Forget about the gentleman living in Pennsylvania, US tells Ankara


Date posted: April 1, 2014

WASHINGTON

Turkey should stop discussing “the gentlemen in Pennsylvania” and instead focus on other important issues as a NATO ally, the U.S. State Department said, regarding U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Asked if the United States was more in line with Gülen’s position on Turkey than Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the issues of the Twitter ban and corruption allegations, spokeswoman Marie Harf said: “Well, that’s ridiculous. Regardless of whether this gentleman was living in Pennsylvania or not, it would still not be okay for the government of Turkey to ban Twitter. It would still not be okay for the government of Turkey to crack down like they have on dissent. Those things have nothing to do with the fact that one of their citizens is living in the Pennsylvania countryside.”

Harf said Turkey was a close NATO ally of the U.S. “We don’t always agree on everything, but we don’t agree on everything with anyone. So forget about the gentleman living in Pennsylvania. We have a bilateral alliance with the government of Turkey. We will speak out when we disagree. We will speak out when we agree. And it’s really up to the people of Turkey to make decisions about their government. It’s not up to us, and any reports that we have any impact on that are just crazy.”

Source: Hurriyet Daily , April 1, 2014

Tags: | |


Related News

Alevi leader Kenanoğlu: Discrimination against Alevis increased in 2013

It must be realized that religion is a matter for individual citizens. It is likely that the Gülen community will face restrictions and pressure from the government [as the AK Party government’s supporters have accused the Gülen movement of discrediting a number of ministers and their relatives in relation to a recent investigation into alleged bribery in public tenders, which saw the sons of three Cabinet ministers taken into custody alongside construction moguls and bureaucrats]. What we have been defending are universal rights, including the freedom of religion and belief. If these can be achieved, everybody will benefit from them, not just the Alevi community.

We need the Hizmet Movement example in Tunisia

YUSUF ACAR / TUNUS Tunisia, where the civil uprisings in the Arab world originated, recently discussed the Hizmet Movementand ideas of Fethullah Gulen. The symposium jointly organized by Hira magazine and Fadil bin Asur Research Center was entitled “Tunisia and Turkey: Concepts of Culture and Reform in the Cases of Tahir bin Asur and Fethullah […]

Followers of Multiple Faiths Join at Columbia University for Iftar

An iftar, a religious ceremony that breaks the fast of Ramadan with a gathering of people, brought together followers of multiple faiths in New York.

So you say Fethullah Gülen is a terrorist?

The Interior Ministry has prepared a list of “terrorists,” showing well-respected Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen among the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members.

India must understand Erdogan’s ideological motives for seeking extradition of Gülenists

Since its inception in India, Hizmet is known for its peace activism, interfaith dialogue and counter-extremism. Operating in the country through interfaith dialogue centres, educational institutions and cultural associations, it is articulating an evolving narrative of peace, pluralism and non-violence based on the spiritual ideas and principles of Gülen’s progressive and dialogic narrative of Sufism, as this research paper also elaborates.

Gov’t steps up campaign against Hizmet via terrorism accusations

The government has intensified its campaign against the Hizmet movement, a civil society initiative inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s teachings promoting interfaith dialogue, peace and tolerance, by putting Gülen on a list of wanted terrorists despite the move lacking any legal basis.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Turkey coup and Fethullah Gülen: Why blame a progressive Islamic modernist?

Outgoing chairman proudly admits Istanbul Bar Association refused to serve Gülen followers

New Book – No Return from Democracy: A Survey of Interviews with Fethullah Gulen

The fall of democracy and predicament of political Islam in Turkey

Erdoğan’s claims about Gülen stun US Ambassador Ricciardone

Pained by the tragedy, Izmir doctor moves to Somalia

Former Turkish President Gül denies having any relationship with the Gülen movement or Fethullah Gülen but history tells…

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News