WaPo publishes editorial from Fethullah Gulen on the day Erdogan meets Trump

Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gulen
Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gulen


Date posted: May 16, 2017

Jazz Shaw

If nothing else, the timing of this is certainly interesting. Yesterday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Washington for his meeting with President Trump scheduled for later today. It’s an encounter which I already described as problematic at best, given Erdogan’s new status as a strongman and tyrant, and it doesn’t seem to hold the promise of much benefit on our part. And as you’ll recall, one of the main themes of Erdogan’s crushing of all dissent in his own country is his long standing claim that exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen was behind the attempted coup last summer. That’s why it seems to be a rather pointed jab for the Washington Post to publish a lengthy editorial from Gulen in their newspaper slamming the Turkish president on the day of the meeting.

Of course, virtually everything Gulen is saying in his op-ed is true, albeit with his own unique spin and a packaged denial of being involved in the coup. His critique of Erdogan’s regime is pretty much beyond question as we’ve been discussing here for months on end. And he even attempts to offer a way that western powers could help push Turkey back on the path toward true democracy, even if his approach seems a bit gauzy and pie-in-the-sky.

But the Turkey that I once knew as a hope-inspiring country on its way to consolidating its democracy and a moderate form of secularism has become the dominion of a president who is doing everything he can to amass power and subjugate dissent.

The West must help Turkey return to a democratic path. Tuesday’s meeting, and the NATO summit next week, should be used as an opportunity to advance this effort…

The people of Turkey need the support of their European allies and the United States to restore their democracy. Turkey initiated true multiparty elections in 1950 to join NATO. As a requirement of its membership, NATO can and should demand that Turkey honor its commitment to the alliance’s democratic norms.

For better or worse, Gulen is making some important points and I almost hope that both Erdogan and Trump are handed copies of this editorial before their meeting. I say “almost” because, while the message rings true, there probably isn’t a more divisive figure on the planet (in terms of the relationship between the United States and Turkey) to deliver it. We still have no way of knowing whether or not Gulen was behind the coup, was tangentially involved or is completely innocent as he claims. But what’s more important is that Erdogan believes that he was, or at least sticks to that claim in public so he can hold Gulen up as public enemy number one. Having one of the nation’s largest newspapers publishing his critique of Erdogan on the day of the meeting just seems like a pretty obvious broadside which is likely to inflame what’s already shaping up to be a tense meeting.

Then again, I’m not sure that there’s really all that much to lose here. What’s really going to come from this meeting? Erdogan has made it clear that he’s not backing down on either his attempts to get us to extradite Gulen or his ongoing assault on the Kurds. If the White House has been applying any pressure on him to release Pastor Andrew Brunson from prison it obviously hasn’t worked thus far. So I’m not clear on what our expectations should be today. In a best case scenario Trump could walk away with some sort of improved agreement on military cooperation and, just possibly, a promise for Brunson to be released. But at what cost? Are we going to give up Gulen in exchange, sending him off to what is almost certain torture and death without the benefit of a trial? Not that we owe him all that much, but it would certainly give the impression of having negotiated over a hostage release with someone who is allegedly still one of our allies.

Far more likely, assuming there aren’t already plans in place for those agenda items, is that this will wind up being some sort of grip and grin photo opportunity producing nothing more than some generic joint statement about how important the relationship between our two nations is. That winds up being a huge favor to Erdogan, giving him even more prominence and legitimacy on the world stage, while leaving the United States looking as if we’ll just continue to turn a blind eye to his despotic tendencies.

It’s too late to cancel the meeting now and I certainly hope that I’ll be proven wrong. But I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for anything wonderful to come of this.

 

Source: Hot Air , May 16, 2017


Related News

Lawyer files criminal complaint against Gülen

An İstanbul-based lawyer filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday against Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, with allegations such as the establishment of a criminal organization, organizing an attempt to overthrow the government, organized fraud and abuse of duty as a civil servant.

Pacifica Institute and Redmond United Methodist come together for Interfaith dinner

A group of about 130 people gathered at Redmond United Methodist Church (RUMC) for dinner on Sunday evening. But rather than a room full of Christians, as the venue may imply, the dinner was the Interfaith Friendship Iftar Dinner and contained a mix of members of the RUMC as well as members of thePacifica Institute […]

Cameroonian Governor Thanked Turkish Nation for the Turkish Schools

ENSAR TUNA ALATÜRK – BURSA Abakar Ahmat, the Governor of Ngaundere state, Republic of Cameroon, paid a visit to Sahabettin Harput, the Governor of Bursa, Turkey. Mr. Ahmat thanked Mr. Harput for the Turkish schools in Cameroon on behalf of the Turkish nation. Governor Ahmat was accompanied during the visit by the Mayor of Ngaundere Hamadou Dawa, […]

EU and Turkey’s rights abuse

How did Turkey plunge into this mess of freedom suffocation, and what has really gone wrong with the once-admired President Erdogan ? While I keep pondering on these questions, I believe it is not too late for the Turkish government to retrace its steps and embrace full democratic norms.

Why Gulen Should Not Be Extradited

To extradite Gulen would not only imply a high chance of an unfair trial, but would also sound the death knell of a blueprint for global peace. Gulen’s ideas have all the potential for a global approach to peace-building. John L. Esposito, a professor at Georgetown University and a highly respected expert on Islam, called Gulen’s initiatives “extraordinarily unique”, and suggested it would be “wise” for other Muslim movements to emulate them.

Liberal Turkish Journalists Champion Freedom of Expression, to a Degree

It’s precisely opposition journalists who have been criticized by colleagues who until recently worked for the newspapers of U.S.-based Fethullah Gulen. These colleagues accuse the opposition journalists of betraying freedom of expression. One of them is Sevgi Akarcesme who was editor-in-chief of the Turkish English-language daily Today’s Zaman. There is a great deal of truth in Akarcesme’s claims. But who today would dare defend journalists identified with Gulen?

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

Obama Adviser Praises Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement

Conflict between Gülen Movement and Turkey’s ruling AKP reflected in business world

President Gul says debates over prep schools should not lead to ‘resentment’

Kurdish Issue Discussed in New York

Turkish schools and businessmen mobilized for Izmir’s EXPO candidacy

Turkish schools praised by Uganda’s education minister

Followers of Multiple Faiths Join at Columbia University for Iftar

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News