Asena should pay more attention to facts and put them in context

Submitted by Anatoly Tsaliovich (United States), Jun 13, 2010 at 02:15

Following is a very brief review of Asena's claims (to simplify the review, I have limited the proofs just to several Internet items, but much info as well as serious research on those subjects are available):

1. I never claimed that Erdogan was gaining support before the Flotilla affair. In fact, the organizing the "flotilla" was a ploy to increase the populist support. So far, looks like this adventure together with "demagoguery" did pay dividends in Turkey and (although partially) in the Arab world (e.g., see http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE6573E820100608 ).

And that was exactly the point of my (as well as the majority of others) comments.
Of course like any affair, this one has a potential to backfire but this is yet to be seen.

2. May be, the Turkish Army is indeed strong militarily (I am not a military expert), but it's political clout was seriously reduced by Erdogan's "cleansing" (e.g., see http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/22/turkey-military-officers-arrested ;

also, http://www.euronews.net/2010/02/27/tough-government-crackdown-on-turkish-military/ )

Again, the point that I was making stays: Erdogan was able to significantly "neuter" the ability of the Turkish army to limit his powers.

3. I did not claim that "the hell Arabs will destroy the common "Zionist enemy" (in fact, I don't believe they can), but that was, still is, and probably remain one of the most potent slogans to "unite by purpose" the "holy force". By the way, even such a "call to justice" falls on "deaf ears" in some important Arab countries.

4. On the other hand, the statement that "Turkey is trying to establish friendship with former Ottoman provinces" doesn't hold water: since when Iran became Turkey's province? Please, do not confuse Iran and Iraq.

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