Turkey : Part Four

[Exit40]

Turkey calls on EU help to battle deadly wildfires
MENEKSE TOKYAY August 03, 2021

Turkey has requested assistance from the EU as it struggles to battle the unprecedented deadly wildfires that have swept the nation, revealing the government’s poor preparation for the natural disaster.

Ankara activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to ask the European Commission for firefighting support.

Brussels has sent some firefighting aeroplanes, including one Canadair plane from
Croatia and two Canadairs from Spain as part of rescEU, the European reserve of civil protection assets.

EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said: “The EU stands in full solidarity with Turkey at this very difficult time.”...

Snip... The response to the wildfires has revealed that Turkey — which boasts 13 airplanes in the presidential fleet — does not possess a single firefighting plane....

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God Bless

David

[Exit40]

The State Department should rethink its Turkey policy
BY RICHARD GHAZAL, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 08/04/21 06:00 PM EDT

The disparity between Congress and State Department on Turkey policy is the worst-kept secret in Washington foreign policy circles. While Congress has shown deep bipartisan concern for Turkey’s role in many regional and international flashpoints, the State Department continues to turn a blind eye to many of the NATO stalwart’s misdeeds.

On July 21, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee convened a hearing on Turkey to explore the State Department’s Turkey policy through the testimony of Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland. Committee members pulled no punches in questioning Nuland on the American ally’s growing antagonist role in contravening U.S. and NATO interests, its domestic war on democracy, and deteriorating human rights record.

To be sure, the hearing highlighted some laudable aspects of the Biden administration’s Turkey policy. But the many examples of misguided perspectives, incongruent with reality on the ground, are cause for concern.

Nuland caveated her testimony by qualifying the U.S.-Turkey relationship as “multifaceted and complex” in an apparent attempt to grasp at a political fig leaf. While “multifaceted and complex” is, on its face, an accurate assessment of the relationship, its “complexity” can be credited to Turkey’s duplicity as ally and antagonist....

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God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey and the West: Drifting Further Apart
by Burak Bekdil August 6, 2021 at 5:00 am

In theory, Turkey is a NATO ally. In theory, also, Turkey is in negotiations with the European Union for full membership. In reality, both are illusions.

In April, the European Council on Foreign Relations surveyed more than 17,000 people in 12 European countries. The survey found that: "Turkey is the only country that more Europeans see as an adversary than a necessary partner.... Europeans understand there are aspects of their relations with Russia, China, and Turkey that make these countries rivals or even adversaries."

The feeling of drifting apart between the Turks and Westerners is mutual and growing.... an inevitable result of Turkey's top-to-bottom Islamization over the past two decades....

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God Bless

David

[Seeker]

Lots of "in theory" there. Sensing Turkey about to step off the western bus...

Peace,
Seeker

Edit: was just contemplating the Israel/Iran situation and a thought came to mind. What if Turkey remains in Nato and Israel attacks Iran alone causing UN actions against Israel. I doubt the US would send troops against Israel but Turkey has the second largest Nato army behind the USA and is already right next door. Would make sense to use Turkey as the spearhead for any actions against Israel....just a thought.

[Seeker]

Erdogan’s Turkey is a key patron of global efforts to delegitimize Israel
by David May & Aykan Erdemir
| August 11, 2021 12:00 AM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been offering in recent months to mend relations and exchange ambassadors with Israel. Meanwhile, his government was busy helping convicted terrorist conspirator Sami al Arian organize an Istanbul symposium dedicated to delegitimizing the Jewish state. For as long as Erdogan remains a leading patron of violent antisemitism, he should not expect his calls for a rapprochement to convince his counterparts in Jerusalem.

The conference in question, “Challenging Apartheid in Palestine, Reclaiming the Narrative, Formulating a Vision,” took place at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University between June 18 and June 23. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism co-sponsored the event. Additionally, Erdogan’s son Bilal, who is the chairman of the board of trustees of the Islamist-rooted foundation that established IZU, spoke at the conference.

The United States sentenced al Arian in 2006 to 57 months in prison and deported him to Turkey in 2015 for conspiring to aid Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which Washington designated as a terrorist group in 1995. Al Arian helped found an organization in 1988 that the FBI would shut down in 1995 for serving as a front of the PIJ. In the early 1990s, al Arian helped a PIJ cofounder obtain a U.S. visa and founded a think tank led by Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, a colleague of al Arian at the University of South Florida who would leave the post in 1995 to become the PIJ’s secretary-general. Al Arian became the CIGA’s director in 2017.

Al Arian set the conference’s tone when he challenged the existence of the Jewish state, declaring, “This is a global struggle, and it has to focus on the task of dismantling a racist, settler-colonialist regime in Palestine.”.....

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opin ... ize-israel

[Seeker]

Turkish premier’s Zionism remarks tick off US, Israel

ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan drew sharp criticism for comments equating Zionism to a crime against humanity at a UN meeting promoting dialogue between faiths, and a US official said Secretary of State John Kerry will take the Turkish leader to task for the “particularly offensive” remark.
Addressing the UN Alliance of Civilizations conference in Vienna this week, Erdogan complained of prejudices against Muslims. He said Islamophobia should be considered a crime against humanity “just like Zionism, like anti-Semitism and like fascism.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply condemned the remark late Thursday, calling it a “dark and mendacious statement, the likes of which we thought had passed from the world.” The United States and the United Nations joined the criticism.".....

https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/tu ... -us-israel

[Seeker]

Iran, Turkey cooperation benefiting Muslim nations: President Raeisi
Iran Daily 1 day ago

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi in a phone call with his Turkish counterpart stressed that Tehran-Ankara cooperation will bear great benefits for the Muslim Ummah (nations).

Speaking to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday evening, the Iranian president said saving Palestinians from the tyranny of the Israeli regime will be Tehran-Ankara “joint agenda.”

During the phone call initiated by the Turkish president, the Iranian chief executive said, “Iran-Turkey relations are beyond good-neighborliness” and stressed that their “close cooperation is a must for the regional peace, stability and security.”......

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/middleeast/to ... ar-AANefoK

[Seeker]

Speaking to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday evening, the Iranian president said saving Palestinians from the tyranny of the Israeli regime will be Tehran-Ankara “joint agenda.”

Eze 38:2  Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 
Eze 38:3  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:


The following article represents a partial catalog of support for the view
that Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Gomer and Togarmah are primarily in Asia Minor
or modern day Turkey. First, below is the map I created, detailing my
identification of the nations listed in Ezekiel 38 & 39.

https://joelstrumpet.com/wp-content/upl ... ubal-1.pdf

Some great research by Joel Richardson on the ancient locations of Meshech and Tubal. They were located in what we know as modern Turkey. Gog is chief prince of Turkey.

Eze 38:5  Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:

Persia is modern day Iran. So we have two of the main characters from the Gog war saying this on the phone yesterday...

saving Palestinians from the tyranny of the Israeli regime will be Tehran-Ankara “joint agenda.”

The Lord Will Restore Israel

Eze 39:25  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 
Eze 39:26  After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. 
Eze 39:27  When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 
Eze 39:28  Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. 
Eze 39:29  Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

At the conclusion of the Gog war we see Israel returning to the Lord for ever after and God sanctified in the eyes of the nations. He will no longer hide His face from Israel and has poured His spirit out upon the house of Israel. The timing of this stated alliance between Turkey & Iran, regarding Israel, is concerning for sure.

Peace,
Seeker 

[Exit40]

Taliban remarks 'moderate,' we aim to run Kabul airport: Erdoğan
BY DAILY SABAH WITH AGENCIES ISTANBUL DIPLOMACY AUG 18, 2021 9:18 PM GMT+3

Turkey appreciates the Taliban’s moderate statements and their pledge not to revert back to their previous hardline rule, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Wednesday during a televised interview.

Erdoğan also added that Turkey still aims to maintain Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport.

“We are making our plans in line with new realities in field, continuing negotiations accordingly,” Erdoğan said.

The group, known for its perverted interpretation of Shariah law, has been trying to assure the international community with moderate statements on women’s rights and other issues.

“We are open to cooperation. They have been very sensitive towards relations with Turkey and we hope their sensitivity will continue,” Erdoğan added....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey’s Erdogan, Putin Agree on Coordinating Ties With Taliban
By Selcan Hacaoglu August 21, 2021, 9:56 AM PDT

Turkey and Russia agreed to coordinate relations with the new government that will be formed in Afghanistan, according to the Turkish president’s office.

The agreement was reached during a phone call between Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, Erdogan’s office said in a statement.

Erdogan expressed hope for a smooth transition of power in Afghanistan, and that the Taliban does not repeat past mistakes and embraces all ethnic groups, according to the statement. Both Russia and Turkey have said that they will not rush to recognize the Taliban.

“President Erdogan and Russian President Putin agreed to coordinate the relationship to be developed with the government to be established in Afghanistan in the upcoming period,” it said....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkish drones expose State Department impotence
by Michael Rubin | August 23, 2021 07:28 AM

President Joe Biden defends his unilateral withdrawal from Afghanistan, even amid the Taliban takeover and growing chaos. "I am adamant that we focus on the threats we face today in 2021 — not yesterday’s threats," he declared.

This is disingenuous. Not only does al Qaeda remain a potent threat in Afghanistan, but the Biden administration also shows no sign that it is prepared to focus on new threats. As China taunts Taiwan, a senior administration official publicly said that the United States will not explicitly commit itself to Taiwan’s defense. Biden, meanwhile, empowered Russia by waiving sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Weakness has a price. It is not only great powers that now threaten U.S. interests, but lesser ones as well.

Consider Turkey: As the international media focused on the chaos unfolding in Afghanistan, Turkey ramped up its drone attacks on Yazidis in Iraq’s Sinjar district. While Turkish diplomats and journalists often insist its targets are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the Turkish military and intelligence services often do not distinguish between legitimate members and ordinary farmers or schoolchildren. The most recent strikes destroyed a medical clinic. The Turkish drone strikes increasingly threaten to undercut refugee repatriation inside Iraq and create space for the Islamic State to regroup, as the most effective Kurdish groups fighting ISIS are Sinjar’s grassroots Kurdish and Yazidi militias....

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God Bless

David

[Seeker]

Kanal Istanbul, Turkey's Middle Corridor, and the Belt and Road Initiative

Written by
Emre Demir
Posted 23 August 2021 12:55 GMT

...."The Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian East-West-Middle Corridor Initiative, reflects Turkey’s dream of building links to China via the Caucasus and Central Asia. The Middle Corridor trade route project connects China to Europe via Turkey through railways and highways. Turkey views the Middle Corridor as a complement to China’s Belt and Road Initiative rather than a competitor."......

https://globalvoices.org/2021/08/23/kan ... nitiative/

Rev 16:12  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

Peace,
Seeker

[Seeker]

Iran, Turkey reject foreign interference at Baghdad summit
6 hours ago
Karwan Faidhi Dri

...."The Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, a summit held in Baghdad on Saturday in coordination with France, hosted heads of state and foreign ministers of Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the heads of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"Foreign interference is the cause of instability in the region. What we need is sustainable regional security," said Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also said that the people of the region, including Iraq, do not need external meddling.

"As the people of the region, we know our own problems best and can solve them ourselves. Foreign interventions that do not yield any results can only be prevented in this way. No one thinks that someone will come from outside and find a solution to our problems anymore. Our people expect the solution from us, not from others," he said.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/280820211

[Exit40]

President Erdoğan lays foundation for Turkey’s ‘Pentagon’
BY DAILY SABAH ISTANBUL TURKEY AUG 30, 2021 4:09 PM
Five years after the news first broke, a project dubbed “Turkey’s Pentagon” has taken its first step toward reality. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan started the construction of the massive complex for the Turkish army and the Ministry of National Defense at a ground-breaking ceremony on Monday. The date has a special meaning for the army as it is the 99th anniversary of a battle that cemented the country’s success against invading forces in the aftermath of World War I.

The complex, tentatively named “Crescent Star,” will house the ministry, now led by former Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar, the office of the chief of general staff and the headquarters of all of the branches of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the capital Ankara.

It will have office buildings surrounding a vast crescent-shaped area at the center and a star-shaped building that will serve as an entrance and exhibition hall on the tip of the crescent. The central, open-air area will host a space for ceremonies....

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God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey's Erdogan speaks with UAE crown prince over strained ties
Mon, August 30, 2021, 9:42 PM· By Orhan Coskun

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan held a rare phone call with the UAE's de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Erdogan's office said on Tuesday, in a new sign of efforts to improve ties between the regional rivals.

Turkey and the UAE have competed for regional influence since the Arab uprisings erupted a decade ago, a rivalry which saw them backing different sides in Libya's civil war and extended to disputes from the eastern Mediterranean to the Gulf.

Erdogan said last year Turkey was considering breaking off diplomatic relations after the Gulf state's accord to normalise ties with Israel.

"Relations between the countries and regional issues were discussed in the talks," Erdogan's office said of his call with Sheikh Mohammed....

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God Bless

David

[Resurrection Torchlight]

I don't know how significant this may be:

Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed on Monday disclosed that a strategic agreement has been reached between Taliban and Turkey which would oblige Turkish troops to take over the security of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport

https://www.republicworld.com/world-new ... nator.html



RT

[Exit40]

I don't know how significant this may be:

Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed on Monday disclosed that a strategic agreement has been reached between Taliban and Turkey which would oblige Turkish troops to take over the security of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport

https://www.republicworld.com/world-new ... nator.html



RT

Turkey has been trying to get control of the airport for quite a while. I'm surprised this is still in the works.

God Bless You

David

[Seeker]

All the recent Turkey events made me think back a bit. What's interesting is that Israel and the US were technologically superior to all the Arab nations which enabled Israel to defend itself.

Now near the end of the age we see the Arabs catching up rapidly with military technology....just in time for the end of days. Turkey is supplying nations with weapons now. They have rapidly advanced their technology.

Not hard to see how the USA will abandon Israel now after the Taliban fiasco. One withdraw is looking like it will set the US back and drive the Arabs to unite. What an amazing God we have...protecting Israel until the end. The recent political and military blunders has opened a path to the US abandoning Israel or unable to muster allies to assist. What allies would trust the USA anywhere in the middle east now?

Peace,
Seeker

[Exit40]

Turkey’s record growth rate belies murky economic prospects
Eager to woo back disgruntled voters, Erdogan appears bent on stimulating economic growth at the risk of stoking Turkey’s currency troubles.
Mustafa Sonmez September 1, 2021

The Turkish economy grew 21.7% in the second quarter from the same period last year, the Turkish Statistical Institute announced Wednesday, in what was hailed as the highest growth rate in Turkey’s recent history. Despite the mammoth rate, the country’s economic prospects remain fragile amid ongoing currency risks over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s push for lower interest rates despite unyielding inflation.

The nearly 22% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) owes much to a strong base effect from the second quarter of last year, when the country’s GDP shrank 10.3% under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as households cut back on consumption, many businesses were fully or partially closed, and lockdowns paralyzed the services sector. Thus, the figure was not exactly a surprise. Many other countries have posted two-digit growth rates, though not as high as 22%.

No doubt, the massive growth rate owes also to economic revival after the easing of pandemic restrictions. A boom in private consumption — the result of deferred spending during the pandemic — was a major driver, in addition to new investments to replenish stocks exhausted during the pandemic and a similar revival in exports and tourism.

Turkish consumers — particularly those in the top 20% income group — had a further incentive to spend as inflation continued to rise but interest rates remained unchanged, leading many to rush to buy cars and other durable goods before prices increased further. Those with ample savings put money also in investment homes and other real estate....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Frosty relationship between Turkey and UAE begins to thaw
Menekse Tokyay Wed, September 1, 2021, 8:19 AM

Ankara — Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, longtime regional rivals, have in recent weeks stepped up their efforts to mend ties.

Driving the news: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a rare phone call on Monday with the UAE's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed. That was followed by a call on Tuesday between their foreign ministers.

The big picture: The Turkish-Emirati rapprochement comes amid new de-escalation efforts across the region.

Gulf countries, including once-ostracized Qatar, have attempted to form a united bloc, amid shifting U.S. priorities under the new administration.

And after years of disputes, Turkey has taken steps to ease its tensions with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and now the UAE.

Senior officials from all four of those countries — as well as Iran, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq — took part in the Baghdad Cooperation and Partnership Conference on Saturday....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Not hard to see how the USA will abandon Israel now after the Taliban fiasco. One withdraw is looking like it will set the US back and drive the Arabs to unite.
Seeker

Yes, something that started in 2011 with the Arab Spring revolution.

God Bless You

David

[Exit40]

Afghanistan: Qatar and Turkey become Taliban's lifeline to the outside world
By Tom Bateman BBC Middle East Correspondent Published1 day ago

The Taliban's celebratory gunfire crackled over Kabul as the West pulled out this week. But militancy alone is likely to leave the Taliban on its own - globally isolated, with millions of Afghans facing an even more uncertain future.

The world's powers are now scrambling to exert influence amid the return of the country's Islamist rulers. And in the process two nations from the Arab and Muslim world have been emerging as key mediators and facilitators - Qatar and Turkey.

Both are capitalising on a recent history of access to the Taliban. Both eye opportunities. But both are taking a gamble too - which could even stoke old rivalries further afield, in the Middle East....

Snip... "They consider Turkey as a country with a manifest destiny - an exceptional position within the Muslim world. It is based on Turkey's past and its Ottoman heritage as the seat of the caliphate."...

Contiues

God Bless

David

[Seeker]

Value of trade amid Iran-Turkey to reach USD10B in 2021

..."Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (TCCIMA) reported according to the official statistics released by Turkey that the rate of trade amid Iran and Turkey increased by 53 percent in the first quarter of 2021 from the same period of the previous year."

https://menafn.com/1102658401/Value-of- ... 0B-in-2021

[Exit40]

Erdogan's Plans for the Future of Afghanistan: China, Russia and Terrorists
by Burak Bekdil September 6, 2021 at 5:00 am

The US and the EU should not buy Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's fake pro-Western posture (such as when he offered to run the Kabul airport, then fled) or his fake anti-radicalism (such as when he is courting the Afghan terrorists). Erdogan's strategy, as a member of NATO, is clearly to bolster Russia's and China's plans for the future of Afghanistan.

Iran, for its part, seems to be hoping to hit two birds with one stone: by systematically facilitating the journey of illegal Afghans to Turkey and toward Greece, it might destabilize both Turkey and Europe.

"The persistence of Erdoğan's relationship with Hekmatyar illustrates that it was wishful thinking to believe that Erdoğan was ever anything more than a jihadi in a business suit, no matter how many diplomats projected their hopes of change on him." — Michael Rubin, Middle East expert, Washington Examiner, August 11, 2021.

Now, due to Erdogan's long-term anti-Western ideology, he will probably be tempted to seek an alliance with whichever pro-sharia group(s) will, in the near future, be governing Afghanistan....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Seeker]

Taliban invite Qatar, Turkey, China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan to govt formation event

The Taliban on Monday gave an early glimpse of its foreign policy and geopolitical alignment as it invited Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar to attend an event on its looming government formation.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the Taliban invited these countries. The report cited a source saying the necessary procedures for the announcement of the new cabinet had been completed.
The Taliban have so far twice delayed the announcement of its government.
The source told the channel that the Taliban would create a regime that “will be accepted by the global community and the Afghan people”....

https://www.qatar-tribune.com/latestnew ... tion-event

[Seeker]

How Iran and Turkey Helped Cause a Water Crisis in Iraq
by Bahrooz Jaafar

...."According to the Al Jazeera Center for Studies, the main culprit behind the shortage of running water in Iraq was the cutting off of water flows from the Tigris and Euphrates by Turkey. The Tigris River, the second-longest river in southwest Asia, originates in southeastern Turkey and is 1,718 kilometers long. It passes through Syrian territory for 50 kilometers and enters Iraq at the village of Fishkhabour. Five tributaries flow into Iraq: the Khabur, the Great Zab, the Little Zab, the Azim, and the Diyala. The Tigris meets the Euphrates at Qurna to create Shatt al-Arab."....

https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/09/01/h ... s-in-iraq/

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Rev 16:12  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 

[Exit40]

Opinion: Biden’s failure in Afghanistan could end up as Erdogan’s win
Opinion by Asli Aydintasbas Yesterday at 11:19 a.m. EDT

The heart-wrenching fall of Afghanistan into Taliban hands has been an embarrassment for the Biden administration’s efforts to salvage U.S. credibility in a post-Trump world. But it might prove to be a boon for several U.S. allies who are now offering to serve as intermediaries to the Taliban — namely Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey.

After the withdrawal of U.S. troops, the United States needs regional partners that can engage with the Taliban, keep the Kabul airport open and help prevent a state collapse under a zealous Taliban regime — or at least stave off unpleasant headlines long enough for the Western public opinion to forget the debacle.

Pakistan’s security services have long supported the Taliban and no doubt view the rapid fall of Afghanistan as a strategic gain of sorts — one that increases Pakistan’s influence as a security partner for Washington. For Qatar, which has hosted talks with Taliban leadership and has offered help to operate the Kabul airport, it is a chance to increase visibility on the world stage.

But the most curious in the list of Taliban-whisperers is Turkey, with its long secular history and NATO status. Afghanistan itself has little strategic value for Turkey, which sits on the edge of Europe and the Middle East and is already buried deep in conflicts in Syria and Libya. But as early as May, Turkey’s government offered to send Turkish troops to protect Kabul airport after the U.S. withdrawal. That deal is now dead, due to the Taliban’s speedy takeover of the country, but Turks have been instrumental with evacuations and are providing technical assistance to operate the Kabul airport, alongside Qatar....

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God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Erdogan visits US amid disagreements with President Biden
Turkey hopes relations with the US – for years blighted by a litany of disputes – can be salvaged as President Erdogan attends the UN General Assembly.
By Andrew Wilks 19 Sep 2021

Istanbul, Turkey – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is travelling to New York City, knowing he has been dealt a promising hand for improving ties with the US thanks to developments in Afghanistan.

At the start of the year, then prospective US Secretary of State Antony Blinken derided Ankara as a “so-called” partner to the United States over Turkey’s purchase of Russian missiles.

Fast-forward to last month – after the Taliban took the Afghan capital ahead of the US withdrawal – and Blinken tweeted that Turkey was “an important NATO ally and an invaluable partner in the region”.

The drastic change in tone offers Erdogan more than a glimmer of hope that relations with Washington – for several years blighted by a seemingly inexhaustible litany of disputes – could be salvageable as he travels on Sunday to attend the UN General Assembly....

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God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey Is 'at War' With Cryptocurrency, Says President Erdogan
by Kevin Helms 12 hours ago

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has clarified the government’s stance on cryptocurrencies, stating that the country is at war with crypto. He emphasized that Turkey will continue with its own currency.

A War and a Struggle Against Cryptocurrency

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered some questions from young people in the “Meeting with Youth” program held with university students from 81 provinces. The event took place in Mersin, a port city in southern Turkey and an important hub of the country’s economy.

A young man in the audience asked President Erdoğan: “My question is about cryptocurrency. Recently, the central bank established a digital Turkish lira platform. With this decision, is Turkey planning to open up to cryptocurrencies? … We are curious about your ideas on this matter.”

Noting that it is not their intention to open up to cryptocurrencies, Erdoğan clarified:

On the contrary, we have a separate war, a separate struggle against them....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey: NATO's Pro-Russian, Taliban-Friendly Ally
by Burak Bekdil September 24, 2021 at 5:00 am

Around the Taliban, and in a bizarre combination of convergence of interests and ideological kinship, a new anti-Western circle is evolving, including a willing NATO member state.... anti-Western sentiments are bringing together these regional powers, who are now courting Afghanistan's radical rulers.

The hard lesson learned from relying on an "ally" for critical production, then needing to reshore that capability as politics change, ultimately will cost U.S. taxpayers between $500 million and $600 million in nonrecurring engineering costs, according to Ellen Lord, the previous Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition.

U.S. President Joe Biden's Afghan drama will spur a number of anti-Western alliances based on different anti-Western calculations. Proof? Just look at the names of the countries on Taliban's invitation list for its birthday party....

Snip... Around the Taliban, and in a bizarre combination of convergence of interests and ideological kinship, a new anti-Western circle is evolving, including a willing NATO member state....

Continues

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey's Erdogan looks to Putin after Biden talks disappoint
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says recent talks with U.S. President Joe Biden have proved disappointing, and that his country, a NATO member, would seek closer ties with Russia
By The Associated Press September 24, 2021, 5:52 AM

ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that recent talks with U.S. President Joe Biden had proved disappointing, and that his country, a NATO member, would seek closer ties with Russia.

Speaking after prayers in Istanbul, Erdogan said he and Biden had failed to bridge their differences at a meeting during his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly this week.

“In the discussions with Mr. Biden that I’d been anticipating, there wasn’t the desired outcome. ... As two NATO countries, we need to be at a different point,” he told journalists....

Snip... Before leaving New York on Thursday, Erdogan had raised the F-35 issue with journalists, warning the current course of U.S.-Turkey relations “does not bode well.”...

Continues

God Bless

David