Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s carefully planned move to become legal dictator of Turkey is in its final stages. In the wake of a foiled coup, Erdogan removed or imprisoned every judge not on his side, shut down all opposition newspapers, and jailed all of his political opponents.
After his hand-picked court approved the changes Erdogan wanted, all that remains is a Public Referendum which Erdogan will win simply because he gets to count the votes.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has begun a final push to increase his power as Turkey’s president — a goal he has sought for years — after the country’s parliament agreed far-reaching constitutional changes that will now be put to referendum.
The proposed changes, which were shepherded through parliament on Friday night in alliance between Turkey’s ruling AKP and a nationalist party, would crown Mr Erdogan’s 14-year rule by boosting his formal role as president and allowing him to remain in post until 2029.
In a sign of the tension that may mark the referendum, fist fights broke out in parliament over several days, while a television blackout of the opposition speeches forced one opposing MP to bring his own cameras into parliament, only to have his microphone stolen.
Since the failed coup and the introduction of emergency powers, he has ruled the country by decree and 100,000 people accused of backing the coup have been imprisoned.
It is unclear if the president will lift the state of emergency before the poll, scheduled for an unspecified date after April 2, but some of the permanent powers he seek resemble the emergency powers he currently holds.
Expect a Permanent Emergency
Expect a permanent emergency with increasing power every step of the way to Erdogan. This is likely to continue until he is overthrown in a coup, assassinated, or until Turkey disintegrates into hyperinflation.
Turkish Lira Down 62 Percent Since September 2010
That’s not close to hyperinflation material, but hyperinflation is an increasing possibility when madmen dictators are in charge.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in bed with Erdogan who wants visa-free access to the EU for 80 million Muslim Turks.
Are German election threats and fireworks due to Erdogan coming up?
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Yep! Could see this coming on the night of the coup……
Another Cuba/Venezuela type place in-the-making…..
What a shame or the people of Turkey (unless YOU are one of THEM ! )
Why won’t anyone state what to me is obvious – that Erdogan’s “foiled coup” was, in fact, staged by Erdogan himself, to give him the excuse to do all the things you cite that he has done?
I now question whether there actually was a coup attempt or if it was cooked up by erdogan to consolidate his power. The whole thing was just too convenient for taking over a country.
The coup was certainly convenient for Erdogan to consolidate his power, much like the Reichstag Fire did for Hitler. Erdogan’s follow-up actions also bear a scary resemblance to how Hitler became Germany’s dictator, with political opposition exterminated.
… or cooked up by the US/NATO? Try Newsbud, they have all the proof including how NBC announced Erdogan was seeking asylum a half an hour before the event took place.
Yep, again. I have always wondered the same.
Called a “False Flag” isn’t it? Kinda’ like the Gulf of Tonkin…?
Meanwhile, Trump may waste no time fulfilling this campaign promise… which will stir up a hornet’s nest.
” Donald Trump ‘to announce US embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Monday’
Relocating America’s diplomatic HQ to Jerusalem would represent a major break with policy
Sunday 22 January 2017
The White House will on Monday announce that the US embassy in Israel is to move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to an unconfirmed report by an Israeli news outlet.
Channel 2 cited an anonymous source as saying a member of the Trump administration would announce the highly controversial move on the President’s first full working day in office.
The news channel said it had received no confirmation of the claim and there has been no public statement on the move since Friday’s inauguration of the new US President. ”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/donald-trump-us-embassy-israel-tel-aviv-jerusalem-reports-israeli-media-a7540476.html
This could be the beginning of a ME war.
” ‘Trump has already sent embassy architects to Jerusalem’
Amid reports regarding progress on the possible relocation of the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the Israeli capital of Jerusalem, a senior Jerusalem city official claims the Trump administration has already dispatched architects involved in the planning and design of American diplomatic facilities to Israel.
Earlier on Sunday, Channel 2 reported that, according to a Trump administration official, the White House was planning an announcement on Monday regarding the transfer of the US Embassy to Jerusalem. ”
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/223671
Not good. The past 3 Presidents refused to sign it into existence because they thought Congress was out of bounds and had no legal authority to pass any legislation. Arab shit show comin’up.
I possess a very strong conviction that we are standing (or sitting) at one of the major inflection points in human history and that the fireworks that matter will emanate not from Turkey but from the United States.
The President clearly has a complex agenda and almost certainly has completely reverse engineered the desired and necessary event line from where he wants to arrive in 127 days to where he was at 12:01 ET on Friday, January 20, 2017.
The inaugral address WAS a declaration of war. The allies are the UK, Israel, Russia. The enemies are ISIL, alQaeda (and any Muslim who supports them in deed OR word, China, Merkel of Germany but not Germany itself, Holland of France but not France itself, the entire structure that surrounds George Soros and that which is usually refered to as the mainstream press/media, a fact which Minister of Propaganda Conway literally tossed into the face of Chuck Todd on Meet The Press today. Both Germany and France will become allies immediately following the replacement of Merkel/Holland by more suitable nationalist leaders, something which the President will devote considerable attention to assuring.
The President of Turkey will need to decide almost immediately whether he is with President Trump or against him. (My money is on “with.”)
Yhe vital first moves began Saturday with the event at the CIA in which the bulk of the staff applauded and even cheered the President while the section chiefs (Obama boys who will be shown the door or otherwise marginalized within minutes of the swearing in of Director Pompeo on Monday) sat in total dismay and disbelief. This was an actual as opposed to faux mission accomplished moment. Similar moves to secure control of the remainder of the intelligence “comunity” are and will be under way today and during the following three days.
The embassy relocation action in Israel is primarily intended to provoke a violent, worldwide Islamic reaction and response (including but not limited to events in the USA which will legitimately permit the declaration of a National Security Emergency as defined by the USA Patriot Act, as amended, and the Homeland Security Act, as amended.
We are in the second complete day of the new Government and are witnessing a pace of action unseen in any new US administration ever.
DJT makes the fictional character Francis Underwood seem as a lethargic, somnolent parish priest.
I don’t understand how citizens allow a government to get away with this. That way of thinking is very foreign to me
1) Fear – go along or get targeted for persecution.
2) Compliance through familiarity – seems normal if you live under it for a while, why question?
3) There’s something in it for the citizens in question, keep mouth shut, enjoy the ride.
Turkey is important, a cross roads, well armed.
What chance Erdogan is looking to re-start to Ottoman Empire?
If this does happen Europe will be blowing fuses not knowing who to complain about first – Putin? Trump? Erdogan?
Now just imagine a meeting between all three somewhere to discuss the future.
You don’t have a homogenous civil society in Turkey, rule has always been edged to a degree, the recent Kurdish and some western advances were already halted before the more complete takeover after the coup/false coup.
EASY: THE PEOPLE HAVE NO GUNS !!
Yeah, it’d be a stretch to think the common man could stand up to the military…but THAT is how it started here, ya’ know. IF the common people stood up – the common soldier might be less inclined to shoot his own countrymen…?
For ALL OF YOU anti-gunners…..THIS is what happens ALL OVER THE WORLD every time some badass thug decides to take over his country. The VERY FIRST thing – dis-arm the people. Happens EVERY time. Works every time.
But you are used to hearing Sharia Law so much that it seems passe.
Turkey an Islamic dictatorship? Nothing to see here, this is normal.
I suspect the idea is to re-start the Ottoman Empire under another name.
That would be big geo-pol news given the geography of Turkey and its military capability.
It could also mena they move out of NATO and Europe is left very exposed to both Turkey and Russia.
Turkey might not have 100% benign attitudes to Europe. If they get Visa free access Europe will be Muslim < 100 yrs. Germans will sell lots of cars but will have to learn to go to Mosque.
Austrians could have a hissy-fit, they remember the last time.
Classic Erdogan:
“We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and we can put the refugees on buses [heading to Europe] … So how will you deal with refugees if you don’t get a deal? Kill the refugees?” According to a Greek newspaper, that’s what the Turkish president told EU officials in November 2015. The Turkish government didn’t deny it and Erdoğan later confirmed the remarks, saying that he was “proud” of them.
This public referendum will be the equivalent of the German “1933 Enabling Act”, which gave Hitler virtually unlimited dictatorial powers.
Actually, this might be an even more brazen power-grab on the part of Erdogan. Hitler at least had to submit a request to the Reichstag every four years (which he did) to renew his ability to enact laws by decree.
It is worth reading this. It is not hard to imagine a conflict brewing the likes of which we have not seen for a very, very long time. One where Europe is defenceless and leaderless facing a determined leader knowing no limits, believing he has his religion on his side.
http://newobserveronline.com/erdogan-return-ottoman-empire/
There were rumours he put the frighteners on Junker and Tusk who were unable to handle talks as Erdogan was so much more forceful. Suits on a gravy train are no match.
http://gatesofvienna.net/2017/01/geert-wilders-in-koblenz-this-is-the-year-of-a-patriotic-spring/
Turkey is squished between the middle east (which is in Sunni-Shia chaos), Russia (which cannot allow a large foreign power to control the Black Sea), and the dying remains of the EU (which foolishly excluded Turkey to appease France).
Turkey was going to end up with a strong man, whether it was Erdogan or someone else.
It was hardly the EU’s only fatal error, and far from the worst fatal error — but isolating a NATO member between three fundamentally opposed cultures was a recipe for a problem.
Not saying Erdogan is humanitarian of the year (far from it) — but ultimately he is less of a worry to global peace than the meglo-maniacs in Brussels.
The EU lacks democratic legitimacy, and they are the ones calling the Erdogan kettle black.
Lets hope all these “super state” fascists wear each other out and leave the rest of us be
Erdogan is in the drivers seat. If Germany does not allow them into NATO, they will align themselves with Russia. Aligning with Russia will bring more stability to the Middle East than a Muslim assault on western civilization in Europe through immigration.
Turkey is already part of NATO… they have been for decades. France is actually not a member of NATO (they used to be, then they weren’t, then HQ were moved to Brussels, then France became adjunct members, …).
You may recall the Cuban missile crisis, when JFK offered to remove US MRBMs from Turkey (which were already being removed anyway) as Soviets removed missles from Cuba.
And last year, during the failed coup, the US airbase in Turkey was cut off from electricity (and road access).
Turkey is a full NATO member — unlike some of the free loading countries in the EU.
Saudi Arabia has a stable monarchy, as do many of the small gulf states. Libya and Iraq were quite stable with one strong long-term leader until outside military interventions under Bush II and Hillary/Sarkozy/NATO to institute democracy. Serbia was arguably better off before the Clinton/NATO invasions and bombings. Syria obviously is better off with a strong leader than chaos. Premature to start building the case for an intervention in Turkey, which seems to be where this is all going.
The coup attempt was real in Turkey, and the response is between Erdogan and the Turkish people to hash out over time. If the Turkish people do not want it, or want it now and later tire of it, then it will not last. People forget that Hitler was popular in Germany, not 100% of course, but more popular than anyone else. Erdogan will last only as long as he has popular support. The last thing Europe needs right now is to trigger a flood of Turkish refugees. The EU is lucky Erdogan is keeping the Syrian refugees on the Turkish side of the border.
Well, unfortunately for those people who might be cross-ways with their autocratic “Leader”, there is no way to ever get rid of him. Can you point out ANY one of them that has voluntarily given up his position, ANYWHERE in the world? EVER?
It is probably going to be another Castro, Chavez, Maduro, Quadaffi, Amin, Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Hussein, etc., etc., etc. Were ANY of those guys good for their own people…..?
The US government [Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson] allied with “democratic” revolutionaries to destroy Russia’s almost 1000 year old autocratic monarchy. In Wilson’s April 1917 war speech to congress, he said revolutionaries who had deposed Russia’s Tsar a few weeks earlier were America’s “partner.” We all know how well that turned out.
Yep! We’ve certainly done some STUPID regime changes…..even Sadaam in IRAQ – MOST of his people were better off under his dictatorship than they are now…..
We need to get our sh!t OUT of most places……
Wanna’ get rid of the badass dictators? Have the CIA fly a few C-130’s low and slow over their country on a dark nite, kicking out about a thousand crates of AK-47’s and RPG’s and a zillion rounds of ammo…..and just back off. If ‘the people’ want to, THEY can take care of their OWN frickin’ dictator……..
Many people prefer autocratic leaders to ineffective parliamentary governing systems that get nothing done. Chavez won the majority of votes in popular elections in Venezuela; downside of democracy perhaps, or maybe argument for term limits (which USA only did to stop presidents for life like FDR). History has lots of lifetime authoritarian leaders (e.g. English kings and queens, Russian czars, Bismarck in Germany, a few ancient Greeks and Romans) who are acclaimed today and celebrated. Catholics like lifetime Popes. You really need to read more history, not just the MSM propaganda feeds.
Quadaffi was set to do an African gold standard when he was killed by USA/NATO mercenaries, and by all measures was better for the majority of his people than those who came before and those since. Many leaders for life, kings and queens, have voluntarily stepped down and given up power. Very common. Not all African leaders are like Amin. In neighboring Tanzania, the Fabian socialist president for life who was also a devout Christian stepped down because he realized socialism did not fulfill his Christian mission, and a capitalist president came to power. Throwing around names like Hitler is just a propaganda exercise to justify the neo-Con agenda, which is an autocratic exercise in domination. Every time Hillary saw the ghost of Hitler embodied in a foreign leader, it was intended as a prelude to war.
Joel, yes you have indeed picked out a handful of good ones….going back 3,000 yrs to the Greeks….but between then and now have been thousands of autocratic rulers – and some HAVE been good….but I’ve just thrown out those that we personally remember…..and nearly ALL of them have been bad news for MOST of their people. Chavez got popular support? Yes, the first time…..ya’ think he would have got it later in his tyrannical regime? Oh, I know Maduro also got 99% – just like Hussein…99%…..un-huh. Name me more than 3 Kings and Queens – of the hundreds or thousands – who have stepped down……a RARE, RARE occurrence, I’m afraid.
It is not uncommon for kings and queens to abdicate or step down, and then be forgotten. Not rare, just not remembered as much. England had one in the 1930s. Maybe once a century, but then only a few kings or queens, period. I would guess 10%. Unfortunately, in Venezuela the majority are socialist true believers and are like the Fck Trump, Fck Capitalism, Fck Corporation people marching and chanting in the USA. Sanders and Chavez, little difference in their brands of socialism, and Bernie’s numbers are high. Obama thinks he would have won a third term and been president for life, except for pesky constitutional amendment. Autocrats are popular, because they are tied down by pesky bickering congresses and parliaments. Good and bad depends on whether you like their policies.
The US government [Roosevelt, Taft, Wiison] teamed up with revolutionaries to overthrow Tsarist Russia. We all know how well that turned out.
In his April 1917 war speech to congress, Wilson said revolutionaries [who had just destroyed Russia’s monarchy] were America’s “partner.”
Ironically, there was a speech given to congressmen at the DC Capitol in 1857 that advocated the US government overthrow monarchies in Europe via war and revolution. 60 years later, war and revolution destroyed monarchies in Europe.
Excerpt below from Wilson’s April 1917 war speech… which was given to Congress just weeks after the February revolution destroyed Russia’s almost 1000 year old Christian monarchy. Not only does Wilson overtly lie about Russia… he infers all Americans support the revolution. That February revoluton was continued in October 1917 to its Bolshevik end. In that same speech is Wilson’s famous line about WW1 being the war to make the world safe for democracy. Again… it was the fulfillment of that prophetic 1857 speech to congressmen at the DC Capitol that advocated the US government destroy all the monarchies of Europe [even the British monarchy… but it especially targeted the Russian monarchy] via war and revolution.
” Does not every American feel that assurance has been added to our hope for the future peace of the world by the wonderful and heartening things that have been happening within the last few weeks in Russia? Russia was known by those who knew it best to have been always in fact democratic at heart, in all the vital habits of her thought, in all the intimate relationships of her people that spoke their natural instinct, their habitual attitude towards life. The autocracy that crowned the summit of her political structure, long as it had stood and terrible as was the reality of its power, was not in fact Russian in origin, character, or purpose; and now it has been shaken off and the great, generous Russian people have been added in all their naive majesty and might to the forces that are fighting for freedom in the world, for justice, and for peace. Here is a fit partner for a league of honour. ”
https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Wilson's_War_Message_to_Congress