Posted on 03/14/2017 7:38:35 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
A banner with a picture of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is waved by protesters outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
The diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Amsterdam following the banning of Turkish government ministers entering the Netherlands is now affecting tourists.
According to Kurdish news agency Rudaw, a Dutch tourist, Anthony Willehm, was arrested at Turkey’s southeastern Uzumlu border gate while he was trying to go to the Kurdistan Region in Iraq.
Anthony Willehm at the Turkey border gate
Willehm was kept at the border gate for hours and taken to the border city of Hakkari later. Ercan Zent, a friend of Willehm’s, said that the Dutch citizen was taken into custody without any justification even though all of his documents were ready.
Speaking to Rudaw, Ercan Zent said, “We were going to Southern Kurdistan for touristic purposes. The Turkish officers did not stop any other foreigners except our Dutch friend.”
At the border gate, a peshmerga who spoke English was brought from the other side of the border to help in translation for the imprisoned tourist. According to the statements of Zent, the Turkish officers at the border gate were discussing assaulting the Dutch tourist with batons.
“One of the specialist sergeants said that ‘they attacked us with dogs in Rotterdam, let’s attack him with batons’ when he realised Willehm is from the Netherlands,” apparently in reference to the diplomatic crisis between the two countries during which Dutch police used force to disperse Turkish protesters in Rotterdam.
The don't even know what country they are insulting.
So they pull a tourist off the street arrest him, discuss beating him with batans.
Erdogan thinks he is God. That usually does not work out very well.
Now This, is what I might call some serious escalation....
Yes, when the Islamist Erdogan calls the leaders of 1/2 of Europe Nazi’s, what reaction do you expect?
This will not end well for Erdogan or Turkey.
Dutchman tours Turkey ?
WTH ?
Time to take the Midnight Express.
At this point, Turkey had insulted both Russia and Germany enough, that the tourism angle to the Turkish economy was seriously damaged. Now? Toss in the Dutch, and most of the rest of the EU. You can forget about any real tourism for 2017. If I were Greece, I’d bring up an advertising campaign and just note....we aren’t stupid enough to insult our tourists.
And that add campaign would work.
Good thought.
This type of behaviour will bite them in the rear.
UGLY
There are a lot of Turks that live in the Netherlands.
I watched a travel network deal situation for May...a two-week trip to south coast of Turkey, five-star hotel, all drinks included, all meals included, and airfare from Frankfurt to Turkey...roughly 400 Euro per person for the 14 days. They are literally begging for people at this point. This should have been closer to 800 Euro (2015 prices). Just on drinks and airfare, you’d be using 250 Euro.
Tourism trade in Germany says that most are looking at Spain or Greece for 2017 summer trips. Even the Russians are giving up mostly on Turkey.
I’ve never understood how non-Muslims visit Muslim countries unless required to do so by an employer; like visiting North Korea. People are in denial about the evil in these places, and the risks they take visiting them.
Yes, hoping that the discontent will defeat his Referendum (i.e. coronation as dictator).
>>”Erdogan thinks he is God. That usually does not work out very well.”<<
Lol.
Seriously, why is Turkey still in NATO?
Does the US want Islamist governments in NATO?
I think they are waiting to see if they vote down is “super powers” in the upcoming Referendum.
I think it is scheduled April 16 (not sure).
Yes, April 16 is the date. 18 proposed amendments to the current constitution of Turkey.
I am disappointed Trump is not completely revisiting NATO. At present, as far as I’ve gathered, he is mainly looking at NATO member states increasing their $ contribution to NATO’s military cost.
I’ve never understood how non-Muslims visit Muslim countries unless required to do so by an employer; like visiting North Korea. People are in denial about the evil in these places, and the risks they take visiting them.
There is a lot of interesting non-muslim culture in Turkey that the muzzie dirt bags haven’t managed to destroy. Yet.
I am disappointed Trump is not completely revisiting NATO.
Be prepared to continue being disappointed because NATO isn’t going anywhere. It is as much an economic union as it is a political/military union. Disrupting it would be very bad for business and President Trump isn’t going there.
There are things that slip under the Radar occasionally. But he will end up being one of the greatest presidents.
>>”In light of what is happening in the EU, it might be easy to pick up some new NATO members. I am pretty sure he has thought of that.”<<
Unsure if it’d be easy, short-term. But definitely a good move to pick up new members medium to long-term.
I understand that; the history of the place is incredible - but the current inhabitants are Muslims.
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