Trump warns Turkey over detained US pastor

Here is the thing about Turkey:
In order for the US to get that pastor back, we would have to be willing to sentence, and remove the rights of a law abiding person of the USA, who once received by Turkey, would be given a show trial and then disappear from sight, probably executed.
This has been an ongoing issue between the US and Turkey for years. And here is the background.

Fethullah Gulen: Born in Turkey, a religious leader. As a religious leader, started a movement, one would view as liberal in the world of Islam, called the Gulen movement. This would include more tolerant views, along with hard work and education. Was considered to be a very important Muslim figures. It was very popular with its members going into the armed forces, police and Judiciary. At one time an ally of Erdogan. However that would end, with the 2013 corruption scandal in Turkey, where Erdogan was at the heart of this, and many of his allies were arrested, and then Gulen was blamed for such. Turkey has tried to extradite him once, but failed to provide the necessary evidence to show actual wrong doing, and thus lost in court. Egypt has offered him asylum, as they claim that Turkey is housing and allowing the Muslim Brotherhood to exist in Turkey, and that the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization.

Andrew Brunson, a US citizen, who has lived in Turkey for 23 years. He was known to deal with and work with those in the Gulen group, and lived there. When in 2017, he and his family was arrested, his wife and children were released, he on the other hand was accused of being a part of the coup, and thus held. The trial is a show trial, to where the verdict was already known, it was just the motions. And like most high profile trials, popular opinion is against him.

Then there is Erdogan. The dictator, who is intent on getting his way, at any means necessary, the ends justifying the means, even at the expense of possibly innocent people. He blames the entire 2017 coup on Gulen. And they want him bad enough to conspire with US persons to, kidnap and remove Gulen from the USA, and return him to Turkey, in violation of both US, but also international law. And as sad as it is, Brunson is being used as a chip in a proposed exchange.

So there you have it, to get Brunson back, one would have to give, in short, an innocent man to be killed.

August 11, 2018

In what can only be described as the nonsensical rantings of an ideologue who refuses to even fathom the geopolitical Trump changes around him, Turkish President Recep Erdogan writes an op-ed in the New York Times to tell Americans POTUS Trump, and like-minded allies, are bullying/destroying the Turkish economy because his authoritarian regime has imprisoned an American pastor.

DUH!

This is not difficult to figure out. Release American pastor Andrew Brunson, and President Trump will consider stopping. Keep the U.S. citizen detained and President Trump will continue destroying the Turkish economy. This is not hard to figure out once you accept the United States is unapologetically going to target any nation that targets American citizens.

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Trump did it!
Turkey has released Pastor Brunson!

SAKRAN, Turkey — A Turkish court on Friday ordered the release of the American pastor Andrew Brunson from house arrest, a move that will end his 24-month imprisonment and allow him to fly home, signaling a truce of sorts in a heated diplomatic dispute between Turkey and the United States.

Mr. Brunson was sentenced to three years, one month and 15 days in prison. But the judge lifted all judicial controls — including a ban on travel — because of a reduction for good behavior and in view of time served, making him free to leave the country immediately.

He left the courthouse by car shortly after the decision was announced, and American officials following the case said he would return home to Izmir before departing for the United States on Saturday morning.

The Trump administration had pressed hard for the release of Mr. Brunson, an evangelical pastor who runs the small Resurrection Church in Izmir. He was one of two dozen Americans detained in the aftermath of a failed coup in 2016 and was charged with aiding terrorist groups and espionage, charges he denies.

Mr. Brunson’s prolonged detention and trial significantly raised tensions between the United States and Turkey, with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence personally raising his case several times with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, the United States imposing financial sanctions, and members of Congress traveling to Turkey to attend his trial.

Andrew Brunson, U.S. Pastor Held in Turkey, Is Ordered Released