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The Counter-Coup Begins: Erdogan Purges 2,745 Judges, Prosecutors; Arrests Hundreds
Last night, a poorly organized, badly planned, quasi-coup took place in Turkey which led to Erdogan further retrenching his authoritarian position in the country. This morning, the president's own "counter-coup" began with the purdhing of 2,745 judges across the country, as well as the issuance of arrest warrants for 140 appeals court members. Erdogan's path to full, authoritarian power is now open.
Turkish President Erdogan has called on the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim cleric he accuses of being behind Turkey's failed coup attempt. Moments earlier Turkey's Minister of Labor went one step further, and accused America of being behind the coup on live Television, as it was harboring Gulen.
Gulen, as those who have followed recent Turkish history know, is Erdogan's quasi-imaginary bogeyman nemesis; Erdogan has repeatedly accused Gulen of plotting a "parallel state" whose intention is to overthrow Erdogan, and has used that strawman narrative as justification to expand his powers and to push for a shift from a parliamentary to a presidential regime. Gulen wrote in his blog that "As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations."
When earlier today we reported that Turkey has closed the airspace above, and suspended all US-led air missions out of the giant Incirlik airbase (which houses some 50 US nuclear bombs), we said that there is speculation the "airbase may be held "hostage" by Ankara as a bargaining chip ahead of demands for the extradition of Erdogan's arch enemy, Fethullah Gulen, currently a resident of the state of Pennsylvania." A few hours later this was partially validated when during a televised speech, Turkish President Erdogan called on the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim cleric he accuses of being behind Turkey's failed coup attempt.
originally posted by: MysticPearl
We discussed the possibility last night but this is looking more and more like a false flag.
How did he arrest and target so many, including judges, in such a short period? It's as if he knew exactly where his opposition was and what he was going to do well beforehand.
Now he gets to cut out his secular opposition and hand himself more authoritarian powers and edge Turkey more towards an Islamic nation....his goal.
I meanwhile have scratched visiting Turkey off my bucket list.
originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Willtell
And they're all under US control, at a US leased airbase, with US security forces guarding them, and only the US having the codes to arm them.
Hope the rest of the Army realises what a stupid idea not joining the coup was
I’m not at all reassured by that 911 was in the US too
And the Pentagon was under US protection too
originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Willtell
The Pentagon also didn't have any defenses outside of cameras, and the US defenses were set up to look for outside threats, not internal ones (not to mention no hijacked aircraft had ever been deliberately used as a weapon prior to that).
Way to compare apples and dogs though.
originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Willtell
And they're all under US control, at a US leased airbase, with US security forces guarding them, and only the US having the codes to arm them.