![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/TurkeyFeat-1-scaled-2048x1168-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
by David Boyajian
\nMay 4, 2024<\/p>\n
Weak.\u00a0 <\/span>Deceitful.\u00a0 <\/span>Cowardly.<\/span><\/p>\n Those describe America\u2019s ongoing responses to the savage, unprovoked attack<\/span><\/a> on peaceful protestors by Turkish President Erdogan\u2019s security detail in Washington, DC.<\/span><\/p>\n It happened on Tuesday afternoon, May 16, 2017 following his meeting with President Trump.<\/span><\/p>\n Shortly after his motorcade arrived at the Turkish ambassador\u2019s Sheridan Circle residence, where protestors had lawfully assembled across the street, Erdogan commanded his bodyguards to \u201cattack, attack.<\/span><\/a>\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n Breaking through police lines, they kicked, punched, and bloodied<\/span><\/a> the protesters, including women.\u00a0 <\/span>Other Turks, purportedly not in Erdogan\u2019s entourage, did the same<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The motorcade then brutalized a female demonstrator on its way to the Turkish Embassy.\u00a0 <\/span>Assaults on Americans continued<\/span><\/a> there.<\/span><\/p>\n The day saw a minimum of 11 persons, some with severe injuries, transported to the hospital. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Among those set upon<\/span><\/a> and injured: Two<\/span> U.S. Diplomatic Security members, six Secret Service agents, and a DC police officer.<\/span><\/p>\n Turks Allowed to Escape<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kilic promptly asked<\/span><\/a> that the bodyguards not be detained.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Sure enough, some 90 minutes later, U.S. security released them and accompanied Erdogan\u2019s caravan to Joint Base Andrews where they jetted off to Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\n It was the fastest<\/span><\/a> \u201cjoint move and departure I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d said one U.S. agent.<\/span><\/p>\n The administration let the Turkish bodyguards flee, allegedly<\/i> because they had diplomatic immunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Indignation<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Then, too late, came<\/span><\/a> the indignation, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n Astonishingly, Trump said nothing<\/span><\/a> about the attack.\u00a0 <\/span>Perhaps this was due to his and his associates\u2019 close relationships<\/span><\/a> with Turkey and Erdogan.<\/span><\/p>\n There was good news though.<\/span><\/p>\n On August 29, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted<\/span><\/a> 15 Turkish bodyguards on felony charges. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n That suggested that releasing them had been a serious error.<\/span><\/p>\n But then came Secretary of State Rex Tillerson\u2019s disgraceful meeting with Erdogan in Ankara on February 15, 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n America Caves in to Turkey <\/b><\/span>\u2014 <\/span>Again<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Tillerson ordered that no<\/i> American translator, aide, or transcriber attend the meeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n That violated<\/span><\/a> State Department protocol and<\/i> ensured that no American could witness<\/span><\/a> what Tillerson would bargain away.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Just the day before, the Justice Department moved <\/span>\u2014<\/span> surely not<\/i> coincidentally <\/span>\u2014<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span> to drop<\/span><\/a> its case against most of Erdogan\u2019s bodyguards.\u00a0 <\/span>Charges were dismissed eight days later.\u00a0 <\/span>Apparently, the entire detail has since dodged<\/span><\/a> U.S. justice.<\/span><\/p>\n Tillerson obviously struck a Faustian deal to let Turkey\u2019s unhinged president and his thugs off the hook.<\/span><\/p>\n That betrayed the American security agents, police, and demonstrators whom the Turks had assaulted and injured.\u00a0 <\/span>It also mocked the First Amendment\u2019s freedoms of assembly and speech.<\/span><\/p>\n American credibility took a hit as Ankara got away<\/span> \u2014 like so <\/span>many times before and since <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>with its crimes.<\/span><\/p>\n Turkish Thuggery and Western Cowardice<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n No wonder Turkish security details act with impunity.<\/span><\/p>\n America has learned nothing from these attacks or, more likely, is OK with being spat on by Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\n More generally<\/i>, and contrary to popular belief, neither military power nor diplomatic skill explains Ankara\u2019s feats.<\/span><\/p>\n Rather, it\u2019s America\u2019s, Europe\u2019s, and others\u2019 cowardly reactions to Ankara\u2019s incessant temper tantrums, bullying, and threats.<\/span><\/p>\n Erdogan sees that.\u00a0 <\/span>So do Washington\u2019s enemies.<\/span><\/p>\n More American Impotence<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n In October of 2019, a White House letter<\/span><\/a> warned Erdogan not to attack America\u2019s Kurdish allies in Syria.<\/span><\/p>\n Erdogan attacked anyway, confident in U.S. weakness.<\/span><\/p>\n Nevertheless, he again received the honor of a White House invitation.\u00a0 <\/span>Arriving on November 13, 2019, Erdogan outright insulted<\/span><\/a> the president by handing him back <\/i>the letter.<\/span><\/p>\n U.S. presidents\u2019 failures to hit back at Turkey have bred contempt.<\/span><\/p>\n Erdogan\u2019s scheduled <\/span>\u2014<\/span> and wholly undeserved <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>visit to President Biden on May 9, 2024 has, fortunately, been postponed.<\/span><\/p>\n Given Ankara\u2019s destabilizing role in the Middle East\u2019s recent crises, the invitation was especially unwarranted.<\/span><\/p>\n Though this isn\u2019t the place for a fuller discussion of the West\u2019s long-standing kowtowing to Turkey <\/span>\u2014<\/span> going back 100+ years <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>a recent example proves the point.<\/span><\/p>\n The Sick West<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Since 2022, Erdogan had blocked Finland and Sweden\u2019s joining NATO. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He claimed, without evidence, that the two countries were assisting Kurdish terrorists.<\/span><\/p>\n Yet Turkey itself is a major supporter<\/span><\/a> of ISIS<\/span><\/a> and other jihadist<\/span><\/a> terrorists.\u00a0 <\/span>The country is a state sponsor of terrorism<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The two Nordic nations, the U.S., and NATO were simply too <\/span>cowardly<\/span> to have <\/span>pointed<\/span> that out.\u00a0 <\/span>Hard to believe but true.<\/span><\/p>\n Erdogan eventually lifted his baseless veto of the two nations\u2019 NATO memberships but only after the West needlessly agreed to deliver F-16s jets to Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\n May 16\u2019s anti-Erdogan protesters, thankfully, are proving to have more guts.<\/span><\/p>\n Putting the West to Shame<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n In 2018, the protesters filed two lawsuits that asked for over $100 million in damages from the Turkish government.<\/span><\/p>\n Citing \u201cForeign Sovereign Immunity,\u201d Ankara has rebuffed the suits.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2021 and 2022, federal courts, including the Supreme Court, rejected that defense.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
![witness<\/span><\/a> what Tillerson would bargain away.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nJust the day before, the Justice Department moved <\/span>\u2014<\/span> surely not<\/i> coincidentally <\/span>\u2014<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span> to drop<\/span><\/a> its case against most of Erdogan\u2019s bodyguards.\u00a0 <\/span>Charges were dismissed eight days later.\u00a0 <\/span>Apparently, the entire detail has since dodged<\/span><\/a> U.S. justice.<\/span><\/p>\nTillerson obviously struck a Faustian deal to let Turkey\u2019s unhinged president and his thugs off the hook.<\/span><\/p>\nThat betrayed the American security agents, police, and demonstrators whom the Turks had assaulted and injured.\u00a0 <\/span>It also mocked the First Amendment\u2019s freedoms of assembly and speech.<\/span><\/p>\nAmerican credibility took a hit as Ankara got away<\/span> \u2014 like so <\/span>many times before and since <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>with its crimes.<\/span><\/p>\nTurkish Thuggery and Western Cowardice<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n2009: Erdogan\u2019s <\/span>bodyguards brawled<\/span><\/a><\/span> with President Obama\u2019s Secret Service<\/span><\/a> detail and police in NYC.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n2011: Inside the UN, Erdogan\u2019s detail battled<\/span><\/a> with the organization\u2019s security staff, two of whom were injured<\/span><\/a> with one taken to the hospital.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n2014: Turkish security threatened and pushed around journalists while the latter covered a meeting<\/span><\/a> between Vice President Biden and Erdogan in NYC.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n2015: Over the course of two days in Brussels, Erdogan\u2019s squad clashed<\/span><\/a> with police and elbowed a Belgian VIP security agent.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n2016:<\/span> Outside<\/span><\/a> DC\u2019s Brookings Institution, Erdogan\u2019s detail \u201croughed up<\/span><\/a> protesters [and] tried to drag away ‘undesired’ journalists.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n2016: In Ecuador, Erdogan\u2019s crew broke<\/span><\/a> a parliament member\u2019s nose.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n2018: While Erdogan visited South Africa, Turkish Embassy guards attacked peaceful protesters, leaving at least one bloodied<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n2019: A scuffle<\/span><\/a> between Erdogan\u2019s team and Sarajevo airport police broke out after the Turks refused to hand over their firearms as required by Bosnian law.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nNo wonder Turkish security details act with impunity.<\/span><\/p>\nAmerica has learned nothing from these attacks or, more likely, is OK with being spat on by Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\nMore generally<\/i>, and contrary to popular belief, neither military power nor diplomatic skill explains Ankara\u2019s feats.<\/span><\/p>\nRather, it\u2019s America\u2019s, Europe\u2019s, and others\u2019 cowardly reactions to Ankara\u2019s incessant temper tantrums, bullying, and threats.<\/span><\/p>\nErdogan sees that.\u00a0 <\/span>So do Washington\u2019s enemies.<\/span><\/p>\nMore American Impotence<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nIn October of 2019, a White House letter<\/span><\/a> warned Erdogan not to attack America\u2019s Kurdish allies in Syria.<\/span><\/p>\nErdogan attacked anyway, confident in U.S. weakness.<\/span><\/p>\nNevertheless, he again received the honor of a White House invitation.\u00a0 <\/span>Arriving on November 13, 2019, Erdogan outright insulted<\/span><\/a> the president by handing him back <\/i>the letter.<\/span><\/p>\nU.S. presidents\u2019 failures to hit back at Turkey have bred contempt.<\/span><\/p>\nErdogan\u2019s scheduled <\/span>\u2014<\/span> and wholly undeserved <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>visit to President Biden on May 9, 2024 has, fortunately, been postponed.<\/span><\/p>\nGiven Ankara\u2019s destabilizing role in the Middle East\u2019s recent crises, the invitation was especially unwarranted.<\/span><\/p>\nThough this isn\u2019t the place for a fuller discussion of the West\u2019s long-standing kowtowing to Turkey <\/span>\u2014<\/span> going back 100+ years <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>a recent example proves the point.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Sick West<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nSince 2022, Erdogan had blocked Finland and Sweden\u2019s joining NATO. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nHe claimed, without evidence, that the two countries were assisting Kurdish terrorists.<\/span><\/p>\nYet Turkey itself is a major supporter<\/span><\/a> of ISIS<\/span><\/a> and other jihadist<\/span><\/a> terrorists.\u00a0 <\/span>The country is a state sponsor of terrorism<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe two Nordic nations, the U.S., and NATO were simply too <\/span>cowardly<\/span> to have <\/span>pointed<\/span> that out.\u00a0 <\/span>Hard to believe but true.<\/span><\/p>\nErdogan eventually lifted his baseless veto of the two nations\u2019 NATO memberships but only after the West needlessly agreed to deliver F-16s jets to Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\nMay 16\u2019s anti-Erdogan protesters, thankfully, are proving to have more guts.<\/span><\/p>\nPutting the West to Shame<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nIn 2018, the protesters filed two lawsuits that asked for over $100 million in damages from the Turkish government.<\/span><\/p>\nCiting \u201cForeign Sovereign Immunity,\u201d Ankara has rebuffed the suits.<\/span><\/p>\nIn 2021 and 2022, federal courts, including the Supreme Court, rejected that defense.<\/span><\/p>\n](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/FaEWnJbx79g\/maxresdefault.jpg\"){kind=link}
![ISIS<\/span><\/a> and other jihadist<\/span><\/a> terrorists.\u00a0 <\/span>The country is a state sponsor of terrorism<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\nThe two Nordic nations, the U.S., and NATO were simply too <\/span>cowardly<\/span> to have <\/span>pointed<\/span> that out.\u00a0 <\/span>Hard to believe but true.<\/span><\/p>\nErdogan eventually lifted his baseless veto of the two nations\u2019 NATO memberships but only after the West needlessly agreed to deliver F-16s jets to Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\nMay 16\u2019s anti-Erdogan protesters, thankfully, are proving to have more guts.<\/span><\/p>\nPutting the West to Shame<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nIn 2018, the protesters filed two lawsuits that asked for over $100 million in damages from the Turkish government.<\/span><\/p>\nCiting \u201cForeign Sovereign Immunity,\u201d Ankara has rebuffed the suits.<\/span><\/p>\nIn 2021 and 2022, federal courts, including the Supreme Court, rejected that defense.<\/span><\/p>\n](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/C9nGG7TUIAAb5d8.jpg\"){kind=link}