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Islamist Erdogan threatens to sue The Times over open letter

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by AroundTheWorld, Jul 27, 2013.

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  1. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    This shows once again that this guy is a dictator who does not even remotely understand the concept of freedom of speech. "You criticize me? I will use violence against you and/or put you in jail, and if I cannot put you in jail, I will threaten to sue you."

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23474404

    Turkey's prime minister has threatened legal action against a UK newspaper for publishing an open letter criticising his handling of recent protests.

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Times of "renting out its pages for money".

    Hollywood celebrities and academics were among those who signed the letter this week accusing Turkey's government of "dictatorial rule".

    A row over a park in Istanbul last month triggered widespread anti-government protests.

    At least four people were killed and thousands more injured as police cracked down on demonstrators who accused Mr Erdogan of becoming increasingly authoritarian.

    "The press wants to throw mud to see if it sticks," Mr Erdogan told reporters in comments broadcast on Turkey's NTV channel.

    "The Times is renting out its own pages for money. This is the Times' failing. We will pursue legal channels regarding the Times."

    Mr Erdogan has referred to the anti-government protesters as "thugs"
    Mr Erdogan said those who signed the letter - taken out as an full-page advertisement - had "rented out their thoughts" and did not genuinely support democracy.

    "If they truly believed in democracy, they couldn't have displayed such a lack of character to call the leader of a party that won 50% of the vote a dictator," the prime minister said.

    The Times has so far not commented on the remarks.

    The open letter was signed by 30 people including Turkish pianist Fazil Say, US film stars Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, film director David Lynch and British historian David Starkey.

    They condemned the crackdown on anti-government protesters and compared giant pro-government rallies - organised by Mr Erdogan's AKP party to counter the protests - to the huge rallies staged in Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany.

    The wave of unrest in Turkey was sparked by demonstrations against controversial plans to redevelop Istanbul's Gezi Park.

    The authorities' heavy-handed response sparked anti-government protests nationwide.

    Turkish PM Erdogan threatens to sue Times over open letter

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    #1 AroundTheWorld, Jul 27, 2013
  2. Deji McGever

    Deji McGever יליד טקסני

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    Erdogan just released a suspected Mossad agent. See, he's not THAT extreme, Sir Jackie.

    link

    Turkey releases bird suspected of spying for Israel

    Authorizes free winged suspect after X-ray scans reveal it was not embedded with surveillance equipment.
    A mock-up of a pigeon with a small camera at the 'Top Secret' Spy Museum in Oberhausen, Germany.


    ISTANBUL - Turkish authorities detained a bird on suspicion it was spying for Israel, but freed it after X-rays showed it was not embedded with surveillance equipment, newspapers said on Friday.

    The kestrel aroused suspicion because of a metal ring on its foot carrying the words "24311 Tel Avivunia Israel", prompting residents in the village of Altinayva to hand it over to the local governor.

    The bird was put in an X-ray machine at a university hospital to check for microchips or bugging devices, according to the Milliyet newspaper, which carried a front-page image of the radiogram with the title "Israeli agent".

    Ties between Turkey and Israel, long military allies, have been tense since May 2010 when Israeli commandoes killed nine Turkish activists aboard the Mavi Marmara, a ship in a Turkish-led convoy seeking to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
     
    #2 Deji McGever, Jul 27, 2013
  3. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    Lil what did I just read.
     
    #3 apollo33, Jul 27, 2013
  4. treeman

    treeman Member

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    Erdogan is a closet Islamist and a thug. His rule has been a disaster for Turkey. Turkey used to be one of Israel's best allies in the region but he has crapped all over that.

    Used to be that the Turk military upheld Ataturk's dictum that the government would be secular; Erdogan did away with that and has tried to purge the military. I know many Turks are not happy about that.

    If Turkey ever goes full blown Islamist (again) then that whole region will be lost. Turkey will have to be expelled from NATO at that point.
     
    #4 treeman, Jul 27, 2013
  5. Deji McGever

    Deji McGever יליד טקסני

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    Long before Erdogan, the Turks and Greeks have been shooting down each other's fighters and threatening war over territory in the Aegean, and Cyprus is still divided and under occupation...and that never got Turkey kicked out of NATO.

    Turkey could have a communist revolution or bring back the Ottoman Empire and I doubt anyone would even complain except the Greeks and Armenians. Erdogan is a saint compared to many American "allies." He's making calculated political risk designed to up the prestige of Turkey in the ME and he sees himself as a rival in the region to Egypt, Iran and the Gulf States, and that's a policy that makes Uncle Sam perfectly happy.
     
    #5 Deji McGever, Jul 28, 2013
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