Turkey General Discussion

[Angel of Death]

Given the pivotal role Turkey has been playing in geopolitical affairs, especially lately, I think it's more than warranted that general discussion about it takes in place in a dedicated thread here (rather than it possibly be pitifully part of a thread in the election board, as has been the (undeserved) fate of some other countries).

The impetus for this topic is that Prime Minister Davutoğlu has announced his resignation, the tensions with President Erdogan becoming just too much.

[Famous Mortimer]

The tensions between the PM and the President appear to have no grounds in ideological disagreement, merely a power play. The PM is mad that the president wants his power. I don't know why he expected to be able to keep it in the first place. Unless perhaps Erdogan really is going senile and that's why he's opposing him.

[ingemann]

The tensions between the PM and the President appear to have no grounds in ideological disagreement, merely a power play. The PM is mad that the president wants his power. I don't know why he expected to be able to keep it in the first place. Unless perhaps Erdogan really is going senile and that's why he's opposing him.

I don't think that Erdogan has gone senile, Erdogan have always been a meagalomaniac with a loose connection to reality, just look at his neo-Ottoman project in the Middle East. Everyone was just more willing to ignore that while the region was relative stable, Turkey had high growth, he had a clear public mandate behind him and the Turkish military was a insurance against Erdogan going into the deep end.

I think that Davutoğlu can just as well have decided to leave before he get too much blood on his hands, it gives him the opportunity to rebuild after Erdogan leaves power (which I doubt will be voluntary).

[swl]

In the span of a few days, Turkey is making peace with Israel and Russia. It seems that the country is starting to turn away from the disastrous "zero problem" strategy, that effectively became "zero friend".

[Green Line]

Big terrorist attack at the Istanbul Airport. 2 explosions, likely lots of casualties.  Turkey has been going through hell lately.

[Gass3268]

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[#TheShadowyAbyss]

So is it the left wing PKK or an ISIS attack?

[Mopsus]

So is it the left wing PKK or an ISIS attack?

With a target named after Ataturk, it could have been either one.

[ingemann]

So is it the left wing PKK or an ISIS attack?

Suicide attack, so I'm guessing ISIS.

[Meclazine for Israel]

I wish CNN would give up on the TERRORISM coverage in capital letters.

Or CBS : "Video captures horror of Istanbul airport attack"

The media have become the most effective tool the terrorists could have ever dreamed of.

If CNN, CBS, FOX, NBC and ABC news gave up covering terrorism, it would be reduced.

The violence and terror is isolated to Turkey.

It is these five news agencies who are the terrorists by flooding the television and internet the most vile and disgusting footage they can get their hands on.

They are spreading terror through irresponsible journalism.

I am giving up on watching the news. It's just garbage.

[Gass3268]

Sounds like the terrorists were from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

[Tender Branson]

Sounds like the terrorists were from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

One of them, the guy from Chechnya (Russia), was an asylum seeker who lived for years in Vienna and collected large sums of welfare money from the state ...

http://www.vienna.at/istanbul-anschlag-spur-fuehrt-nach-wien-tuerkei-hat-verdacht-mit-konnex/4771065