Turkish Forum

Category: America

  • Global anti-terrorism fund grants would battle radicalization process

    Global anti-terrorism fund grants would battle radicalization process

    NEW YORK, Sept. 27 (UPI) — U.S. officials hope a $200 million fund will be effective in stemming extremism by eroding jihadists’ ideological and recruiting appeal in havens for terrorists.

    20130425_radical_islam_shhh_LARGEThe U.S. State Department said diplomats from the United States and Turkey Friday plan to announce a $200 million fund to help prevent the radicalization process used by terrorists, The New York Times reported.

    The new Global Fund for Community Engagement and Resilience will, for the first time, combine financing from government and non-government entities to identify credible local organizations; develop, monitor and evaluate programs; and channel funds to local projects that target groups and individuals vulnerable to appeals from terrorist groups, officials said. The fund is expected to be operational by the middle of 2014.

    The initiative is to be announced by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu during a meeting of foreign ministers of the Global Counterterrorism Forum in New York. The United States and Turkey lead the organization of 29 countries and the European Union that acts as a clearinghouse of ideas and actions for civilian counter-terrorism specialists.

    “Countries that have a radicalization problem previously had to rely on ad hoc support from wealthier donor nations, many of which are not bureaucratically capable of sponsoring the small intervention programs necessary to disrupt the radicalization process,” William McCants, a former State Department counter-terrorism official now with the Brookings Institution, told the Times. “Now countries can turn to the global fund to sponsor programs that will pull young men and women back from the edge of terrorist violence.”

    The United States is expected to contribute between $2 million and $3 million initially to the fund, which will be administered in Geneva, Switzerland. Besides Turkey, other likely donors include the European Union, Canada, Qatar, Denmark, Britain and private sources.

    U.S. officials said the fund is expected to raise more than $200 million over a 10-year period.

    Fund grants would provide vocational training to youths at risk of being recruited by terrorist organizations, U.S. officials said. Funds also would be channeled to new school curricula that teach tolerance and problem-solving, along with underwriting websites and social networks that would educate youth about the dangers of violent extremist ideologies.

    Topics: John Kerry, Ahmet Davutoglu, Brookings Institution

    via Global anti-terrorism fund grants would battle radicalization process – UPI.com.

  • FOR GOD’S SAKE STOP SAYING “INSHALLAH”

    FOR GOD’S SAKE STOP SAYING “INSHALLAH”

    eating heart
    SYRIA

    Haven’t you learned anything yet, you victims of Islamo-fascism? You victims of high treason. You victims of occupation by foreign powers. Haven’t you learned that you and your Inshallahs are condoning, allowing, and approving the crimes of the fascist Islamists that have ruled Turkey for over a decade. All their plans are prefaced with barrages of “Inshallah,” as if Allah is complicit with their criminal schemes. You surely remember well their schemes. You have nightmares about them. Allah and God and Yahweh are not plunderers, not murderers, not liars, not traitors, not rapists, not conniving ignoramuses. So stop saying “Inshallah.” Allah is disgusted with his/her name being linked with such criminal, sinful behavior. If there were a judiciary system in Turkey Allah would sue the government for defamation of character. For if you continue using this defamatory mantra, you will be spiritual collaborators with those international felons who are destroying your country in the name of—guess who?—Allah! And in your name and the name of your Inshallahs!

    You and your “Inshallahs.” Like a neurotic, nervous tic, you drone Inshallahs for every mundane event. You will go shopping and Inshallah there will be bread. You will drive to the city and Inshallah there will be a parking place. You will go on vacation and Inshallah there will be good weather. Inshallah, the fish will be delicious at the restaurant you recommended. Inshallah, the mechanic will have a carburetor for your automobile. Inshallah, tomorrow I will stop saying Inshallah, Inshallah, Inshallah, Inshallah………..…

    This so-called government of yours says “Inshallah” too. When it blinds your daughter, it says Inshallah. When it kills your sons, it says Inshallah. It gasses your children, destroys your mountains, your rivers, your farms, your security, all aspects of justice, and your human rights, then your government says Inshallah. It destroys the army and says Inshallah. It imprisons patriots and says Inshallah. It enslaves women in headscarves and says Inshallah. Your government perverts your educational system and says Inshallah. It finances genocide against the Syrian people and says Inshallah. Your government lies while addressing the United Nations and says Inshallah. It collaborates with America to betray your country in the name of Allah. It supports financially and morally the low-life scum that yells “Allahu ekber” while eating the hearts of still-living Syrian soldiers.  Indeed, how great is this God? How great is this Allah when your government’s police attack your children shouting “Allahu ekber?”  You say that these people are not your government, not your police. But your tax money finances them and your Inshallahs and their Inshallahs echo to the heavens all of them seeking Allah’s blessing. How sick is this? Just what is Allah to do, being bombarded with Inshallahs from all directions and for all purposes from trivial to bestial?

    For God’s sake stop saying “İnshallah!”
    And for Allah’s sake all you others stop saying “God bless America!” 

    James C. Ryan, Ph.D.
    Dublin, Ireland
    28 September 2013

     

  • SYRIA ; To Bomb or Not to Bomb .. MESSAGE FROM WHITE HOUSE

    SYRIA ; To Bomb or Not to Bomb .. MESSAGE FROM WHITE HOUSE

    OBAMADAN GELEN MESAJ

    Subject: Syria
    Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 23:56:52 -0500
    To: [email protected]
    From: [email protected].gov

    The White House, Washington

    Good evening —
    I just addressed the nation about the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
    Over the past two years, what began as a series of peaceful protests against the repressive regime of Bashar al-Assad has turned into a brutal civil war in Syria. Over 100,000 people have been killed.
    In that time, we have worked with friends and allies to provide humanitarian support for the Syrian people, to help the moderate opposition within Syria, and to shape a political settlement. But we have resisted calls for military action because we cannot resolve someone else’s civil war through force.
    The situation profoundly changed in the early hours of August 21, when more than 1,000 Syrians — including hundreds of children — were killed by chemical weapons launched by the Assad government.
    What happened to those people — to those children — is not only a violation of international law — it’s also a danger to our security. Here’s why:
    If we fail to act, the Assad regime will see no reason to stop using chemical weapons. As the ban against these deadly weapons erodes, other tyrants and authoritarian regimes will have no reason to think twice about acquiring poison gases and using them. Over time, our troops could face the prospect of chemical warfare on the battlefield. It could be easier for terrorist organizations to obtain these weapons and use them to attack civilians. If fighting spills beyond Syria’s borders, these weapons could threaten our allies in the region.
    So after careful deliberation, I determined that it is in the national security interests of the United States to respond to the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons through a targeted military strike. The purpose of this strike would be to deter Assad from using chemical weapons, to degrade his regime’s ability to use them, and make clear to the world that we will not tolerate their use.
    Though I possess the authority to order these strikes, in the absence of a direct threat to our security I believe that Congress should consider my decision to act. Our democracy is stronger when the President acts with the support of Congress — and when Americans stand together as one people.
    Over the last few days, as this debate unfolds, we’ve already begun to see signs that the credible threat of U.S. military action may produce a diplomatic breakthrough. The Russian government has indicated a willingness to join with the international community in pushing Assad to give up his chemical weapons and the Assad regime has now admitted that it has these weapons, and even said they’d join the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits their use.
    It’s too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any agreement must verify that the Assad regime keeps its commitments. But this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force.
    That’s why I’ve asked the leaders of Congress to postpone a vote to authorize the use of force while we pursue this diplomatic path. I’m sending Secretary of State John Kerry to meet his Russian counterpart on Thursday, and I will continue my own discussions with President Putin. At the same time, we’ll work with two of our closest allies — France and the United Kingdom — to put forward a resolution at the U.N. Security Council requiring Assad to give up his chemical weapons, and to ultimately destroy them under international control.
    Meanwhile, I’ve ordered our military to maintain their current posture to keep the pressure on Assad, and to be in a position to respond if diplomacy fails. And tonight, I give thanks again to our military and their families for their incredible strength and sacrifices.
    As we continue this debate — in Washington, and across the country — I need your help to make sure that everyone understands the factors at play.
    Please share this message with others to make sure they know where I stand, and how they can stay up to date on this situation. Anyone can find the latest information about the situation in Syria, including video of tonight’s address, here:
    issues/foreign-policy/syria
    Thank you,
    President Barack Obama

    This email was sent to [email protected].
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    The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 •  numbers button skype logo202-456-1111 

    =============

    From: Nursel Oran [mailto:[email protected]]

     

     

    “In April 2009, an Abu Dhabi newspaper carried the news that Qatar had proposed a gas pipeline from the Persian Gulf to Turkey. The Gulf sheikhdom had just finished an ambitious program to more than double its capacity to produce liquefied natural gas at the world’s biggest gas field and needed access to European markets, bypassing the troubled Persian Gulf where the threat of Iran hangs over the heads of the region’s medieval monarchs… But what Qatar and Turkey had not foreseen was the fact President Assad of Syria would have the gall to say ‘No’ to their moneymaking venture, instead inking deals with both Russia and Iran.”

     

    September 11, 2013

     

    suriye

     

    To Bomb or Not to Bomb

     

    Tarek Fatah

    The Toronto Sun

     

    While Russia and America try to outfox each other in the equivalent of a 21st century “Great Game,” Syria’s next-door neighbour Israel may end up being drawn into the conflict.

     

    After all, the Syrian civil war has taken place very close to Israel’s northern borders and the prospect of Hezbollah getting its hands on Syrian chemical weapons cannot be ruled out, despite a number of Israeli air attacks on Syrian convoys that were suspected of transferring military equipment to southern Lebanon.

     

    For the first time, Israel has deployed its Iron Dome anti-missile defence battery in the Jerusalem area. Last week, the IDF had moved Iron Dome batteries to various locations, including the Tel Aviv area, in response to the possibility of reprisals for an American attack against Syria.

     

    The possibility of cruise missiles landing in Damascus triggered serious debate on Monday at the opening of the World Summit on Counter-Terrorism hosted by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya, Israel.

     

    Uzi Arad, the former head of the Israeli National Security Council, told the conference he doubted if an attack on Syrian government forces by the U.S. would be successful.

     

    Speaking to a packed audience, Arad surprised delegates from more than 50 countries when he criticized President Barack Obama, saying the American leader, by threatening Damascus, had bitten off more than he could chew. Arad, once an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Netenyahu, suggested the best thing President Obama could do now was to extricate himself from the corner he had backed himself into with as much dignity as possible.

     

    Twenty-four hours later, the American president seems to have received just such a chance to back out from his disastrous diplomatic debacle. This happened when the Russians called John Kerry’s bluff and obtained agreement from Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control.

     

    At the summit, Uzi Arad not only dismissed the Obama-Kerry proposed response as a bad idea, he openly questioned its legality. He told the counter-terrorism summit, “Syria is not a signatory to international conventions against the use of chemical weapons,” making the legal basis for intervention somewhat shoddy. “You cannot say that Assad violated an international convention Syria is not signed on to.”

     

    The annual summit attracted nearly 1,000 delegates from more than 50 countries ranging from India and Brazil to Canada and Australia. They included academics, intelligence officials, retired generals and police officials, and the one question on everyone’s mind, was this: “Why can’t America get its act together?”

     

    Few were aware of the oil factor behind the Syrian civil war.

     

    In April 2009, an Abu Dhabi newspaper carried the news that Qatar had proposed a gas pipeline from the Persian Gulf to Turkey. The Gulf sheikhdom had just finished an ambitious program to more than double its capacity to produce liquefied natural gas at the world’s biggest gas field and needed access to European markets, bypassing the troubled Persian Gulf where the threat of Iran hangs over the heads of the region’s medieval monarchs.

     

    Following talks with the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, the then ruler of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani told the media, “We are eager to have a gas pipeline from Qatar to Turkey.” But what Qatar and Turkey had not foreseen was the fact President Assad of Syria would have the gall to say ‘No’ to their moneymaking venture, instead inking deals with both Russia and Iran.

     

    As one counter-terrorism expert at the Herzliya summit said, “follow the money.”

  • US: ‘Irrefutable’ evidence for Syria chemical weapons claims lacking

    US: ‘Irrefutable’ evidence for Syria chemical weapons claims lacking

    Sun Sep 8, 2013 11:53PM GMT
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    Key members of the Obama administration are struggling to muster support for the White House’s war plans against Syria both from abroad and from within US public and Congress.

    Related Interviews:
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    The administration of US President Barack Obama has admitted that it lacks “irrefutable, beyond-a-reasonable-doubt evidence” for its claims that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in an attack last month.

    The Obama White House has accused the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of using chemical weapons in an attack near capital Damascus on August 21.

    In an interview with CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, the Syrian President rejected the allegations that he was behind the deadly chemical attack in August.

    Washington has not provided any conclusive evidence for its claims as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the information provided to Russia as “some sketches” which contained “no supporting facts.”

    And now, Obama’s top aide, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, has said that Washington’s claims are based on a “common-sense test” not any “irrefutable” evidence.

    “This is not a court of law. And intelligence does not work that way,” said McDonough on Sunday. “The common-sense test says he [President Assad] is responsible for this. He should be held to account.”

    Meanwhile, key members of the Obama administration are struggling to muster support for the White House’s war plans against Syria both from abroad and from within US public and Congress.

    Obama’s Secretary of State John Kerry is now in Europe courting Washington’s allies in an all-out push for an attack on Syria.

    Kerry held talks with Arab League foreign ministers in Paris and is set to travel to London next before returning to Washington on Monday to continue selling the proposed “limited military strikes” plan at home to the growingly skeptical Congress and American public.

    The White House’s lobbying efforts come as recent polls show a growing opposition to the administration’s war plans amid the US public.

    A recent Gallup poll has shown that support among Americans for a US military action against Syria is among the lowest for any military intervention in the past two decades.

    A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll has also shown that nearly 60 percent of Americans are against missile strikes on Syria.

    Also on Saturday, American antiwar activists gathered in Times Square in New York City and outside the White House in Washington to voice their opposition to another war in the Middle East.

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  • The Troodos Conundrum

    The Troodos Conundrum

    troodos

    Craig Murray

    The GCHQ listening post on Mount Troodos in Cyprus is arguably the most valued asset which the UK contributes to UK/US intelligence cooperation.  The communications intercept agencies, GCHQ in the UK and NSA in the US, share all their intelligence reports (as do the CIA and MI6).  Troodos is valued enormously by the NSA.  It monitors all radio, satellite and microwave traffic across the Middle East, ranging from Egypt and Eastern Libya right through to the Caucasus.  Even almost all landline telephone communication in this region is routed through microwave links at some stage, picked up on Troodos.

    Troodos is highly effective – the jewel in the crown of British intelligence.  Its capacity and efficiency, as well as its reach, is staggering.  The US do not have their own comparable facility for the Middle East.  I should state that I have actually been inside all of this facility and been fully briefed on its operations and capabilities, while I was head of the FCO Cyprus Section in the early 1990s.  This is fact, not speculation.

    It is therefore very strange, to say the least, that John Kerry claims to have access to communications intercepts of Syrian military and officials organising chemical weapons attacks, which intercepts were not available to the British Joint Intelligence Committee.

    On one level the explanation is simple.  The intercept evidence was provided to the USA by Mossad, according to my own well  placed source in the Washington intelligence community.  Intelligence provided by a third party is not automatically shared with the UK, and indeed Israel specifies it should not be.

    But the inescapable question is this.  Mossad have nothing comparable to the Troodos operation.  The reported content of the conversations fits exactly with key tasking for Troodos, and would have tripped all the triggers.  How can Troodos have missed this if Mossad got it?  The only remote possibility is that all the conversations went on a purely landline route, on which Mossad have a physical wire tap, but that is very unlikely in a number of ways – not least nowadays the purely landline route.

    Israel has repeatedly been involved in the Syrian civil war, carrying out a number of illegal bombings and missile strikes over many months.  This absolutely illegal activity by Israel- which has killed a great many civilians, including children – has brought no condemnation at all from the West.  Israel has now provided “intelligence” to the United States designed to allow the United States to join in with Israel’s bombing and missile campaign.

    The answer to the Troodos Conundrum is simple.  Troodos did not pick up the intercepts because they do not exist.  Mossad fabricated them.  John Kerry’s “evidence” is the shabbiest of tricks.  More children may now be blown to pieces by massive American missile blasts.  It is nothing to do with humanitarian intervention.  It is, yet again, the USA acting at the behest of Israel.

    craigmurray.org.uk

  • Judge Napolitano: US Strike on Syria Would Be War Crime

    Judge Napolitano: US Strike on Syria Would Be War Crime

     

     

    Thursday, 05 Sep 2013 05:06 PM

    By Greg Richter

     

     


     

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    A U.S. strike against Syria would be a war crime says former Judge Andrew Napolitano.

    Appearing on Fox News Channel on Thursday, Napolitano said that even a limited strike is illegal under international law and violates the U.S. Constitution.

    “You can use military force to attack somebody that’s attacked you, or you can use military force to attack somebody that’s about to attack you,” Napolitano said. “You can use military force to come to the aid of an ally that has been attacked when the ally asks for your assistance.”

    Urgent: Should U.S. Strike Syria? Vote Here

    The United States also could use the military to enforce international norms if the United Nations authorizes it.

    None of those conditions apply in Syria, Napolitano said, making it a war crime if the United States acts.

    He said the 1973 War Powers Act is unconstitutional because it takes away Congress’ authority to wage war and gives it to the president in certain circumstances. He said he expects the House to vote down President Barack Obama’s request for authorization by about 20 votes. Public sentiment is against action as well, with polls showing more than 60 percent opposed.

    “Who wants this to happen besides John Kerry and the president?” Napolitano asked. “Sometimes the president can get lawless – any president – when he has military equipment at his disposal.”