Turkey’s rulling party wins with a narrow victory
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The Turks have succumbed to the charms (and bullying) of a demagogue and given him absolute power. In 10 years, they’ll realize their blunder.
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Thanks to you and insomnia I have read alot about this Turkey referendum.
@Nattydread here we will disagree.
Turkey is at a crossroad. It’s strategic position as the midpoint between asia-europe and ME-europe makes its case complicated between strategic global influences and manipulation. A strong independent Turkey that takes care of it’s interest first, secures the interest of the region as well it’s own is the key to prosperity. A strong Turkey means it’s internal mechanism between religious lines and power interest remains the same. However pragmatism dictates that Turkey drops it’s obvious west strategy for neutrality. The west has controlled it’s military for far too long and in Turkey, that’s one half of it’s state power. Secondly the political field was split between parliamentary and presidential system. Last year coup sponsored by the west to overthrow their previous alley (President Erdogan) will forever change Turkey. President Erdogan main problem with the west is building up Turkey from a pure west alley to it’s own power base. As PM he built a strong independent economy non-reliant on EU/USA. He implemented Turkey ambitions to have its own local defense industry. In the past they spent $ billions a year buying weapons in EU/USA. Not anymore in the last decade. Turkey local Engineering and manufacturing means they can manufacture their own/licence guns, armour, tanks, ships and planes. They became self sufficient. Now alot of the west bases are still based there and it remains their trump card. The usa campaign in Syria and Iraq is impossible without access to Turkey military bases. When President Erdogan started questioning them on the same and demanding to sign off on operations, a coup to overthrow him was staged. Thanks to Russia early warning he survived. However since then he has been consolidating power within to go it alone and that’s why they had a referendum. He is consolidating power at home to chart it’s own independent course.
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I rarely agree with him but on this one, I think he is right. Erdogan has ill motives.
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Bro,
I live in the middle of the issue and can only say that you are confusing a strong Turkey with a ‘strong’ Erdogan. They are two different things.
Erdogan plays the religious card intensely and is not averse to abusing it and even abetting terror. Until very recently, IS could count on him because it helped his oppression of the Kurds in and out of his territory. Long, long story.
Any leader who muzzles all media, kills parliament and and takes control of the highest institutions of justice eventually destroys the nation, because the destiny of the nation becomes welded to his human frailty. Drumpf in America tried to barnstorm his way into an American where he called the shots, but because all institutions are robust and their independence fiercely protected, his destructive impulses were tamed.
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Ok, then I stand corrected.
EU/NATO needs Turkey more than it needs them. Kudos to Turks for empowering Sultan Erdogan
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I think all parties need each other but the refugee issue seems to have given Turkey more leverage over Western European nations.
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To a large extent, Turkey holds the Key to ending the Syrian conflict. She is the only one who is working with Russia and the US in this free for all. My 2 cents
hawa washenzi wasiingie EU. they have proven to be fucktards that will eat the europeans within their countries
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They can’t. They are at loggerheads with the Syrian Kurds who are the best fighting force in the country.
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Very sharp insight right there. The Turks often get trapped siding with IS because they are afraid of Iraqi Kurds infecting their Turkish brothers with the autonomy bug.
Putin does not like that.
Atleast Turks will make Europeans choose btn them Joining EU and all the accompanied benefits or Giving Refugees a through pass to Germany which will not be very hard for Turkey to do.
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putin’s men have spotted in action with syrian kurds…word on the street is that he is training them…cant authenticate that though.
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And about that coup,it was planned perfectly by erdogan thats how dictators rally support from their supporters.plan a coup,‘squash’ it then change the constitution to give himself imperial power.
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They are also not in good terms with Assad.
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Oh Yes! There’s also the Sunni/Shiite/Alewite divide.
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Iraqi Kurdistan is preparing for a referendum. If it goes through, the Kurd fever will be felt in Iran, Turkey, and Syria. The only problem is the politics dividing them. PYD in Syria, PKK/HDP in Turkey, KRG in Iraq, and KDPI in Iran. These political groups are at loggerheads. A united Kurdistan may take another generation to be realized.
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There was a coup but Russia leaked it to President Erdogan, he then let it play out against his own counter coup so that he can purge Turkey of all resistance to him. It worked, he cleared the Judiciary, Parliament and the big prize military generals alleyed to the west more than to him.
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Perfect summary!!
Right now there’s a running spat with Europe because some soldiers stationed under NATO were recalled home but have refused, knowing ni kinyonga if they ever had any Gulenist connections.
What Erdogan has done in Turkey is similar to what a 70s African despot like Amin would have done to consolidate all power and control. Luckily, despots age eventually.
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