Of course the American media isn't all that interested in the
story. Most Americans will not be interested in Turkey coverage for more than a
minute or two.
But then if you bother to look to Al Jazeera or some of the
better foreign media you finally get to the coverage about Erdogan's
accusations regarding Gülen being behind the coup attempt etc...
I guess it's easy to tell which media outlets answer to US
corporate interests.
Of course if the story gets big enough, the other outlets
will be forced to acquiesce and report it as well.
But I will be surprised if the main US outlets focus on it.
If the coup fails as it appears it has, there will be a lot
of light on Gülen. He's already catching a lot of flak from Christian Right
media outlets who fail to understand his significance and purpose. They view
him as some kind of al Qaeda/jihadi type based in the US and of course it's
Obama's fault.... even though he settled here long before Obama came into office.
The Christian Right is angry about his charter school
movement... once again, they don't understand that it's a money-maker for Gülen
and is a cover a lot of his (US sponsored) international 'activities'.
Gülen is here because the US is backing him and protecting
him. He is their creature.
And yet the heat may drive him out. Erdogan wants him badly and
he would be in danger if he were to go to Germany. The Balkans, maybe
Montenegro... that's a possibility, but it wouldn't be as safe as his compound
in the Poconos.
Welcome to Byzantium.
Another point of interest....
ReplyDeleteEven though the US media isn't all that interested you can be sure Washington is abuzz right now. Turkey is a NATO member, intimately tied in with the EU even if not a formal member. It borders the Caucasus, Europe, the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Iran) and sits across the Black Sea from Russia and controls the Black Sea's only outlet.
Turkey hosts US military bases and US nuclear weapons.
Turkey's status is a big deal. Everyone in the Washington pipeline got called in or had to stay late tonight. If it's a US-backed operation (as I believe it is) then you can be sure there are some very stressed out people in Langley right now.
Some might be fooled by the US response which seems to support Erdogan. Don't be.
ReplyDeleteThat's just diplomatic rhetoric and caution.
Actually the official US response is fairly tepid.
Based on past administrations, the State Department isn't always on board with the real agenda. I'm not sure if Kerry wields the same power Clinton did.
One also thinks of the Rogers State Department under Nixon I vs. the Kissinger State Department under Nixon II and Ford. A world of difference.
If the coup succeeded there would be condemnation, followed by a cooling off period and then talk of negotiation.
Honduras was so insignificant in terms of the world stage the US was able to move things along a little faster.