Posted on 06/05/2010 8:06:29 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Why not? Demagoguing the flotilla raid has helped make him an Islamist rock star. And as any rock star knows, the show’s not over until after the big encore.
What’s really worrisome about this is that it suggests this moron’s starting to believe his own B.S., which is the fast track to stumbling into a major international crisis.
The [al-Mustaqbal] newspaper said that “as part of the open conflict between Turkey and Israel following the massacre against the ‘freedom sail’ to Gaza and the protest sparked in the world, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is considering going to Gaza himself in order to break the blockade imposed on the Strip.”
The sources noted that the Turkish leader had raised the option in a conversation with his associates.
According to the report, Erdogan told the American administration he was planning to ask his navy to escort another aid flotilla, but that American officials asked him to delay the plan in order to look into the matter.
The NYT’s out with an editorial calling for an end to the blockade in Gaza (naturally) but also scolding Turkey for its “irresponsible” rhetoric this week and insisting that “As a moderate, secular democracy and NATO member, Turkey has a strong interest in a stable Middle East.” Which is nice, except … it’s not true. Like I said last night, “moderate, secular democracy” is only half of their identity anymore. Per their new good cop/bad cop routine, what they really want in the Middle East is manageable instability. That way there’s a fresh supply of Israeli “crimes” to exploit for the benefit of fundie voters at home and to the consternation of western allies abroad, who’ll be eager to make concessions to keep the Turks calm and in the west’s orbit.
The key is the word “manageable,” though. If this really is all a form of kabuki theater on Erdogan’s part, then he should want to pursue brinksmanship with Israel without going so far that the two countries’ militaries suddenly find themselves staring across the field at each other. That’s why, I assume, he hasn’t cut ties with Netanyahu despite his ambassador to the U.S. demanding an apology, an end to the blockade, an end to “inappropriate” anti-Palestinian action, blah blah blah. And yet, we keep hearing rumors of sending the Turkish navy to escort the next “aid” mission or of Erdogan himself trying to confront the IDF, both of which would conceivably create a military situation in which anything can happen. The question, then: What is this idiot thinking? Is he in such bad shape politically at home that he’s willing to force some sort of armed regional standoff? And is the Turkish military itself now so riddled with Islamists that it’ll go along with him? These must be rumors and nothing more — right?
I’ve whined at you about Turkey all week so I’ll spare you anything further, especially since there are better writers than me weighing in today. See Ralph Peters for what Turkey’s drift towards Mecca potentially means for U.S. airmen stationed at Incirlik; Victor Davis Hanson on what it potentially means for traditional (and now weakened) Turkish enemies like Greece; and Mark Steyn on what it potentially means for the west generally (“what we’re witnessing is the most prominent example of Muslim reform being de-reformed, before our very eyes, in nothing flat.”). I’m sure they’re all worried over nothing and that this years-long trend towards radicalism in Ankara is but another product of the febrile wingnut imagination. It’s not like any secular-ish Muslim country has turned fundamentalist and become a major threat before, right?
The IDF may give him a Viking funeral.
Erdogan is obviously intending to bust it & go Muslim!
as he is floating towards the blockade... might i suggest putting a few hundred tanks on the northern border of Israel... and start pushing north, claiming the territory as you go.
after all, if they don’t recognize your blockade, why should you recognize their border?
while you’re at it... i’d push the borders of Egypt, Iraq, and Syria. time to increase the size of Israel. if they don’t like it... maybe they shouldn’t have messed with the blockade.
this is getting out of hand and our government should say so.
Where is our Sixth Fleet when we need it?
I just hope this is all bravado talk and nothing else. If not, as the main provider of NATO, the USA should insist that Turkey’s PM cease his provocation.
If the Turkish Navy gets involved in this, expect an international incident which COULD LEAD TO WAR.
When a foreign country tried to block your blockade by force, there is no alternative but war.
Send in the bulldozer paratroopers.
That may lead turkey to call on NATO to honor its obligations--in support of a fellow member--- and obama will be only too eager to please, I'm sure, him being the alien moslem teabagger that he is.
Where does the NATO treaty stand when a member is the actual aggressor?
Let’s hope if he tries this, the Turkish military will see it as an affront to Turkish secularism and take the opportunity to forcibly call new elections in which a certain party will not be allowed to participate.
It’s NOT your Father’s Turkey anymore.
That’s past tense.
He’s already done it.
The US should throw Turkey out of NATO.
Perhaps Israel could invite North Korea to conduct joint war games, then tell the goonies that a South Korean ship is approaching!
“..the USA should insist that Turkey’s PM cease his provocation.”
If the U.S. had an American as President, he’d do just what you suggest. But....
Isn’t this an act of War?
They’re fine with it: the U.S. bombed Yugoslavia and later Serbia without provocation on the plea that a country defending itself against Muslim aggression was creating a “humanitarian diaster”, so why shouldn’t Turkey be able to do the same?
The Alien president is probably covertly encouraging Turkey's behavior against Israel, hoping Israel has to defend itself against Turkey. The Alien president will then suggest that NATO help escort ships into Gaza. Can you imagine the 6th Fleet be tasked to protect and help Muslim terrorists break the sea blockade of Gaza?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.