Geraldo vouches for US general accused of plotting failed Turkish coup

foxnews.com ^

[RoosterRedux]

The retired U.S. Army general and former NATO commander accused of masterminding the recent failed coup in Turkey has an alibi -- he was having a beer with Fox News Channel's Geraldo Rivera.

Yeni Safak, a Turkish tabloid known as friendly to the increasingly authoritarian regime in Ankara, hit newsstands Monday with a front-page blaring in Turkish “This man led the coup,” alongside a picture of U.S. Army Gen. J.F. Campbell.

It was news to Campbell, who retired in May after a distinguished, 37-year career that saw him most recently serve in both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Campbell served as commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force from August 2014 to earlier this year.

"I haven't traveled outside the U.S. since I came back from Afghanistan in March," Campbell told FoxNews.com. "I have no idea why they picked me for this headline.

"In fact, on the day of the coup I think I was in New York City with Geraldo having a beer," he added.

The newsman corroborated the general's claim.

[Personal Responsibility]

“Geraldo vouches for US general accused of plotting failed Turkish coup”

Given Geraldo’s history of accuracy and truth, I infer this means the US General was actually involved.

[pepsionice]

I’m more likely to believe some idiot in the Turkish military working for Erdogan....asked how to run some coup and this guy gave some advice, which they generated into a fake coup.

[clee1]

OK, the time has come. The USA is apparently the focus for everything wrong in the world. Way past time for us to let them go it alone.

The US needs to get out of NATO and the UN (entangling alliances). We also need to abrogate all multi-national trade agreements.

We really need to return to our isolationist roots and worry about ourselves FIRST. The rest of the world, with a few exceptions, can go sit-n-spin.

[RoosterRedux]

That was my first thought.

[blackdog]

The same Geraldo who was booted out of Tora Bora for drawing a map in the dirt on live Television during the hunt for Bin Laden?

[Robert DeLong]

While I do not think having a beer with Geraldo is an airtight alibi, neither do I believe the allegation that retired U.S. Army General J.F. Campbell had any involvement.

I'm more inclined to believe that Erdogan had a hand in setting up a coup that could be easily squashed so as to purge his staunchest opponents.

[grania]

We really don't know. Add to that US involvement in every regime change protest, from northern Africa, through the Mideast, and in Kiev. We can't say "the US would never do that".

An important aspect that's being ignored is that Turkey is a NATO nation. Who initiated the attempted coup doesn't change how troubling it is that by treaty we're obligated to defend them.

[Robert DeLong]

If you are implying that Turkey should be expelled from NATO, then I agree. Even if it meant they joined forces with Russia. That would be an unholy alliance that Russia would most likely regret.

[mware]

Geraldo let it out that Gen Campbell was forced out of the military by Obama.

[mware]

Given the reports out of Turkey that they are being subjected to torture and rape, I suspect they would say anything asked of them.

[longfellow]

Whoraldo is a klinton supporter.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

General Campbell may be a great guy, but Geraldo is not who he wants to make his case. Geraldo is just a camera whore and will do anything to get some TV time.

[Ouderkirk]

It begets a simple question....what do they expect us to do with him? Hand him over to them?

[Popman]

So having a beer with Whoreldo is an alibi ?

The General could have running the coup from his Iphone and be playing Pokemon Go at the same time.../ S

[PCPOET7]

I look at the timing of the coup and it was done at a point when the united states was least likely to interfere with turkey in there clamp down and purge after words... we now have a real caliph when you combine turkey and the lands controlled by isil.
I really do think that isil has been a creation of Turkish intelligence and Islamists within turkey. this has been the culmination of six years of effort from turkey to create a Islamist state and our president helped in this effort or he at least ignored it.

[Robert DeLong]

Yes, the rapidness of the purge immediately afterwards is very telling. They knew exactly where they were going and whom they were going after.

The timing probably has more to do with their realization that Trump will win the election and that they no longer will have a complicit leader who is willing to look the other way. At least that is my opinion.

[Lucas McCain]

I would prefer getting nailed for engineering a coup in Turkey to having a beer with Geraldo.

[bgill]

Never ever give Jerry Rivers as your alibi no matter what the charges are.

[Robert DeLong]

As far as ISIS goes, I will not call them ISIL because that indicates that Israel is not a legitimate country.

Anyway, much has been written to either support or question if Turkey has been supportive of ISIS. Here are but a few:

Turkey supports ISIS, wants to revive Ottoman Empire – Syria’s UN envoy

Turkey’s alleged ISIS support: ‘Absolutely horrendous’

Is Turkey supporting ISIS? If so, why?

If you will notice all of this administrations activities have been leveled at the more moderate Islamic countries: Egypt, Libya, Syria. All of which had a more extremist Islamic view take control, or are trying to in the case of Syria. Of course, Egypt reversed that by forcibly removing the Muslim Brotherhood from power. But Obama's administration was not happy about that, though hardcore leftist would say otherwise.