Opinions
What is wrong with the Western media?
Major media outlets in the English-speaking world have increasingly been publishing one-sided, biased, anti-Justice and Development Party (AKP) and anti-Gülen pieces. I am not sure if it is just a coincidence, but the frequency of these biased pieces has increased since the “one minute” incident at Davos. Ihsan YILMAZ, Wednesday 08 February 2012 I am […]
The Ideal of Serving Mankind
Last week I was invited to speak at a panel organized for the occasion of the publication of Muslim scholar and preacher Fethullah Gülen’s new book “Yaşatma İdeali” (The Ideal of Serving Mankind), in which he explains the main principles of the faith-based social movement serving the nation and the mankind he has inspired. Şahin […]
Had the Kurds believed in Said-i Kurdi, their children wouldn’t have died
Naim from Diyarbakir sent me a message. He says: “The Kurds would listen to you if you said something to them, because you’re coming from a leftist tradition. Evil powers like PKK and KCK can’t stand the approval for Gulen Movement’s service for Kurds.”
I am afraid 2012 will not be easy
Emre Uslu, Friday January 20, 2012 When the Justice and Development Party (AKP) received 50 percent of the votes in the 2011 election and came to power by promising to make a new constitution, expectations were raised to expect a transformation of the system. But if you consider the aftermath of the elections, one cannot […]
Foreign Policy’s emotional and biased journalism on Turkey
Ihsan Yilmaz On Jan. 11, 2012, Foreign Policy magazine published a piece titled “Behind the Bars in the Deep State” by Justin Vela. The piece is neither objective nor accurate. It is one-sided and biased. It is also prejudicial against the Hizmet (Gülen) movement. It fails to give a balanced picture of Turkish politics and […]
Ahmet Şık’s book and Ergenekon’s media campaign (3)
Emre Uslu, Sunday January 1, 2012 In a previous article I examined the media campaign against the Ergenekon trials and discussed Ahmet Şık. As I mentioned, the impact of Şık’s arrest was exaggerated because he was allegedly writing a book criticizing the Gülen movement’s influence in the police force, and his arrest was to prevent […]
Fethullah Gülen versus Ayatollah Khomeini?
Gülen will not return to a society that is expecting him as the Savior or the true representation of Turkishness or the antidote to current political failures. Although it is true that Gülen’s imminent return would cause tensions, it would only be tensions created by political interest groups which would use his presence for their […]
Ahmet Şık’s book and Ergenekon’s media campaign (2)
At that time, I knew only a few journalists who claimed Şık’s arrest was not because of his book but because of inconsistencies in the story he had told the judge. He claimed not to know any such people, but there was evidence he may have known and had relationships with Ergenekon suspects. Emre Uslu, […]
Ahmet Şık’s book and Ergenekon’s media campaign (1)
Within Turkey’s ultranationalist camps, supporters of the Kemalist system have already extended their support to the Ergenekon network. So there is a sizable community in Turkey that believes whatever is said by a suspect in the Ergenekon case. Emre Uslu, Wednesday 28 December 2011 The Odatv trial has finally begun after months of waiting. The […]
My opinion on the book ‘Imam’s Army’
Conspiracy theory is very widespread in Turkey, society is currently polarized. Those who share a positivistic and Islamophobic mindset refuse to recognize that religion can assume a positive role and hold the Gülen movement responsible for nearly all evil. ŞAHİN ALPAY, Monday April 11, 2011 During my contacts with European parliamentarians, officials and Turkey experts […]
Cagaptay: Turkey moves far beyond Europe
Recently, visiting Istanbul, I attended a conference on the Arab Spring organized by Abant Platform, a local NGO that gathers Turkish intellectuals of different stripes for policy debates. The conference – this time with attendees from Washington, Tel Aviv, London, St. Petersburg and Arab capitals in addition to Turks – debated Turkey’s leadership role in […]
The Journalists and Writers Foundation’s suggestions for a constitution
Ihsan Yilmaz Several civil society organizations have been presenting their suggestions for a new constitution to a parliamentary sub-committee. A few days ago, the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) was received and listened to by the committee. The GYV did not present a full package but summarized its understanding on the most sensitive issues that […]
Imam in the Middle
Gulen is nothing if not prolific. He has written more than 60 books, most of which are available in English. It’s likely that an equal number of books have been written about Gulen or the movement he inspired. The man and the movement are subjects of myriad dissertations and scholarly treatises.
