Look, I love the whole Trump is going to be Hitler thing but watching Turkey isn’t important because we have a lesson to learn. The political situations aren’t remotely similar. The media should be paying attention because a strategically important NATO ally is getting all fucked up.
A strategically important NATO ally is getting all fucked up and democracy isn’t invulnerable.
Both can be true.
A strategically important NATO ally is getting all fucked up because democracy isn’t invulnerable.
All these problems with Turkey are symptoms of the same disease.
It’s pretty clear both of you think “Trump might do this!” is the big reason the media should be following this story. It’s a minor reason, imho.
The average American should have a clue to the degree to which Erdogan is corrupt and what he is doing to influence our government’s decisions. How corruption can fuck up members of NATO is the lesson to pay attention to. There’s no reason to focus so much on Putin’s corruption and attempts to influence our government while ignoring equivalent behavior from Erdogan. But it’s understandable.
The media should be following the story that:
- Trump has businesses in Turkey that could be used as a way to pressure Trump.
- Trump’s former national security advisor was employed by the Turkish government to propagandize against Gulen.
- Trump’s buddy Guliani is now employed by Reza Zarrab, a person the Turkish President has a very strong interest in seeing go free.
- The prosecutor on the case recently lost his job, but shortly after the election, he indicated he was asked to stay on.
I would like the media to do its job and dig up the information that helps me understand whether these stories look like corruption but have nothing to them or are definitely corruption.
I would like the media to do its job and dig up the data that helps me decide the nature, extent, and effectiveness of Russia’s attempt to influence our election. Relatedly, I would like to know the extent of ties Trump advisors have with Russia and what these ties mean.
“Might” do this? You are able to maintain your incredulity at the idea that Trump might seek to please Erdogan (in response to Erdogan’s not-so-veiled threats to Trump’s Turkish business interests), even in the face of the revelation about Trump’s former Security Advisor discussing ways to “whisk away” Erdogan’s foe to Turkey?
That is some fancy brainwork, there.
Excerpts from the CNN take on the story:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/25/politics/james-woolsey-mike-flynn-cnntv/
Flynn denies it, of course. And we don’t have video of him discussing kidnapping attempts.
But the fact is that Woolsey isn’t some random bum off the street; he does have a certain degree of credibility. Displays of being shocked, shocked! at the idea that Trump might have been looking for ways to do Erdogan’s bidding, are a tad disingenuous.
I made no display of mock shock so you can relax. I said I’m waiting for something tangible before I adjust my own Tote Board. Pretty simple brainwork for me anyways.
It will be interesting to see what Flynn says if-and-when his petition for immunity from criminal prosecution is granted…
Trump calls Erdogan, newly minted dictator, to congratulate him on his victory in last Sunday’s referendum election. Look up the world leaders Trump is joining in congratulating Erdogan.
+1
It’s partly that Trump can’t help thrilling to the exploits of repressive dictators, and partly that Trump’s making money from his property in Turkey, I’d guess.
The cleric Erdogan wants Trump to send him can’t have much peace of mind, these days.