Sunday
Nov012009
Turkey's Erdogan Defends Iran, Targets Israel's Nuclear Weapons
Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 12:17
An Israeli Snub to “Very Valuable” Turkey?
Latest from Iran (1 November): Is This the Opposition’s Moment?
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On Saturday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued his criticism of Israel, as he said that the world ,including the Middle East, should be free from the atomic threat:
Latest from Iran (1 November): Is This the Opposition’s Moment?
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Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
On Saturday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued his criticism of Israel, as he said that the world ,including the Middle East, should be free from the atomic threat:We want to live in a region completely purged of nuclear weapons. We want to live in a world in which nuclear weapons no longer exist.
Those who criticize Iran's nuclear program continue to possess the same weapons...
I think that those who take this stance, who want these arrogant sanctions, need to first give these [weapons] up. We shared this opinion with our Iranian friends, our brothers.
Reader Comments (11)
Shame on Mr. Erdogan for going to Iran and shaking the hands of those over there with the blood of innocent Iranians on their hands. Can someone convey a message to him, decent people thought he is a genuine faithful person and one who has a firm morality. Well what he did in affect has demonstrated the opposite. Mr, Erdogan had no reason to go there, his lower level civil servants have been making sure Turkish interests are covered. But he could himself have stayed above the muck and strengthened his standing among many in the ME. I am afraid he has lost it. Common folk who are sick by the barbaric nature of the treatment of innocent people in Iran are now asking serious questions of him. Why did you go and lower your moral standing, nay lose it altogether. Shame on you.
Personally I see this as a symptom of a larger issue namely that of Islamism on the rise. Erdogan speaks a good game but on more than one occasion he has stated his disdain for Western Democracy. In one instance he said "Democracy is like a subway you get off when you want"(not the exact words but what I could remember.) Erdogan clearly sees the system as more important than the people thus you see his support for Iran and the recent crack downs on the press/opposition in his own nation. Erdogan simply sees Democracy as just a vehichle to usher in his Islamist way of governement. Akin to this you see the Muslim Brotherhood talking up democracy but like Erdogan many scholars think it is just a ploy to gain power. I don't don't for one minute doubt that if the MB came to power Egypt would be overnight transformed into a theocracy. One of their first actions would be to cancel the treaty with Israel and most likely initiate new violence directed towards Israel.
Bill
Believe me we are very sensitive to any "little amount" of Islamic coloring of things, and we are very fearful. If the MB took over Egypt, and if the Turks allow for their own Erdogan and others to become more Islamized then havoc will break out in the ME. I was brought up a Muslim in a Muslim home and I know very well the history and the institutions, and there are millions like me in Iran. We know the danger inherent in Islamic ideology. There is too much move for violence and too little room for compassion. La ikrāha fi'ddīn is not practiced, ever. There are current edicts to the effect that violence is justified, Mesbah has as doctrine calling for even more violence, khoshūnat, and has given fatwas to kill. There should be no room for this in the world. This type of behavior must end. Democracy is the way. This is what we want and we know it. It doesn't of course reduce to a vote alone, there are multiple issues, such as law, justice, equality under law, a real and functioning due process, legal representation, and of course above all real freedom and of the individual variety, too. The idea that there is some "enemy" out there who is plotting against Islam is a lie, we don't believe it anymore. The enemy are those who raped and killed this summer and those who ordered them and those who are falsifying the truth now. Yes, they are the enemy. Of course the regime is becoming vulnerable, a bit, which is why they all come out and make these awful sounding threats, but we all see through them. We believe we are on the side of truth. We also know that radical Islam and their manifestation as Hamas, Hezbollah, Taleban, al-Qa'ida, Islamic Republics, etc. are what are really against justice and equality and real progress that will benefit millions of Muslims. I think the olden days of colonial and imperial ideologies are over. We want the same things you have in the West. To begin with, a real reformation but even stronger, to purge the false element out of Islam and to restore the principles of ethics and to uphold indeed the kind of morality I see more in the West than certainly in the Islamic world. If we are to make progress we Muslims must say this and must act. Why should Muslims even entertain the false ideology of throwing Israel into the sea. Really why? Peace is in the interest of all. And it is in the U.S's interest to support the Green and not to shake the bloodied hands of the leaders of the IR. Future generations will know this and would have demanded it. Also, and I have now been saying this often, the western intellectuals must not be blinded by their anti Bush anti imperialist ideologies and keep on siding with the IR and with Hamas and such imagining they are upholding the rights of the oppressed. This is a noble sentiment, but the reality is different on the streets. The colonialists, the oppressors of the people are no longer the westerners (that ended some time back) they are the IR and their cronies. Why do you think the slogan, na ghazzeh na lobnan janam fada-e iran (neither Ghazza nor Lebanon, my one life is given to Iran), has been now widespread? We are no fools. We know who is oppressing us and who are the robbers, the colonialists, the thugs, the deceitful, the rapists, the killers, and those who have taken away our very existence and decency. We know who they are. The commanders of the Basij, Naqdi, the old one Ta'eb, chief of police Radan, etc . etc. these are the enemy of the people of Iran. They know this themselves and for now they think that by force and by hiring more killers and rapists they will continue, but they are mistaken.
Please, if we are all in this together. There is one truth and one world and we must have morality and must allow for the principles of ethics to reign. Do educate your western pundits who are way behind the reality in Iran. This thing has the potential to change the ME and to transform Islam and to allow for the complex, historical and otherwise, that made Islam a civilization in the past, to once more be born, to live.
Hossein,
I love the statement "neither Ghazza nor Lebanon, my one life is given to Iran." I especially loved it when I saw a video of a rally on Quds day. The basiji over loud speakers would say "Death to Israel Death to America" and then a roar would be heard saying "neither Ghazza nor Lebanon, my one life is given to Iran." Went on for awhile but the Basiji eventually stopped realizing the people were not going to follow them.
As you continue forward with the protests I would only encourage the movement to become unpredictable. I say this because if you do the same thing over and over again the regime is going to figure out how to trully crush it. Centralization is good but not so when it puta everyone out in the open within the sights of the regime. The movement must dectralize and push their messge from a grass roots level. By doing it this way it becomes harder for the regime to track the movement and subsequently quell it. Mass protest must still be organized to put a public face on the movement but you have to be "crafty" in how you do it. Hijacking national holidays were a great idea but now you have to come up with another "sneaky" way to repeat this. I don't have all the answers but like you I believe this form of warped Fundamentalist Islam needs to be fought.
If your able to keep it up for a good deal of time the message gets out and you will find more and more joing the Green Wave. They will realize the "truth" and be able to seperate it from the lies the regime uses to stay into power. Over time more an more officials in the government will notice this and realize they can never hope to win. When this happens is when the movement trully starts to win!
Thx
Bill
Bill
Once again the people of Iran have shown they stand for freedom and once again western governments didn't get it. President Obama's cozy overture to Iran has been met with lots of negative feelings. We all think President Obama does stand for freedom but he must show it. Extending a hand of friendship to this extent to the regime who once again is beating innocents by the hundreds on the streets of all cities in Iran is a bit insensitive. The western press don't seem to get it and seem to be oblivious to the Iranian people's suffering today. We are not a "few" there were multiple places and the fact that any in fact did come out in view of the harsh statements and the harsh beatings with sticks and batons is a triumph, you should indicate that. There were hundreds of people beaten so harshly everyone ws crying. We must show the world that we are here and will continue to stand against the depot, the Zahhak of the era. Yes Bill, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness is what we too long for.
Hossein,
Thank you for your heart felt response. The unfortunate reality in the West is what our priorities are. From a geopolitical stanpoint the priority has always been the nuclear issue. Obama trully cares for your people but his agenda is dictated by other factors. That big factor is the security of the US and its interests around the world. It is quite selfish but I understand it from a politically. The regime in Iran is using this to their advantage. They know the nuclear issue is the "hot button" with the US so they will exploit it.
When our government places a priority on a particular subject the media usually follows. The harsh reality is the people of Iran from Western geopolitical standpoint is less of a priority than the nukes. Having said that I have read hundereds of articles touching on this point and the shame of not prioritizing the people of Iran first. The irony is if the reform movement were to win tomorrow I think the nuclear issue would actually get resolved. The regime knows keeping the nuclear issue open works to their advantage. They do so because it keeps eyes off the far greater threat to the regime the reform movement. I hope you can understand and please realize we are cheering for you guys everytime you stand up for your rights!
thx
bill
At least someone has the guts to stand and tell the truth. Don't preach to other while you sit on a pile of nukes and threten everyone everyday.
"our brothers".. no wonder that many in the EU don't want Turkey to join.
"Those who criticize Iran’s nuclear program continue to possess the *same* weapons…"
Strange phrase, I thought that Iran didn't want nuclear *weapons* ?
Erdogan and the Turkish Islamists are taking this once bastion of democracy and secular system to ruin. Erdogan by calling A.N. his "brother" has once and forever given away his true sentiment and has shown us the true essence of the Islamists. How can an decent democratic being call a person responsible for countless deaths and torture and rape, "my brother." Let the world know. EU, be very aware, lest this deceit encompass you and fool you—this is not a joke, the state it all the time in Persian and Turkish and Arabic, but are covered in taqqiya when addressing the world in English. These are all united to kill all liberties and bring about a totalitarian universal state. Don't be fooled. Where are the upholders of Ataturk's legacy hiding. Please step in and act before it is too late.
You need to come on our forums of anti-sarkozists, as he is against :-)
I once read that the only real secular countries in the world were France and Turkey. In effect, that's something to uphold as you say !