Posted on 11/10/2016 11:02:33 PM PST by Fhios
Turkey should be a top priority in U.S. foreign policy, a top adviser to President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday in an article that slammed Barack Obama for failing to understand Ankara’s geopolitical position.
“We must begin with understanding that Turkey is vital to U.S. interests,” retired Gen. Michael Flynn wrote for the Hill newspaper. He also called Turkey "a source of stability in the region”.
Flynn was a key national security adviser to Trump during his presidential campaign and is expected by many to be appointed to a Cabinet position, possibly as defense secretary.
The veteran general wrote that it was “an unwise policy” for the Obama administration to keep Ankara at arm’s length,
“We need to adjust our foreign policy to recognize Turkey as a priority. We need to see the world from Turkey’s perspective,” he wrote.
Noting the extradition request by Turkey of Fetullah Terrorist Organization leader, Fetullah Gulen, as one of the key points of contention between Washington and Ankara, Flynn suggested the U.S. handover Gulen.
Ankara has asked Washington to extradite Gulen for his role in establishing a quasi-state within Turkey that led a failed bloody coup July 15.
“What would we have done if right after 9/11 we heard the news that Osama bin Laden lives in a nice villa at a Turkish resort while running 160 charter schools funded by the Turkish taxpayers?” Flynn asked.
The former chair of the Defense Intelligence Agency suggested that although Gulen presents himself as a moderate Islamic scholar, he is a radical who “has publicly boasted about his ‘soldiers’ waiting for his orders to do whatever he directs them to do.”
Flynn compared Gulen to Ayatollah Khomeini -- the leader of the Iranian revolution – urging the U.S. government not to repeat its mistake by supporting Gulen as it did Khomeini.
“Washington’s silence on this explosive topic speaks volumes when we hear the incredulous claim that the democratically elected president of Turkey staged a military coup, bombed his own parliament and undermined the confidence in Turkey’s strong economy, just so that he could purge his political opponents,” he added.
Flynn also cited allegation of corruption against the Gulen network in the U.S., saying the terror leader has brought more people than Google into the country to teach English but they are not fluent in the language.Turkey should be a top priority in U.S. foreign policy, a top adviser to President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday in an article that slammed Barack Obama for failing to understand Ankara’s geopolitical position.
“We must begin with understanding that Turkey is vital to U.S. interests,” retired Gen. Michael Flynn wrote for the Hill newspaper. He also called Turkey "a source of stability in the region”.
Flynn was a key national security adviser to Trump during his presidential campaign and is expected by many to be appointed to a Cabinet position, possibly as defense secretary.
The veteran general wrote that it was “an unwise policy” for the Obama administration to keep Ankara at arm’s length,
“We need to adjust our foreign policy to recognize Turkey as a priority. We need to see the world from Turkey’s perspective,” he wrote.
Noting the extradition request by Turkey of Fetullah Terrorist Organization leader, Fetullah Gulen, as one of the key points of contention between Washington and Ankara, Flynn suggested the U.S. handover Gulen.
Ankara has asked Washington to extradite Gulen for his role in establishing a quasi-state within Turkey that led a failed bloody coup July 15.
“What would we have done if right after 9/11 we heard the news that Osama bin Laden lives in a nice villa at a Turkish resort while running 160 charter schools funded by the Turkish taxpayers?” Flynn asked.
The former chair of the Defense Intelligence Agency suggested that although Gulen presents himself as a moderate Islamic scholar, he is a radical who “has publicly boasted about his ‘soldiers’ waiting for his orders to do whatever he directs them to do.”
Flynn compared Gulen to Ayatollah Khomeini -- the leader of the Iranian revolution – urging the U.S. government not to repeat its mistake by supporting Gulen as it did Khomeini.
“Washington’s silence on this explosive topic speaks volumes when we hear the incredulous claim that the democratically elected president of Turkey staged a military coup, bombed his own parliament and undermined the confidence in Turkey’s strong economy, just so that he could purge his political opponents,” he added.
Flynn also cited allegation of corruption against the Gulen network in the U.S., saying the terror leader has brought more people than Google into the country to teach English but they are not fluent in the language.
I wondered the same. Odd that Flynn would land a smack without approval first, from the Boss.
Entirely possible Israel (Netanyahu) has communicated on the issue of Turkey, or that this is a handsome message for Palestine (Hammas) and/or Russia, as well.
We know Netanyahu has already called TRUMP. And, now this.
See my post above yours. Put them together and more Hmmmm.
I would hope Gen Flynn has connected with some DoD personnel who were stationed in Turkey. Unfortunately, the princes in the puzzle palace think attending a few cocktail parties in Ankara and meeting a couple of carpet dealers qualifies them as experts on the country.
If I were President-elect, I would trust Netanyahu's opinion of what to do with Gülen over that of this General Flynn, who exudes the odor of the Washington swamp.
WTH?!?!!
I’d be cursing obama if his guy was talking like this.
Hmmm... is right.
I do wish Flynn would have given off a little more muscle behind his mostly passionate opinion. I am so tired of guessing for background with every passing opinion from the brass and politicos.
Yours would indicate some really elegant chess is about to be played. :)
If I am right, ISIS can be destroyed without any American boots on the ground. Alwaleed’s ass kissing tweet suggests Saudis nervous. Nothing on Quatar yet to point to what I would do, but drying up all ISIS funding would destroy them.
hand over Gulen , clamp down on Erdogan & let the Kurds
have their oil fields, too.
this just my opinion im no where near John Kerry as Sec of
State but the one thing you will never hear in the press/msm is the but only the faint echo for a internationally known and accepted Kurdish state (with it’s own oil). The quest for a Kurdish state and entity has been
going on for years.
Gulen only is a very small player but he claims he is simply
innocent yet he is growing his own brand of Islam here in the states and it’s not pretty. Gulen has his own sleeper
cells.
Right now the socio-political situation in Turkey is not
very happy to say the least.
Handing over Erdogan to the Kurds accomplishes nothing.It would be the parallel of Hitlery and Moammer Khaddahfi- her words” we came we saw he died”.
Erdogan has too much money tied up in any of those banks that grifting dictators do so well.
Remember that false flag instituted by Erdogan this past year and he buttoned down every word of dissent from pet sitters to teachers to gov’t workers?. It wasn’t pretty and a lot of people died.
Erdogan will never leave his cash cow-the nation of Turkey.
To get Erdogan to abandon his plans for Turkey and it’s borders and present position on the world stage would take some maneouvering but he could be enticed into retirement thru a series negotiation(s) if someone were capable, able & willing enough.
Follow that money. It leads to grabbing them by the wallet to gain their full attention.
Masterful chess indeed. He is doing this an day 2 of his President Elect term.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI3NoBeNwfk
Every Turkish male is a trained soldier. We ought to have the same national policy.
Yet, we have so many on FR already "concerned" that Trump will be an idiot in foreign relations....pathetic.
Pogo was right....plenty of enemy right in our own camp.
Turkiye for some decades was a “source of stability” but now only seeks the stability of the overarching Caliphate in Istanbul. Turkey in control of the Sunni ME will be as antagonistic and dangerous to America as is Iran.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
We’re idly speculating on whether it’s a Trump sanctioned leak or Flynn going rogue.
Anything else is is your own imagination and bad temper.
Anything else is is your own imagination and bad temper.
LOL! I guess the media was jus' speculatin' on a lot of its "concerns" over Trump too.
Oh, you’re a concern troll. Over and out. You have a complaint, bring it to the moderators.
LOL! I don't go running to MOMMY! every time I disagree with someone.
Funny how so many of those with "concerns" never seem to get that it is they who helped Obama win 2 terms in the WH because they always focus on concerns over our guy and seem to forget to bump it against the ramifications of undermining our guy - all, the while claiming some sort of superior "principles" as the basis for their concerns.
If you ain't being helpful, especially with the best thing that has happened during an election in decades, then you be part of the problem - deal with the fact that many see through the charade of trying to "prove a higher intellect by raising a slew of 'what ifs' and acting as if it's the smart way to go - despite previous catastrophes.
Your turn to go to the mods if you be offended....
Make thyself useful (that's code for "Put yer money where yer mouth is):
Turkey is for thanksgiving, the other Turkey can F off :)
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