Posted on 06/02/2013 11:06:59 PM PDT by Nextrush
There's a headline I haven't seen from the MSM this weekend but its the real story.
Three days of protests in Turkey that started out as a single protest against a park in Istanbul being turned into a mosque and shopping mall have exploded into a nationwide revolt against the ruling democratically elected Islamic AK Party.
The AP reported that the White House is calling on all parties in Turkey to 'calm the situation'.
A Brookings Institution wonk from Turkey told the BBC World News Channel tonight that although the protestors want a more liberal society, Erdogan is supported by the majority of the people in Turkey and there is no liberal alternative to his government.
Back in 1963 during the civil rights protests in Birmingham Bull Connor's watercannon were featured in photos and newsfilm seen around the world causing outrage over the issue of race in America.
It looks like history just repeated itself over the weekend.
The decision by the government of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to employ water cannon and tear gas against protestors backfired completely setting off a nationwide revolt.
Some 200 protests have been reported in 67 cities with at least hundreds of injuries reported and at least 1,700 arrrests.
The anger is aimed clearly at Erdogan with calls for him to resign.
Reports from social networks speak of police backed by plainclothes thugs breaking up protests with extensive use of water cannon and tear gas.
The Economics Editor of the BBC "Newsnight" program, Paul Mason blogged from Istanbul about Sunday nights street fighting:
"the demographic of the crowd is exactly the same as in Taksim (Friday-Saturday protest site) minus the old: so predominately middle class, urban, secular young people-average age 22-23, and a smattering of old professors... Once the police attacked they followed a conventional riot procedure--cleared barricades, fired a lot of tear gas and then brought watercannon forward, not firing on lethal power.
The vast majority, 95 percent run away at this point and regroup. They are building barricades, Paris Commune syle, by ripping up the pavements and forming human chains for the bricks.....
I was only able to talk to a few people: they go out of their way to help you up on walls etc., spray Maalox in your face as a gesture of sympathy etc. Most reacted very positively to the idea that I was from the mainstream foreign media-testimony to the face that the Turkish media is alleged to be very pro-government and not showing the worst of what's going on.
The relatively low level of resilience of the barricade fighters is actually testimony to the depth of the revolt. Most people haven't come to fight and are completely ordinary, Starbucks and laptop type people.
The skimpy tops, street fashion etc.-I saw a group of young left-nationalist women womanhandle a massive piece of metal onto a barricade-are testimony to the fact that they are totally enraged by the creeping Islamisation of society."
That's one member of the mainstream media's observations and reports from Turkey also speak about the recent moves of the government to outlaw public displays of affection and ban the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages from 10pm to 6am as creating widespread fears about the future.
There are many in Turkey who see the government as becoming increasingly authoritarian.
Prime Minister Erdogan is defiant in the face of the protests saying there are attempts to destablize the country by a minority of the people. He has denounced Twitter as well. He is appearing repeatedly on government television where no pictures of the protests are being shown.
According to NBC News: "On Sunday Erdogan appeared on television for the fourth time in less than 36 hours, and justified the restrictions on alcohol as for the good of people's health.
'I want them to know that I want these (restrictions) for the sake of their health....Whoever drinks alcohol is an alcoholic,' he said."
I just watched the morning news on the government TRT channels and you would think all is calm in Turkey today but a switch to the SkyTurk or CNNTurk channels tell a much different story.
There are videos being posted all over the place go to your favorite sites for them.
A thread on a site called Timebomb 2000 is headed "Turkish Revolution?"
We shall see about that but for now something big is happening that shouldn't be ignored or covered up by any media outlet anywhere.
It wouldn’t make me feel sad to see it happen here. Better now than later.
The only problem is that these protesters are likely not in the majority. Of course, that doesn’t mean there won’t be change. Kinda funny how alcohol restrictions was the catalyst for this protest.
Sounds like the aborted Iran revolution of a few years ago - people fed up with living in an Islamic state. Wrong direction for this government to be interested though.
….“But the recent demonstrations in Turkey have exposed Obama’s policies in a way that perhaps no other development has done.”
“…the president would rather befriend an Islamist ruler than embrace the pleas of the Turkish people for change.”
The BBC showed video of a guy in a burned out police van who was protesting by consuming a big bottle of beer.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Sure, relax, settle down. Nothing wrong with Islamism
Big difference, and it is called because Americans are armed, guns.
Sure looks like it.
Red Flags Over Turkish Rioters
http://noisyroom.net/blog/2013/06/06/red-flags-over-turkish-rioters/
Most Americans think that any trouble in the Middle East comes from Islamic radicals.
In reality, much of it comes from the old pro-Moscow communist parties which are still very strong and growing in influence in the region. The communists work with and often control local radical Islamic factions on behalf of their Russian allies.
The Communist Party of Turkey is up to its eyeballs in the current mass rioting in Turkey.
Another article....
US Communists Back Turkish Rioters, Trying to Enlist Congressional Support
Predictably the Communist Party USA is backing their Turkish counterparts in their efforts to overturn the Erdogan Government.
The CPUSA hints that Turkey is being targeted for membership of NATO and for helping the U.S. against the pro-Moscow Assad regime in Syria. Turning Turkey from a NATO member to a Russian ally, would be a major strategic victory for Moscow.
This unrest is a warning to any country who dares oppose the Russian agenda in the Middle East.
SNIP
The CPUSA will now be lobbying its numerous supporters and allies in Congress to come out in support of the Turkish revolutionaries.
Quote:
We, for our part, are raising the issue with the U.S. people and with our political representatives, asking for solidarity and support for your just struggle.
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