Charges dropped for Erdogan bodyguards who assaulted peacefull protesters in Washington

[Bald1]

True, I'm not saying we should just accept the Turkish POV but it needs to be understood and to a certain extent I think its legitimate. I support the Palestinians and highly disagree with the Israeli government, especially on the case of the settlements, but the reality is they have a legitimate security concern when it comes to the Palestinians and that has to be considered. And as much as I support the Palestinians sometimes I think they cross the line and hurt their cause and give the Israeli government a legitimate reason for reprisal. The same goes for the Kurds IMO.

So what I'm saying is I don't think its fair to call the Turks our enemy simply because they are resisting the rising Kurdish militancy on their border when they have perfectly legitimate reasons to worry about them.

I "like" this post as it acknowledges the complex realities in that part of the world. Yes, while Israel has legit security concerns it is an apartheid state. Something similar can be said for Turkey. The degree of thruth of both statements can be debated but that's not what this post is about.

While I agree that Turkey isn't an enemy of the west, yet, where do you see them in say 5 years? I think Erdogan has them heading on a dangerous trajectory. I place the blame for that squarely at his feet.

 

[Bald1]

I sure as fuck would. It's called protecting your citizens on their home fucking soil from foreigners and that's why he have the federal government to begin with.

Whoever decided this should be removed. That's my gut vibe anyway.

Come to my house and lay hands on me and mine? Yeah, fuck that noise.

 

[MicroBrew]

True, I'm not saying we should just accept the Turkish POV but it needs to be understood and to a certain extent I think its legitimate. I support the Palestinians and highly disagree with the Israeli government, especially on the case of the settlements, but the reality is they have a legitimate security concern when it comes to the Palestinians and that has to be considered. And as much as I support the Palestinians sometimes I think they cross the line and hurt their cause and give the Israeli government a legitimate reason for reprisal. The same goes for the Kurds IMO.

So what I'm saying is I don't think its fair to call the Turks our enemy simply because they are resisting the rising Kurdish militancy on their border when they have perfectly legitimate reasons to worry about them.

And what I am saying is that just because the Turks and the Israelis have security concerns doesn't mean they are in the right. They brought it on themselves. It's like saying the early pilgrims/colonists had legitimate security concerns of Native American attacks; to which my answer would be: so what, they instigated the conflict.

We could apply this rationale to the Colonial Brits, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portugese, Belgian etc..that they all had legitimate security concerns of attacks by locals who didn't take kindly to being colonized.

 

[MicroBrew]

I'm not fine with it, but worse crimes have been committed and over-looked under the cover of diplomatic immunity. Not to mention US doesn't want to set a precedent where Secret Service can be arrested if they break a law while protecting the President. This was handled through diplomatic backrooms.

How do the bodyguards have diplomatic immunity? They are not diplomats.

 

[lifelessheap]

They just wanted to get home safely to their child brides.

 

[7437]

I'm not fine with it, but worse crimes have been committed and over-looked under the cover of diplomatic immunity. Not to mention US doesn't want to set a precedent where Secret Service can be arrested if they break a law while protecting the President. This was handled through diplomatic backrooms.

Im pretty sure that nothing worse than mercenaries attacking citizens on american soil has been done with immunity.

 

[Strychnine]

Pathetic.

Just tell President Trump what you want him to hear and you can do what you want to the U.S.

 

[Islam Imamate]

And what I am saying is that just because the Turks and the Israelis have security concerns doesn't mean they are in the right. They brought it on themselves. It's like saying the early pilgrims/colonists had legitimate security concerns of Native American attacks; to which my answer would be: so what, they instigated the conflict.

We could apply this rationale to the Colonial Brits, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portugese, Belgian etc..that they all had legitimate security concerns of attacks by locals who didn't take kindly to being colonized.

I'm not saying the Turks are completely in the right but what I am saying is that not everything they do in the conflict is unreasonable or illegitimate. The Israelis do oppress the Palestinians but sometimes they are also responding to legitimate threats like the rocket fire. That's more so before the Iron Dome but even today there is a high incidence of PTSD among Israeli citizens because of Intifada.

Similarly, the Turks are not always wrong. I've already mentioned some of their atrocities ITT like the forced disappearances of Kurds in the 90s but its also the case that Kurdish militants carry out terror attacks. In the case of Syria its a little more complicated and given that I don't think its appropriate to treat the Turks as enemies and we should understand their concerns more. In fact the US did not support the referendum precisely with this consideration in mind.

 

[Islam Imamate]

I "like" this post as it acknowledges the complex realities in that part of the world. Yes, while Israel has legit security concerns it is an apartheid state. Something similar can be said for Turkey. The degree of thruth of both statements can be debated but that's not what this post is about.

While I agree that Turkey isn't an enemy of the west, yet, where do you see them in say 5 years? I think Erdogan has them heading on a dangerous trajectory. I place the blame for that squarely at his feet.

In five years the US will still be the most powerful country in the world and Turkey will still be strategically located so I foresee the alliance surviving even if it remains a little colder.

 

[BOWHUNTER]

Great news. Fucking pussy liberals

 

[Fluffernutter]

I'm not fine with it, but worse crimes have been committed and over-looked under the cover of diplomatic immunity. Not to mention US doesn't want to set a precedent where Secret Service can be arrested if they break a law while protecting the President. This was handled through diplomatic backrooms.

Diplomatic immunity was not mentioned in the WSJ article. It simply stated the charges were dropped.

What laws are the Secret Service breaking in their presidential detail?

 

[Bald1]

In five years the US will still be the most powerful country in the world and Turkey will still be strategically located so I foresee the alliance surviving even if it remains a little colder.

Considering our collective governments friendly relations with deplorable countries such as Pakistan and SA you're probably correct. I just find it a shame how quickly Turkey seems to be sliding away from Ataturks legacy, and wonder how long before they become a lost cause.

 

[Bloodworth]

Just make sure they go back and stay in Turkey. That's a huge punishment in its self.

Worst punishment is giving people a taste of America and then tell them they have to go back home..

They will fight tooth and nail.....

 

[Islam Imamate]

Considering our collective governments friendly relations with deplorable countries such as Pakistan and SA you're probably correct. I just find it a shame how quickly Turkey seems to be sliding away from Ataturks legacy, and wonder how long before they become a lost cause.

IMO Ataturk's legacy is overrated anyway. I don't like French style secularism, laicite, which is what Turkish secularism emulates except with a military element making it even more toxic. I think moving away from his legacy is fine, its a shame that Erdogan didn't move away in a positive direction.

Like Erdogan Ataturk himself had autocratic tendencies, in fact Erdogan could easily be seen as following in the footsteps of Ataturk in that regard, so maybe like after Ataturk a post-Erdogan Turkey could return to democracy.

 

[Andy Capp]

11 of the 15 bodyguards have had their charges dropped.

So why did Trump cuck out? What backroom deal did the US gov. make to let these thugs escape US justice.

What good is all the money we spend on defense and diplomatic agendas if foreigners can come here and beat-up American protesters and get away with it. And Turkey is an enemy right now, though not acknowledged as such. They attacked and killed our Kurdish allies in Syria, and the US did nothing but watch.

I thought Trump was America First and going to be tough? He painted Obama as a wimp who got taken. The right painted Obama as apologizing to the world.

Dismissal of Charges Against Erdogan Bodyguards Draws Criticism

Turkish president’s security guards were accused of playing role in beating of protesters in Washington

https://www.wsj.com/articles/dismis...erdogan-bodyguards-draws-criticism-1521758981

There seems to have been a lot of shady quid pro quo between Turkey and (possibly former) members of the Trump administration. Wasn't it Manafort that was an agent in the US for them, and I thought I heard about Kushner in connection with Turkey as well, didn't I?

Edit:
US Special Counsel Mueller investigating Jared Kushner’s links to Turkey
Manafort case may point to strategy against Flynn
A bail filing may offer clues about how Mueller could charge the former national security adviser over his work benefiting Turkey.

Can anyone think of any others?

 

[Quequeg]

There seems to have been a lot of shady quid pro quo between Turkey and (possibly former) members of the Trump administration. Wasn't it Manafort that was an agent in the US for them, and I thought I heard about Kushner in connection with Turkey as well, didn't I?

Edit:
US Special Counsel Mueller investigating Jared Kushner’s links to Turkey
Manafort case may point to strategy against Flynn
A bail filing may offer clues about how Mueller could charge the former national security adviser over his work benefiting Turkey.

Can anyone think of any others?

Flynn was actively lobbying for Turkey while being National Security Adviser.

 

[Andy Capp]

Flynn was actively lobbying for Turkey while being National Security Adviser.

Sorta makes you think, doesn't it? @MicroBrew is right. This seems like a pretty light response. But then, since the State Department is a total mess and ridiculously understaffed, there wasn't even a US ambassador to Turkey, last time I checked. Who knows how this decision was made? There's got to be all kinds of fuckery going on there.

 

[7437]

Seriously though. Foreign soldiers attacked americans in America.

 

[ultramanhyata]

Probably would've starved them to death in prison is my bet.

Maybe just detained them indefinitely without trial on an island somewhere. With occasional sessions of water-boarding and sleep deprivation. In other words, no use of torture or violation of human rights.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Or... They caused a diplomatic row by attacking america.

You fine with foreign soldiers coming to america and attacking people?

I want those body guards tortured