the many "fun" aspects of our relationship with Turkey, and Erdogan has never made any of that easier.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

It's been appalling to me how far Turkey is regarded as being right off the radar. There was a time when the US really did rely up Turkey - it allowed the US to place weapons there pointing at the old USSR. Suddenly people think they are just a tribe out in the desert (as if) who ride around on camels blowing up things.

Turkey has the potential - at least under someone like Erdogan - to cause mayhem in Europe. Its long standing feud with Greece for example is unlikely to ever go away and as Danie Marie mentions, its genocide in Armenia has been a shamefully long time in being recognised.

Really we ought to be watching Turkey far more closely. But we won't. Just as people refused to watch - really watch - Iran and Iraq but preferred the old stereotypes instead.

Damn good chance we may have to reap the whirlwind on this.

[DanieMarie]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

Our leaders watch it, at least. I understand why they usually take the stance they do on the country and why they don't take as hard a line on it or Erdogan as he deserves, because in essence, they need Turkey. It's a major force of stability in the region, and currently it's playing a huge role in the refugee crisis. I'll keep hoping that it elects a more secular government next time around that respects democratic rights in the country. That is, if Erdogan continues to respect the democratic process (and I think that's an "if").

[anunitu]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

The USA has backed dictators for many years,and some of this is why we are hated by some. We even tried to do this type of thing to our own Country.

When The Bankers Plotted To Overthrow FDR

This is from a site by NPR,not wiki or other sites BTW

We backed Manuel Noriega,until he became our problem,and we threw him under the bus,we backed the Shah of Iran,until the people of that country ousted him,we backed Saddam Hussein because he fought Iran,and when we decided we no longer needed him,under the bus he went.

We have backed dictators in Africa,and other countries because we could control them,and it was in our interest.

It may come to pass that we throw Erdogan under the bus as well,if he stops doing our bidding.

After all,we ARE the king of the world,and we spread democracy almost as enthusiastically as The USSR used to spread Communism.

- - - Updated - - -

And then there is this.

Accusations of US role

The most dramatic fallout from the event, however, was suggestions by Turkish state officials that the US was involved in the failed coup.

The accusations by Labor and Social Security Minister Suleyman Soylu, in an interview on Turkish TV, forced US Secretary of State John Kerry to call Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and warn that those claims could harm ties.

See here.

[DanieMarie]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

I doubt it did since it was so quick to condemn it, but if that were actually true, it would be one of the few cases where I'd support US involvement.

[anunitu]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

It has also been suggested that it was staged

Also from the site I posted a link too.

Gulen said the attempted overthrow may have been staged. “There is a slight chance, there is a possibility that it could be a staged coup," Gulen told reporters in Pennsylvania. "It could be meant for court accusations and associations."

Gulen is the Person in exile here in the US.

- - - Updated - - -

CNN covers Gulan here.

[Denarius]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

/pol/ is largely convinced that it was a false flag, that Erdogan set it all up to draw out dissidents and consolidate his power. A Turkish Reichstag Fire.

[DanieMarie]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

/pol/ is largely convinced that it was a false flag, that Erdogan set it all up to draw out dissidents and consolidate his power. A Turkish Reichstag Fire.

I wouldn't be surprised. He's already taking the opportunity to purge out any remaining dissident voices.

[Medusa]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

I dunno. It probably doesn't affect you much over there, but whoever is the leader of Turkey affects us over here A LOT.

Most European leaders were quick to condemn the coup, but I really wonder. Most don't have great relationships with Erdogan and are pretty tired of appeasing him. I think they probably knew it wouldn't be successful and wanted to avoid pissing him off. Had the coup actually been successful, it probably would have been another story.

At least our parliament finally voted to recognize the Albanian Genocide despite the fact that it really, really pissed off Turkey (and especially pissed off Erdogan). Pressure to not recognize mass murder is one of the many "fun" aspects of our relationship with Turkey, and Erdogan has never made any of that easier.

Honestly? We are dealing with our citizens killing each other (don't even try to follow along with the cops vs blm deaths) so we are pretty much a mess here. It's our own version of a coup. Just with dumbasses.

[DanieMarie]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

Honestly? We are dealing with our citizens killing each other (don't even try to follow along with the cops vs blm deaths) so we are pretty much a mess here. It's our own version of a coup. Just with dumbasses.

Yeah, just saying why it's such a big deal over here. It probably doesn't play nearly as much a role in your lives as what's going on over there right now.

[Dumuzi]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

It was very interesting in Egypt and it definitely was talked about A LOT, because to some extent it's similar to Egypt's recent history. Though it was funny how people take sides.

The pro Sisi / military people were cheering for the coup, hoping to get rid of Erdogan, the same way the military here got rid of Morsi. Those people don't like Erdogan for his support of the Muslim Brotherhood and his views against the Rabaa massacre.

On the other hand you had the Muslim Brotherhood supporters who were so happy to see the coup failing, wishing they could have won against the army here in Egypt.

Of course, you also had the 'level headed' people, but I just thought it was interesting how people take sides, not based on principles or morals, but simply because of what team you are on.

[DanieMarie]

Re: So, something crazy just happened in Turkey...

Yeah, that tends to be how it is.

This is an op ed piece, but I mostly agree with it:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/20/turkey-ally-purge-recep-tayyip-erdogan?CMP=fb_gu

All too often, “stability” trumps democracy when it comes to western foreign policy. Turkey’s western allies have a responsibility to stand against the curtailing of basic rights and freedoms, and to support democratisation. To fail to do so risks peace and security for all of us. These might be febrile times, and many injustices are being committed. But if you believe in democracy and human rights, you have a responsibility to demand that our government stands for both.