Trump called to congratulate an authoritarian power grab in Turkey, even as the world has condemned

[riversedge]

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By Oliver Willis | April 17, 2017

Donald Trump called to congratulate an authoritarian power grab in Turkey, even as the world has condemned it and the crackdown on liberty that aided its passage.
Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx

Donald Trump reportedly rushed to congratulate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey after he successfully forced through a referendum that has resulted in an unprecedented concentration of powers in his hands.

The gesture signals more authoritarianism on Trump’s behalf, a hallmark of his time in the White House, and was done despite criticism around the world for the manner in which Erdogan assured passage of the legislation, and even as the U.S. State Department cited irregularities in the voting on the same day.

The changes to Turkey’s government could keep Erdogan — the leading political figure there since 2003 — in power until 2029. The law also grants him sweeping new powers, enabling him to influence Turkish life to a whole new degree.

In contrast to Trump, German chancellor Angela Merkel issued a measured response to the referendum, noting, “The tight referendum result shows how deeply divided Turkish society is and that means a big responsibility for the Turkish leadership and for President Erdogan personally.”

Trump has already been at odds with Merkel, who has taken up the mantle of traditional pro-freedom western democracy as more authoritarian leaders like Trump and United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May took power.................................................

[burrowowl]

1. Of course dump congratulates

a man of his ILK!

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. I was just looked to see who else had congratulated Erdogan on taking more power to himself

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was the first leader to congratulate Erdogan in a telephone call on Sunday, saying that the result demonstrated "the Turkish people's great support" for Erdogan's policy.
...
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Erdogan, Turkish presidential sources said.

According to diplomatic sources, foreign ministers from Hungary, Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sudan, Kenya, and the U.K. offered congratulations to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in telephone calls.
...
Turkish presidential sources said Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also congratulated Erdogan with written statements Monday.

http://aa.com.tr/en/turkey/world-leaders-congratulate-erdogan-on-referendum-win/798500

So we're looking at the authoritarians, basically. I'm sad to see my own UK doing a bit of toadying there, though at least it wasn't head of government personally calling the newly-Enabled Reich Chancellor.

[JI7]

4. azerbaijan is where trump and ivanka had that hotel business deal with some iranian revolutionary

guards.

[joshdawg]

3. Drumpf's lunacy has no boundaries.

And the RWNJ's stand and cheer.
republicanism is a mental defect. Period.

[JI7]

5. remember that Flynn wanted to kidnap that cleric and hand him over to Erdogan

[JHan]

6. Yep

[Cha]

7. Children have an innate ability to distinguish between good and evil

Just sayin

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