Tag: Barack Obama

  • G. Jenkins, Context and Circumstance: The Turkish Military and Politics ( Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2001),

    G. Jenkins, Context and Circumstance: The Turkish Military and Politics ( Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2001),

    G. Jenkins, Context and Circumstance: The Turkish Military and Politics ( Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2001),
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    Gareth Jenkins is a writer and analyst based in Istanbul, Turkey, where he has been a resident since 1989. During his first ten years in Turkey, he worked as a journalist for international wire services, newspapers and periodicals, covering a broad range of political, economic and social issues related to Turkey and the surrounding region. In recent years he has focused primarily on analysis, contributing numerous articles, reviews and commentaries to scholarly journals and edited volumes and delivering presentations at seminars and conferences. His special fields of interest are civil-military relations, terrorism and security issues and political Islam. He is currently a Senior Associate Fellow with the Silk Road Studies Program and Turkey Initiative.

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    Jenkins: Türkiye için asıl tehlike İslamcı Kürt örgütü olur

    Güney Yıldız

    BBC Türkçe

    Gareth Jenkins

    1989’dan bu yana İstanbul’da yaşayan ve Türkiye’de asker sivil ilişkileri, güvenlik ve istihbarat konularında çalışmalar yapan gazeteci yazar Gareth Jenkins, “PKK gibi laik bir örgütün, güneydoğu gibi muhafazakar bir bölgede bu derece destek görebilmesi için, Türk devletinin birşeyleri çok yanlış yapıyor olması gerek” dedi.

    Kürt muhalefetine, Güneydoğu’da güçlü olan İslam ve Kürtçülük akımlarını birleştiren bir örgütün öncülük yapmamasının, Türkiye devleti için bir şans olduğunu da belirten Jenkins’e göre, hükümetin başlattığı demokratik açılım sürecinin sonuçlarını görmek uzun zaman alacak:

    ‘İlk kez bir hükümet halkın açılımı destekleyeceğini düşünüyor’

    Gareth Jenkins: Hükümetin şiddeti gerçekten durdurmak istediğine inanıyorum. Fakat bir siyasi parti olarak oy almak da isteyecektir. Benim, Türkiye’de bulunduğum 20 yıllık süre içinde ilk kez bir hükümet, halkın Kürt sorununa barışçıl çözümü destekleyeceğine inanıyor. “Belki bu açılımdan dolayı biraz oy kaybederiz ama kaybettiğimizden fazlasını kazanabiliriz.” diyor. Bence, en önemli şey, insanların şu an konuşuyor olması ve kamuoyunun büyük kısmının bir çözümden yana olması. Fakat, tüm bunlara rağmen, sonuçlar görmek uzun zaman alacak.

    Güney Yıldız: Bazıları 1993 yılında Turgut Özal’ın başbakanlığı sırasında da girişimlerde bulunulduğunu söylüyorlar. Fakat her iki dönemde de, Kürt sorununu çözme girişimleri, taraflardan birinin yenildiği ya da oldukça zayıfladığı bir durumda yapılmıyor. Sizce açılımları böylesi durumlarda yapmak başarısını hangi ölçüde etkiler?

    Gareth Jenkins: Bence PKK’nın şu anda geçmişe göre çok daha zayıf olduğu konusunda bir kuşku yok. Bugün PKK’nın kendisi bile askeri olarak kazanamayacağının farkında.

    Türk askeri

    Eski tarzlarından farklı olarak bugün çok daha küçük birimler halinde hareket edebiliyorlar ve eskisi gibi ordunun kolay kolay giremediği alanlar yaratamıyorlar. PKK artık Suriye gibi bir devletin desteğine sahip değil ve bu nedenle de helikopterlere karşı kullanabilecekleri nitelikli silahlar elde edemiyor.

    “PKK dışında Kürt örgütleri çıkabilir”

    Bence, böylesi bir açılımın başarıya ulaşması için, Türkiye’nin Kürt milliyetçilerini PKK’dan ayırmanın bir yolunu bulmasında gerekiyor. Bunun için de DTP ile ilişkiler geliştirilmeli. Bazı DTP üyeleri PKK ile yakından ilişkiliyken, bazıları değil. Türkiye devleti, PKK dışındaki Kürt örgütlerin var olabilecekleri bir alan yaratmalı. 1993 ile bugünün farkı belki de burada yatıyor. Şimdi PKK dışında bir Kürt örgütünün çıkma olasılığı daha güçlü.

    DTP’nin de katıldığı son mitinglerde, DTP’yi destekleyen kitlelerin, “müzakereler PKK ile yapılsın” yönünde slogan attıklarını takip ettik. Tabandaki bu tavrı göz önüne aldığınızda, PKK dışında bir örgütün ortaya çıkma ihtimali yine de güçlü görünüyor mu?

    Gareth Jenkins: Sanırım bu biraz zaman alacaktır. Türkiye devletinin şimdiye kadar yaptığı en büyük hata, Kürt milliyetçisi olan her kişinin aynı zamanda PKK’yı da desteklediğini varsaymasıydı. Bu da pek çok kişiyi PKK’ya yönelmeye zorladı. PKK’nın güçlü bir desteğe sahip olduğu konusunda bir kuşku olduğunu düşünmüyorum. Fakat, eğer Türkiye PKK dışında, barışçıl bir Kürt siyasi partilerine izin verirse, PKK’ya yönelen desteğin bir kısmı, şiddet yanlısı olmayan partilere gidecektir. Şu anda özellikle pek çok genç insan için PKK dışında bir alternatif yok.

    Daha önce Ergenekon soruşturması nedeniyle Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri’nin toplumdaki imajının zayıfladığını bunun da PKK ile mücadeleyi etkileyeceğini söylemiştiniz.

    Gareth Jenkins: Evet, bu soruşturma üzerinden şimdi, Ergenekon PKK da dahil olmak üzere her şeyi yönetiyor sonucu çıkarılıyor. Bu özellikle ilk iki iddianamede böyle ele alınıyor. Öyle bir durum söz konusu ki, artık PKK herhangi bir eylem yapabilir ve sorumluluğu Ergenekon’a atabilir.

    Dolayısıyla, bilinçli olarak yapılmamış olsa da, Ergenekon iddianamesi PKK’yı daha güçlü bir konuma getiriyor. Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri ise, artık ülke içinde siyasi olarak on yıl öncesindeki kadar nüfuza sahip olmasa bile askeri olarak daha güçlü bir konumda çünkü eski hatalarından dersler aldılar. Taktiklerini, silahlarını değiştirdiler. PKK’nın ise eskisi gibi iyi eğitilmiş silahlı militanı yok. PKK militanlarının standartlarında 10-15 yıl öncesine göre önemli bir düşüş var. Türk ordusu ise askeri olarak çok daha güçlü bir konumda.

    Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, artık ülke içinde siyasi olarak on yıl öncesindeki kadar nüfuza sahip olmasa bile askeri olarak daha güçlü bir konumda çünkü eski hatalarından dersler aldılar.


    PKK’nın militanlarını eskisi kadar uzun süre eğitemediğini söylediniz fakat PKK Türkiye topraklarında saldırılar gerçekleştirmediği yıllar boyunca daha uzun silahlı eğitim yapma fırsatı kazanmadı mı? Basına yansıyan çatışma bilançolarında da, geçmişe oranla daha az kayıp veriyor gibi görünüyorlar.

    Gareth Jenkins: Ben böyle yorumlamıyorum. Birincisi PKK eskisine oranla, uluslararası arenada fazlasıyla izole edilmiş durumda. Daha güçsüz oldukları için taktiklerini değiştirdiler, eskisine göre çok daha küçük birimler halinde hareket edip daha az risk alıyorlar.

    Geçmişte ise 30-40 militanın bir arada olduğu gruplar halinde hareket ediyorlardı. Arada sırada büyük baskınlar yapıyorlar. Çatışmanın başında bir üstünlük gösterebilseler de Türk ordusu Kobra ve Süper Kobra helikopterlerini devreye sokarak büyük kayıp verdirebiliyor. 1990’larda ise Türk ordusunun pratikte giremediği geniş alanları kontrol edebiliyorlardı. Artık bunu yapamıyorlar. Bunun da nedeni Suriye gibi bir devletin desteğinden mahrum kalmış olmaları. Önceleri devletler sayesinde, helikopterlere karşı kullandıkları omuz üzerinden atılan füzeler gibi nitelikli silahlar edinebiliyorlardı.

    PKK bu şekilde 10 yıl dahi çatışsa da aynı pozisyonda olacak.

    Ama bu PKK’nın şiddeti düşük düzeyde daha uzun süre sürdüremeyeceği anlamına gelmiyor. Dolayısıyla, PKK’yı da askeri olarak bitirmek mümkün değil. Fakat, PKK bu şekilde 10 yıl dahi çatışsa da aynı pozisyonda olacak. Bence, PKK’nın şu anki amacı, şiddete başvurarak kazandıklarını düşündükleri üzerinden kendisini siyasi bir harekete çevirmek.

    Eğer söz edildiği gibi kapsamlı bir açılım yapılacaksa, bu devletin, çözüm iradesine sahip olduğu anlamına mı geliyor, yoksa çatışmaları sürdürme iradesinin zayıfladığı anlamına mı?

    Gareth Jenkins: Bence her iki anlama da geliyor. 20 yıldır Türkiye’de yaşıyorum ve bu açılımın kısa zaman içinde somut sonuçlar doğuracağı konusunda iyimser olmasam da, sözünün edilmiş olması bile çok önemli bir gelişme diye düşünüyorum. Türkiye’ye ilk geldiğimde, resmi olarak ülkede Kürtler yoktu bile. Bazı köylerde insanlar başka bir dil konuşamıyor olsalar da, Kürtçe konuşmak yasaktı. Ayağa kalkıp da ben Kürt’üm dediğinizde, hapse götürülebiliyordunuz.

    PKK militanları

    Hükümetin bu inisiyatifi başlatmış olması dahi, işlerin ne kadar değiştiğine işaret ediyor. Peki bu noktaya nasıl gelindi? Sorun eğer askeri yöntemlerle çözülebilseydi, şimdiye kadar çözülürdü. Aynı taktiklerle savaşı on yıl daha da sürdürseniz, sorunu çözemezsiniz. Bence, ordu bunu herkesten daha iyi biliyor.

    Uluslararası düzeyde izole olmak, PKK’yı yüzünü Türkiye’ye dönmeye daha mı çok mahkum ediyor?

    Gareth Jenkins: Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ve Avrupa’da terör örgütleri listesinde olmak PKK’nın mali kaynaklarını ve silah edinmesini önemli ölçüde daraltıyor. PKK’yı bastırması için Iraklı Kürtler üzerinde ciddi bir Amerikan baskısı var.

    Iraklı Kürtler tabii ki, PKK’yı dağlarda izleyip yok etmeye yönelemezler, ama örgütün Kuzey Irak içindeki hareket etmesini sınırlayabilirler. Yalnız Türkiye’deki Kürt sorunu devam ettiği ve bu nedenle PKK’ya katılmaya hevesli gençler olduğu sürece, PKK’yı bitirmek mümkün olmaz. Fakat, PKK da, silahlı faaliyetlerini bir üst aşamaya taşıyamaz.

    PKK dışında bölgede başka silahlı grupların çıkma olasılığı görünüyor mu bugün?

    Gareth Jenkins: Bence, PKK gibi kurulduğunda Marksist olan ve şimdi de oldukça laik olan bir örgütün, Güneydoğu gibi Türkiye’nin en muhafazakâr bölgelerinden birinde bu derece destek bulabilmesi için Türkiye devletinin bir şeyleri çok yanlış yapıyor olması gerek.

    PKK gibi kurulduğunda Marxist olan ve şimdi de oldukça laik olan bir örgütün, Güneydoğu gibi Türkiye’nin en muhafazakâr bölgelerinden birinde bu derece destek bulabilmesi için Türkiye devletinin bir şeyleri çok yanlış yapıyor olması gerek.

    Buradan, PKK’nın zayıflamasıyla birlikte İslamcı Kürt grupların ortaya çıkabileceği gibi bir sonuç mu çıkarıyorsunuz?

    Gareth Jenkins: Bence, sorun çözülmediği müddetçe farklı örgütler çıkabilir. Ben, Türkiye devletinin belli açılardan çok şanslı olduğunu düşünüyorum. Bu şans da, Kürt milliyetçiliğinin öncülüğünü yapan örgütün laik bir örgüt olmasında yatıyor. Çünkü, eğer, 1920 ve 1930’lardaki Kürt muhalefetine baktığınızda, bu muhalefetin, Kürt kimliği ile bazı unsurları birleştirdiklerini görürsünüz.

    PKK militanı

    Türkiye devletinin önündeki bir tehlike de burada yatıyor. Eğer PKK giderek zayıflar ve bu sırada Türkiye güneydoğu’daki sorunu çözmüş olmazsa, o zaman, Kürt muhalefeti, radikal İslamcılık, muhafazakarlık ve Kürt milliyetçiliğini birleştiren bir örgütün öncülüğüne geçebilir. Türkiye’de Hizbullah diye anılan örgüt buna bir örnek.

    Türk Hizbullah’ı bugün tekrar şiddete dönmüş değil, ama tabanda bir desteğe sahip ve kontrol ettiği medya kuruluşları, sivil toplum kuruluşlarıyla da oldukça güçlü. Bence, Türkiye’nin PKK’nın güçsüzleşmesinden önce sorunları çözmek için önünde sınırlı bir zaman var.

    Türk devletinin kabusu, Kürt muhalefetin, güneydoğudaki iki hakim unsuru, İslamı ve Kürt milliyetçiliğini birleştiren bir örgütün öncülüğüne geçmesi olmalı.

    Güneydoğuda etkinliği olan bir başka gücün de Gülen cemaati olduğu söyleniyor.

    Gareth Jenkis: Kesinlikle. Burada, üçlü bir iktidar savaşı yaşanıyor. Tabi ki, Gülen cemaatinin şiddete bulaşmışlığı yok ve şiddet kullanıma karşı. Fakat, güneydoğuda nüfuzu sağlamak için üç yönlü bir mücadele var. Son yıllarda bölgede oldukça aktif olan Gülen cemaati, Hizbullah ve PKK. Burada olması gereken ise, mücadelenin devlet dışı üç grup arasında geçmesindense, devletin devreye girip beklentilere cevap olabilmesi.


    * Gareth Jenkins ile “Türkiye’deki demokratik açılım süreci hangi aşamada?” konulu gündem programımız için görüştük. Aynı program için görüştüğümüz Carnegie Vakfı Orta Doğu uzmanı tıklayın Henri Barkey ve Profesör tıklayın tıklayın Murat Belge mülakatlarını okumak için isimleri tıklayabilirsiniz.

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    GARETH JENKINS ERGENEKONCU MU?

    Bu “yabancı sulandırıcı” hangi odağın emrini yerine getiriyor?

    22.11.2009 12:40

    Karakter boyutu :

    Gazeteci Gareth Jenkins’in ABD Kongresinin bir toplantı salonunda Ergenekonla ilgili bir konferansa katılacağını sütunlarımızda okumuştunuz. Arı Vakfı’nın düzenlediği bu toplantının gerçekleşmeden önce Gülen cemaatinin saldırılarına maruz kaldığını da yazmıştık.
    Jenkins, Ergenekon davası hakkında daha önce yazmış olduğu raporu özetlediği olan bu konuşmayı dün yaptı.
    Hürriyet yazarı Ahmet Hakan da bu konuşmayı bugünkü yazısının “Yabancı sulandırıcı” başlıklı bölümünde değerlendirdi.
    İşte o bölüm:

    “HADİ diyelim ki biz…

    Darbeciyiz, darbe şakşakçısıyız, “tank sesi”ne müptela olmuşuz, İlhan Selçuk severiz, Gürbüz Çapan’a kefaletimiz var, “devlet gazetesi”nde yazıp çiziyoruz, demokrasi fikrini yeterince özümseyememişiz, her askeri darbede hazır ola geçmeye alışkınız, tehlikenin farkına varamayacak kadar aymazız, her konuyu olduğu gibi Ergenekon’u da sulandırmaya yatkınız falan…
    Hadi diyelim ki biz böyleyiz…
    Peki 1989’dan beri Türkiye’de yaşayan, AK Parti iktidarına gayet ılımlı bakan, demokrasiye inanan İngiliz gazeteci Gareth Jenkins’e ne oluyor da…
    Ergenekon konusunda aykırı gidiyor.
    Ve o da tıpkı bizim gibi konuşuyor.
    * * *
    Ne mi diyor Gareth Jenkins?
    Mesela şunu diyor:
    “Ergenekon soruşturması odağında bir doğruluk payı taşıyor. Geçmişte gizli operasyonlar gerçekleştiren bazı kişilerin nihai olarak hükümeti istikrarsızlığa sürüklemek için bir örgüt oluşturduklarına inanıyorum. Ancak soruşturmanın her dalgası, asıl odaktan giderek daha da uzağa savruldu.”
    Vallaha ben de aynen böyle diyorum.
    Başka?
    Mesela şunu diyor:
    “Soruşturmanın hükümetin emriyle yürütüldüğünü söyleyemem. Ama hükümetin, bazı savcılara hoşgörü göstererek alan açtığını söyleyebilirim.”
    Güzel… Bunun da altına imzamı hemen çakarım.
    Başka?
    Mesela şunu diyor:
    “Gözaltına alınan kişiler arasında aşırılık yanlısı, ırkçı görüşlere, antisemitik bir bakış açısına sahip insanlar da var ve ben bunların görüşlerine katılmıyorum. Ama birilerinin terörist bir örgütte aktif olarak yer alması ile beğenilmeyen görüşlere sahip olması arasında bir fark vardır.”
    Tamamdır… Buna da zerre itirazım yok.
    Başka?
    Mesela şunu diyor:
    “İddianameler aceleyle hazırlanmış, tutarsızlıklarla dolu, dili kötü, komplo teorilerine ve varsayımlara dayandırılıyor. Ergenekon örgütünün yapısı, finans kaynakları hakkında bilgi vermiyor. Bu soruşturma adalet sistemini zedeliyor. Ortada Türkiye’nin derin devletiyle ya da karanlık geçmişiyle yüzleşmesi diye bir olay yok.”
    Aynen… Benim bakışım da aynen bu…
    * * *
    Şimdi en başa dönüyorum…
    Hadi diyelim ki bize “sulandırıcı” rolü verilmiş, onu oynuyoruz…
    Peki bu “yabancı sulandırıcı”, hangi odağın emrini yerine getiriyor?
    Yoksa o da mı Ergenekon’un adamı?”

    Odatv.com

  • Lieberman: Obama Wrong on Radical Islam

    Lieberman: Obama Wrong on Radical Islam

    Obama.EVIL hTuesday, 15 Jun 2010 10:36 AM

    By: Jim Meyers

    The new National Security Strategy released by the Obama White House last month refuses to recognize that our nation is at war with violent Islamist extremism, according to Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

    The Independent Democrat from Connecticut writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that the 2006 National Security Strategy correctly identified America’s enemy as transnational terrorists who “exploit the proud religion of Islam to serve a violent political vision.” The new Security Strategy omits that statement.

    The administration is wrong to eschew those words and the term “violent Islamist extremism” and instead use “violent extremism,” which is too broad and includes elements that are not at war with the U.S., Lieberman notes.

    Administration officials would argue that the term “violent Islamist extremism” bolsters our enemy’s propaganda assertion that the West is at war with Islam, but that logic is “completely unsound,” Lieberman declares.

    “Muslims in fact understand better than anyone else the enormous difference between their faith and the terrorist political ideology that has exploited it . . .
    “We must encourage and empower the non-violent Muslim majority to raise their voices to condemn the Islamist extremist ideology as a desecration of Islam.”

    The White House is also wrong to identify America’s enemy in the war on terror as simply al-Qaida and its affiliates, Lieberman states.

    “Defining the enemy by reference to al-Qaida implies that this war in primarily about destroying an organization, rather than defeating a broader political ideology. This war will not end when al-Qaida has been vanquished . . . but only when the ideology of violent Islamist extremism that inspires and predates it is decisively rejected. That ideology motivates many other groups and individuals . . .

    “We must recognize the nature of the fight we are in, not paper it over.”

    © Newsmax. All rights reserved.

  • PRESIDENT OBAMA WORKING TO STOP CRISIS

    PRESIDENT OBAMA WORKING TO STOP CRISIS

    news from israeli intelligence
    Turkey, Israel near clash after terror cell exposed on flotilla. Israel flies embassy families out
    DEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 2, 2010, 7:21 AM (GMT+02:00)
    Turkish terrorists beat up Israel troops

    debkafile reports: Early Wednesday, June 2, US president Barack Obama stepped into the fast-deteriorating flotilla crisis to stop it from spinning out of control. In secret phone calls, he asked Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu to release all the remaining passengers without delay as well as the six ships. He then tried to reason with the incandescent Turkish prime minister Recep Erdogan, who had just branded the Israeli raid a “bloody massacre.”
    Offering deep condolences for the loss of life aboard the flotilla, the US president said better ways must be found to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza without undermining Israel’s security. He supported the UN Security Council’s call for “a credible, impartial and transparent investigation” of the event, but refused to condemn Israel or take the inquiry out of its hands.
    debkafile reports from Ankara that Erdogan declined to be talked round, declaring that if America did not punish Israel for insolently “trampling on human honor”, Turkey would.

    Overnight, Israel began evacuating diplomats’ families from Turkey. Diplomatic and consular staff were left in place in Ankara and Istanbul and told along with security firms to stand by for departure.

    Netanyahu called the second security cabinet meeting in two days after the first on Tuesday approved the continued blockade of Gaza against all attempts to break it.

    Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again threatened Israel with destruction for any action it may take  anywhere and its Western supporters with international trial as war criminals.
    Israel is preparing for Ankara’s next steps that would defy President Obama’s bid to find a way out of the crisis between the two former allies. In Jerusalem, Erdogan’s accusations were deemed an unfounded and unjustified assault considering the evidence that he had consorted with terrorists, including an al Qaeda offshoot, to bring Israel under pressure in support of the Palestinian extremist Hamas.
    This evidence released by the IDF Monday night, June 1, described how the Turkish Marmara, the flotilla’s lead vessel, had been commandeered by terrorists indirectly supported by the Ankara government’s subsidy to the Turkish Insani Yardim Vakfi – IHH, which is listed by the American CIA as an al Qaeda-linked Islamist terrorist organization with bases in Turkey, Bosnia and Bulgaria.
    Those passengers attested to more than a hundred members of terrorist organizations aboard acting like a quasi-military group with a command hierarchy, whose leader forced the other four or five hundred passengers to fall into line behind them. The group was split into sub-sections, each in charge of a section of the ship before and after it set sail from Istanbul. Its members were all armed with an assortment of chains, iron bars and knives as well as night goggles and gas masks.
    Although they appeared to hail from different terrorist organizations from various countries, they were all ordered to say they belonged to the IHH.
    The group kept the ship to a strict military regiment, including round-the-clock guards in the different sections of the Marmara.

    When the ship was brought to Ashdod port and the passengers removed early Tuesday, the IHH members were found without identification papers of any kind. Either the Turkish authorities at Istanbul were instructed to let them embark aboard the Marmara without documents or they threw them overboard before the ship docked at Ashdod. Each had an envelope stuffed with thousands of dollars.

    debkafile’s intelligence sources disclose that, when first brought in, the Turkish terror activists refused to answer questions. By Tuesday nightfall, a few began talking and admitted to being members of IHH and its ties with al Qaeda’s Balkan outfit. Throughout the interrogations, Israel intelligence was in contact with colleagues in Western services for help to identify them by means of fingerprints and other physical features.
    Our counter-terror sources report that Israel must now decide whether to prosecute some of the activists, including Israeli Arabs, on board the Marmara, on charges of collaborating with an international terrorist organization.

    During Tuesday, Israel began deporting the 679 passengers – including 128 for Arab and Muslim countries through Jordan. The rest will be flown out within 48 hours. Three Turkish jets were due to collect them Wednesday. Eight Israel trucks brought assistance products from the ships to Gaza Tuesday; another 10 will make deliveries Wednesday.
    Israel intelligence agencies too have questions to answer – principally, how they missed spotting the terrorist presence aboard the putative aid-for-Gaza convoy and let a naval force undertake the mission to divert the ships to Ashdod, without preparing them for a violent confrontation with a determined, well-organized group of violent men.

  • Was the Obama Administration involved in the Planning of the Israeli Attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla?

    Was the Obama Administration involved in the Planning of the Israeli Attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla?

    The Broader Military Agenda

    by Michel Chossudovsky

    Global Research, June 6, 2010

    The Israeli Naval Commando had prior knowledge of who was on the Turkish ship including where passengers were residing in terms of cabin layout. According to Swedish author Henning Mankell, who was on board the Marmara , “the Israeli forces attacked sleeping civilians.”

    These were targeted assassinations. Specific individuals were targeted. Journalists were targeted with a view to confiscating their audio and video recording equipment and tapes.

    “We were witnesses to premeditated murders,” said historian Mattias Gardell who was on the Mavi Marmara.

    “…Asked about why activists on the Turkish ship had attacked the Israeli soldiers, Gardell stressed “it is not as if Israel is a police officer whom no human being has the legitimate right to defend him or herself against”:

    “If you are attacked by commando troops you of course must have the right to defend yourself … Many people on this ship thought they were going to kill everyone. They were very frightened … It’s strange if people think one should not defend oneself. Should you just sit there and say: ‘Kill me’?” he said.” (See Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, Detailed Compiled Eyewitness Accounts Confirm Cold-Blooded Murder and Executions by Israeli Military, Global Research, June 1, 2010)

    “They even shot those who surrendered. Many of our friends saw this. They told me that there were handcuffed people who were shot,” (quoted by Press TV)

    The Israeli Commando had an explicit order to kill.

    What was the role of the United States?

    The raids on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, bear the mark of  previous Israeli operations directed against unarmed civilians. It is a well established modus operandi of Israeli military-intelligence operations, which is tacitly supported by the US administration.

    The killing of civilians is intended to trigger a response by Palestinian resistance forces, which in turn justifies Israeli retaliation (on “humanitarian” grounds) as well as a process of military escalation. The logic of this process was contained in Ariel Sharon`s “Operation Justified Vengeance” initiated at the outset the Sharon government in 2001. This Operation was intent upon destroying the Palestinian Authority and transforming Gaza into an urban prison. (See Michel Chossudovsky, “Operation Justified Vengeance”: Israeli Strike on Freedom Flotilla to Gaza is Part of a Broader Military Agenda, Global Research, June 1, 2010).

    The Israeli attack of the Flotilla bears the fingerprints of a military intelligence operation coordinated by the IDF and Mossad, which is headed by Meir Dagan. It is worth recalling that as a young Coronel, Dagan worked closely with then defense minister Ariel Sharon in the raids on the Palestinian settlements of Sabra and Shatilla in Beirut in 1982.

    There are indications that the US was consulted at the highest levels regarding the nature of this military operation. Moreover, in the wake of the attacks, both the US and the UK have unequivocally reaffirmed their support to Israel.

    There are longstanding and ongoing military and intelligence relations between the US and Israel including close working ties between various agencies of government: Pentagon, National Intelligence Council, State Department, Homeland Security and their respective Israeli counterparts.

    These various agencies of government are involved in routine liaison and consultations, usually directly as well as through the US Embassy in Israel, involving frequent shuttles of officials between Washington and Tel Aviv as well as exchange of personnel. Moreover, the US as well as Canada have public security cooperation agreements with Israel pertaining to the policing of international borders, including maritime borders. (See Israel-USA Homeland Security Cooperation, See also Michel Chossudovsky, The Canada-Israel “Public Security” Agreement, Global Research, 2 April 2008)

    The Role of Rahm Emmanuel

    Several high level US-Israel meetings were held in the months prior to the May 31st attacks.

    Rahm Emmanuel, Obama’s White House chief of Staff was in Tel Aviv a week prior to the attacks. Confirmed by press reports, he had meetings behind closed doors with Prime Minister Netanyahu (May 26) as well as a private visit with President Shimon Peres on May 27.

    rahm emanuel1rahm emanuel2

    rahm emanuel3
    May 26 meeting between Rahm Emmanuel and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

    Official statements do not indicate whether other officials including cabinet ministers or IDF and Mossad officials were present at the Rahm Emmanuel-Netanyahu meeting. The Israeli press confirmed that Rahm Emmanuel had a meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, whose Ministry was responsible for overseeing the Commando attack on the Flotilla. (Rahm Emanuel visits Israel to celebrate son’s bar mitzvah – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News, 23 May 2010). The White House also confirmed that Rahm Emmanuel was to meet other high-ranking Israeli officials, without providing further details. (Rahm Emanuel in Israel for Son’s Bar Mitzvah, May Meet With Officials)

    “Our Man in the White House”

    While born in the US, Rahm Emmanuel also holds Israeli citizenship and has served in the Israeli military during the First Gulf War (1991).

    Rahm is also known for his connections to the pro-Israeli lobby in the US.  The Israeli newspaper Maariv calls him “Our Man in the White House” (quoted in Irish Times, March 13, 2010). Rahm Emmanuel gave his support to Obama in the November 2008 presidential elections following Obama`s address to the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC.

    At the time of Rahm Emmanuel’s confirmation as White House chief of staff, there were reports in the Middle East media of Rahm Emanuel’s connections to Israeli intelligence.

    The exact nature of Rahm Emmanuel’s ties to the Israeli military and intelligence apparatus, however, is not the main issue. What we are dealing with is a broad process of bilateral coordination and decision-making between the two governments in the areas of foreign policy, intelligence and military planning, which has been ongoing for more than 50 years. In this regard, Israel, although exercising a certain degree of autonomy in military and strategic decisions, will not act unilaterally, without receiving the “green light” from Washington. Rahm Emmanuel`s meetings with the prime minister and Israeli officials are part of this ongoing process.

    Rahm Emmanuel’s meetings in Tel Aviv on May 26 were a routine follow-up to visits to Washington by Prime Minister Netanyahu in March and by Minister of Defense Ehud Barak in late April. In these various bilateral US-Israel encounters at the White House, the state Department and the Pentagon, Rahm Emmanuel invariably plays a key role.

    While the pro-Israeli lobby in the US influences party politics in America, Washington also influences the direction of Israeli politics. There have been reports to the effect that Rahm Emmanuel  would “lead a team of high octane Democratic party pro-Israel political operatives to run the campaign for the Defense Minister Ehud Barak” against Netanyahu in the next Israeli election. (Ira Glunts, Could Rahm Emanuel Help Barak Unseat Netanyahu? Palestine Chronicle, June 2, 2010)

    The April 27 meeting between US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Defense Minister Barak pertained to “a range of important defense issues” directly or indirectly related to the status of the Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation:

    “As President Obama has affirmed, the United States commitment to Israel’s security is unshakable, and our defense relationship is stronger than ever, to the mutual benefit of both nations. The United States and our ally Israel share many of the same security challenges, from combating terrorism to confronting the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear-weapons program.

    For years, the United States and Israel have worked together to prepare our armed forces to meet these and other challenges, a recent major example being the Juniper Cobra joint exercise held last October. Our work together on missile-defense technology is ongoing, and the United States will continue to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge.” (Press Conference with Secretary Gates and Israeli Defense Minister Barak, April 2010 – Council on Foreign Relations April 27, 2010)

    These consultations pertained to ongoing military preparations regarding Iran. Both Israel and the US have recently announced that a pre-emptive attack against Iran has been contemplated.

    Washington views Israel as being “‘integrated into America’s military architecture,’ especially in the missile defense sphere.” (quoted in Emanuel to rabbis: US ‘screwed up’ Jerusalem Post, statement of Dennis Ross, who is in charge of the US administration’s Iran policy in the White House, May 16, 2010).

    Targeting Iran

    The attack on the Freedom Flotilla, might appear as a separate and distinct humanitiarian issue, unrelated to US-Israeli war plans. But from the standpoint of both Tel Aviv and Washington, it is part of the broader military agenda. It is intended to create conditions favoring an atmosphere of confrontation and escalation in the Middle East war theater;

    “All the signs are that Israel has been stepping up its provocations to engineer a casus belli for a war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Tel Aviv sees as unfinished business its inconclusive wars: the first in Lebanon in 2006, and the second in Gaza in 2008-09.” (Jean Shaoul Washington Comes to the Aid of Israel over Gaza Convoy Massacre, Global Research, June 4, 2010)

    Following Israel’s illegal assault in international waters, Netanyahu stated emphatically “Israel will continue to exercise its right to self defence. We will not allow the establishment of an Iranian port in Gaza,” suggesting that the Gaza blockade was part of the pre-emptive war agenda directed against Iran, Syria and Lebanon. (Israeli forces board Gaza aid ship the Rachel Corrie – Telegraph, June 5, 2010, emphasis added) .

    Moreover, the raid on the Flotilla coincided with NATO-Israel war games directed against Iran. According to the Sunday Times, “three German-built Israeli submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles are to be deployed in the Gulf near the Iranian coastline.” (Israel Deploys Three Nuclear Cruise Missile-Armed Subs Along Iranian Coastline).

    While Israeli naval deployments were underway in the Persian Gulf, Israel was also involved in war games in the Mediterranean. The war game codenamed “MINOAS 2010” was carried out at a Greek air base in Souda Bay, on the island of Crete. Earlier in February, The Israeli air force “practiced simulated strikes at Iran’s nuclear facilities using airspace of two Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, which are close territorially with the Islamic republic and cooperate with Israel on this issue.” Ria Novosti,War Games: Israel gets ready to Strike at Iran’s Nuclear Sites,, March 29, 2010)

    Also, in the wake of the final resolution of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation directed against Israel’s nuclear weapons program, the White House has reaffirmed its endorsement of Israel’s nuclear weapons capabilities. Washington’s statement issued one day before the raid on the flotilla points to unbending US support to “Israel’s strategic and deterrence capabilities”, which also include the launching of a pre-emptive nuclear attack on Iran:

    “a senior political source in Jerusalem said Sunday that Israel received guarantees from U.S. President Barack Obama that the U.S. would maintain and improve Israel’s strategic and deterrence capabilities.

    According to the source, “Obama gave [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu unequivocal guarantees that include a substantial upgrade in Israel-U.S. relations.”

    Obama promised that no decision taken during the recent 189-nation conference to review and strengthen the 40-year-old Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty “would be allowed to harm Israel’s vital interests,” the sources said.  Obama promised to bolster Israel’s strategic capabilities, Jerusalem officials say – Haaretz Daily Newspaper)

    RobertGatesEhudBarak
    Robert Gates and Israel's Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, Press Conference, April 27, 2010

    The Turkey-Israel Relationship in Jeopardy?

    The actions of Israel against the Freedom Flotilla have important ramifications. Israel’s criminal actions in international waters has contributed to weakening the US-NATO-Israel military alliance.

    The bilateral Israel-Turkey alliance in military, intelligence, joint military production is potentially in jeopardy. Ankara has already announced that three planned military exercises with Israel have been cancelled. “The government announced it was considering reducing its relations with Israel to a minimum.”

    It should be understood that Israel and Turkey are partners and major actors in the US-NATO planned aerial attacks on Iran, which have been in the pipeline since mid-2005. The rift between Turkey and Israel has a direct bearing on NATO as a military alliance. Turkey is one of the more powerful NATO member states with regard to its conventional forces. The rift with Israel breaks a consensus within the Atlantic Alliance. It also undermines ongoing US-NATO-Israel pre-emptive war plans directed against Iran, which until recently were endorsed by the Turkish military.

    From the outset in 1992, the Israeli-Turkish military alliance was directed against Syria, as well as Iran and Iraq. (For details see See Michel Chossudovsky, “Triple Alliance”: The US, Turkey, Israel and the War on Lebanon, Global Research, 2006)

    In 1997, Israel and Turkey launched “A Strategic Dialogue” involving a bi-annual process of high level military consultations by the respective deputy chiefs of staff. (Milliyet, Istanbul, in Turkish 14 July 2006).

    During the Clinton Administration, a triangular military alliance between the US, Israel and Turkey had unfolded. This “triple alliance”, which in practice is dominated by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, integrates and coordinates military command decisions between the three countries pertaining to the broader Middle East. It is based on the close military ties respectively of Israel and Turkey with the US, coupled with a strong bilateral military relationship between Tel Aviv and Ankara.

    Starting in 2005, Israel has become a de facto member of NATO. The triple alliance was coupled with a 2005 NATO-Israeli military cooperation agreement which included “many areas of common interest, such as the fight against terrorism and joint military exercises. These military cooperation ties with NATO are viewed by the Israeli military as a means to “enhance Israel’s deterrence capability regarding potential enemies threatening it, mainly Iran and Syria.” (“Triple Alliance”: The US, Turkey, Israel and the War on Lebanon).

    The Issue of Territorial Waters

    Israel’s blockade of Gaza is in large part motivated by the broader issue of control of  Gaza’s territorial waters, which contain significant reserves of natural gas. What is at stake is the confiscation of Palestinian gas fields and the unilateral de facto declaration of Israeli sovereignty over Gaza’s maritime areas. If the blockade were to be broken, Israel’s de facto control over Gaza’s offshore gas reserves would be jeopardy. (See Michel Chossudovsky,War and Natural Gas: The Israeli Invasion and Gaza’s Offshore Gas Fields, Global Research, January 8, 2009. See also Michel Chossudovsky, The War on Lebanon and the Battle for Oil, Global Research, July 23, 2006)

    gazagasmap2gazagasmap

    , 6.6.2010

  • The Gülen movement plays big in Washington

    The Gülen movement plays big in Washington

    .The Assembly of Turkish-American Associations, or ATAA’s, president, Günay Evinç, was pretty upset. Evinç, who has had good relationships with the Gülen Movement’s organizations so far, did not seem as thrilled with the idea of this alternative Turkish assembly   of Gulen <……………………………..

    Gülen appears to be hitting the organizations closer to Turkish Government in power and thus closer to him. ATAA is one example next lucky organization Might Be the FTAA.  We are not sure about TCA  (Turkish Coalition of America ..  Since about 2 years old TCA consists of only 3 paid people and lots of green dollars from Turkish Deep State which happens to choose not to actively engage Fetullah Gülen.. but to follow or copy his teachings and his way of operation  .. If we look at broader picture Both Gulen and Turkish deep state get their direction from the same corner of OBAMA which we call it CIA they are the 2 friendly actors of the same game .. and “THE GAME CONTINUES” ….  TURKISH FORUM


    Friday, May 14, 2010

    İLHAN TANIR

    It was one of the lavish lounges of the Willard Hotel in Washington where hundreds of Turkic people from all across America with plain name tags gathered to mark the creation of a new umbrella Turkic Assembly last Wednesday. Six Turkish-American federations, which have close proximity to Mr. Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric and the exiled leader of the Turkey-based religious Gülen Movement joined to form the Assembly of Turkic American Federations, or ATAF, a non-profit organization.

    Half a dozen U.S. Senators and a few dozens of U.S. Representatives made a strong showing at the reception and the Gülen Movement hinted that its new assembly has some muscles to flex in Washington already.

    One would think bringing that many U.S. Senators and Representatives should require loads of money for campaign donations. “No,” said, Mahmut Yeter, president of one of the six federations that formed the ATAF, “this strong turnout owes its success to their members who worked voluntarily, often visited these lawmakers in their local offices and finally convinced them with their persistence that they have to be at the reception.”

    I had a chance to talk with some of the congressmen and senators who participated at the reception. I asked Ms. Gabrielle Giffords, representative from Arizona’s 8th. District, why she chose to come to a Turkic community gathering, considering that there is a very tiny Turkic community in her district. Gifford turned and pointed out a young Turkish man who was standing next to her. According to the congresswoman, that young Turkish man had visited Gifford’s district office several times recently and finally persuaded her to show up for the reception “even though I do not like to go such events,” Gifford said, before responding my question and telling me that she never heard of Fethullah Gülen.

    The Gülen Movement accelerated its activities in U.S., especially since the leader of the Movement, Fethullah Gülen settled in Pennsylvania about a decade ago. During the mid ’90s, after almost three decades in the making, it was still operating very much under the radar in Turkey.

    The unexpected and sudden decision to combine all of their 180 organizations under one umbrella assembly was a surprising move, at any rate, for those who follow the Gülen movement closely and are aware about its cautious strategies and steps.

    Mr. Gülen first decided to go public with a wide ranging interview in early 1995, and in the following years the movement attracted ever-increasing attention. The postmodern-military coup of Feb. 28, 1997 pushed Gülen out of Turkey to find refuge in the U.S. Only more than a decade later, the Gülen Movement gathered enough manpower, recognition and credit to bring dozens of members of Congress to its half-official Washington debut night. The Turkish ambassador to the U.S., Mr. Namık Tan, came to the reception and stayed there almost the entire night, having conversations with the members of the U.S. Congress – alhough not everyone was as joyful about the new kid in town. The Assembly of Turkish-American Associations, or ATAA’s, president, Günay Evinç, was pretty upset about the name of this new assembly because of its similar word selection with their own assembly. Evinç argued that this name similarity has created a big administrative disaster for their organization to explain the difference.

    Evinç, who has had good relationships with the Gülen Movement’s organizations so far, did not seem as thrilled with the idea of this alternative Turkish assembly. “ATAA,” Evinç said while describing the difference, “promotes an inter-Turks dialogue, not interfaith.” Evinç pleaded that he wanted “a dialogue and to stay on good terms with everyone, including this new organization.” However, this name confusion is such a huge issue, he said, adding that they would even consider finishing “the whole partnerships and dialogue with them.”

    Another Gülen Movement member in Washington said when told about this complaint, “for 30 years, ATAA has been the leading voice to represent Turkish people in the U.S. Now rapidly increasing numbers of Gülen-tied assemblies are taking the market, and ATAA’s and others’ maneuvering room is shrinking.”

    Decision from Gülen

    This decision of “combining all Gülen-related Turkic or Turkish associations and federations under one assembly,” was decided by Fethullah Gülen, another active member of the movement who came to the reception from a long distance said. “This decision was too big to let other leading members of the Gülen Movement to take on. Gülen took the initiative,” said the well-connected member while listening to speakers at the reception.

    It is the “Turkic American Federations,” not Turkish, because this umbrella organization represents not only those Turks who are from Turkey, but those “citizens from Central Asia, Anatolia and the Balkans… as part of [America’s] cultural mosaic” the website of the ATAF notes.

    The Gülen Movement also sent an important signal to the political leadership in Ankara by fetching this many U.S. Congress members. The movement made a psychological statement in Washington that they should be also taken into consideration in terms of multi-leveled relations between Turkey and America by demonstrating that they have a few strings to play in Washington.

    Mr. Gülen motivates his followers in the U.S. to contribute and visit their local representatives. Gülen, according to another active member of the movement at the reception, asks those who want to visit his compound in Pennsylvania “to donate to their local representatives first,” before they show up at his door.

    “This is just a beginning,” another participant told me during the night, while pointing out a group of senators and representatives along with the Turkish ambassador having a conversation.

    The Gülen Movement last week made it official that its members are here in America to stay and expand at an even faster pace in coming years.

    This looming scenario would have two possible upshots for Turkish-American relationships. One is: increasing the presence of the movement in Washington will help Turkey during some of the threatening developments for its interests, such as the Armenian genocide resolution discussions. The Gülen Movement proved with this year’s “genocide” fights in Washington and other states that the movement will be another influential venue to advance Turkey’s interests in Washington on many matters.

    The second upshot is the strong possibility for the Gülen Movement to become a leading voice among the Turkish groups in Washington to reach the U.S. Congress and other Washington decision makers to narrate the contemporary domestic issues of Turkey and relate them to U.S. politicians. In that sense, members of the U.S. Congress, most of whom do not have much international affairs on their resume, might be just happy while swallowing concentrated education pills on Turkey through Gülen Movement recipe.

    The Gülenists deserved a big round of applause with being able to pull off such an impressive gathering at the heart of Washington this week at the end of the day.

    The Gülen Movement members are disciplined, loyal and they complete their assignments as they are told. The movement is able to mobilize its members to fulfill its leader’s vision even in America.

    It is a tough competitor for any other movement.

    That is why we hear more often greetings to Pennsylvania these days from unexpected places.

    26

    List of Websites About Fethullah Gulen

    Fethullah Gülen was listed among the top hundred public intellectuals by Foreign Policy magazine .

    Fethullah Gulen’s website: www.fgulen.com, www.fethullahgulen.org

    Gulen Institute’s Website: www.guleninstitute.org

    Gulen Library’s website: www.gulenlibrary.org

    Fethullah Gulen Forum: www.fethullahgulenforum.org

    Gulen Conferences’ Websites:

    www.fethullahgulenconference.org, www.gulenconference.net , www.gulenconference.us , www.gulenconference.org.uk , www.gulenconference.nl

    Other Links:

    http://gulenmovementforabetterworld.blogspot.com/

    READER COMMENTS

    Guest – Frustrated “Eniste”

    2010-05-15 23:00:06

    Having lived in the US with my Turkish wife, during the time of ASALA; I find myself very confused by your report. In those days, my friends the Turks were totally patriotic to their homeland, at the risk of their lives. They were mostly well educated, financially secure people; which probably differentiated them from the obvious, Tarikat type Gulen disciples you describe. I find it a sign of the total govt. disaster of AKP, that “our” Ambassador pays lip service to the prosperity of a fugitive, who desires the total destruction of the republic’s democracy! I think the comment by the Rep. from Arizona, that she didn’t even know who Imam Gulen was, shows the pathological lies, which underpin the movement! I also pity my countrymen for their stupidity; and condemn them for interference in the affairs, of another nation. Turkey is more subtle; but little better than Iran and Chile!!

  • EVENTS FOR THE GREEK – PONTIC GENOCIDE IN NEW YORK AND IN CANADA.

    EVENTS FOR THE GREEK – PONTIC GENOCIDE IN NEW YORK AND IN CANADA.

    19  MAYISDA PONTUSLULARIN NEWYORKDA BAYRAK TORENI VAR  – ERTESI HAFTA TURK DERNEKLERI ISE AYNI DIREGE TURK BAYRAGI CEKME MUSADESI ALMISLAR  – EMPERYALIST GUCLERIN HALA TURKIYENIN KARADENIZ SAHILLERINDE GOZLERI VAR (GENISLETILMIS BUYUK OPRTADOGU PROJESININ BIR PARCASI) (BOLUNECEK TURKIYEDEN KOPACAK OLAN PONTUS FEDERASYONU) TURKISH FORUM
    —————————

    Apostolos Papapostolou

    May 10 2010

    The international remembrance day of the Greek-Pontic genocide will be
    honored in New York with public events and the hoisting of the Greek
    Pontic flag and the Greek flag at the Bowling Green Park in Manhattan
    (on the corner of State Street and Broadway).

    The remembrance social event is being organized by the American – Canadian all-Pontic
    Federation and by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater
    New York

    During the event Greek and Greek – American officials and leaders will
    deliver speeches. Also speaking will be American officials, authors,
    intellectuals, activists against genocides and representatives of
    the American Armenian and Assyrian communities.

    This year, during the remembrance of the Greek Pontic Genocide social
    event the Swedish Ambassador will also be honored for the recent
    acknowledgement of the Armenian, the Assyrian and the Greek Pontic
    genocide by the Swedish Parliament.

    Ms Fanoula Argirou, a Greek-Cyprian researcher, journalist and author
    who will be arriving from London, will also give a speech on Wednesday,
    May the 19th, at 7.30 at the Stathakion Centre 22-51 Street, Astoria,
    NY 11105.

    The title of the speech is “From the Greek Pontic genocide to the
    Turkish invasion in Cyprus.”

    In Canada the American and Canadian all-Pontic Federation is staging
    a series of events in collaboration with organizations during the
    month of May.

    Greek Reporter