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President Erdogan has issued a license to kill
Source: Washington Post
President Erdogan has issued a license to kill
By Can Dundar
12/2/2019, 7:51:53 p.m.
A few weeks ago, in a meeting with Turkish parliamentarians not long after President Trump’s announcement that U.S. special forces had killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in northern Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that he regarded the U.S. president as a role model:
“Some countries eliminate terrorists whom they consider as a threat to their national security, wherever they are,” he said. “This means they accept that Turkey has the same right.” He then hinted about his target: “This includes the terrorists they shake hands with and praised. I hope we will have good news for the nation on this matter soon.”
This was a blatant announcement of an assassination in the works. After the meeting, journalists asked Erdogan whether the target he had in mind might be Syrian Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi. Erdogan responded: “Who would announce such actions? Did the United States arrive announced?”
There is a difference between al-Baghdadi and Abdi. Turkey also considered the former to be a terrorist. But Gen. Abdi has been invited to the United States by senators, and Trump has spoken of him in highly positive terms.
Erdogan’s statement came amid widespread speculation that Ankara has been planning assassinations of dissidents abroad. It may have already carried out some killings — the most infamous being the assassination of three female members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who were shot in the head at the Kurdistan Information Bureau in central Paris in early 2013. Turkey regards the PKK as a terrorist organization (as does the United States).
-snip-
By Can Dundar
12/2/2019, 7:51:53 p.m.
A few weeks ago, in a meeting with Turkish parliamentarians not long after President Trump’s announcement that U.S. special forces had killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in northern Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that he regarded the U.S. president as a role model:
“Some countries eliminate terrorists whom they consider as a threat to their national security, wherever they are,” he said. “This means they accept that Turkey has the same right.” He then hinted about his target: “This includes the terrorists they shake hands with and praised. I hope we will have good news for the nation on this matter soon.”
This was a blatant announcement of an assassination in the works. After the meeting, journalists asked Erdogan whether the target he had in mind might be Syrian Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi. Erdogan responded: “Who would announce such actions? Did the United States arrive announced?”
There is a difference between al-Baghdadi and Abdi. Turkey also considered the former to be a terrorist. But Gen. Abdi has been invited to the United States by senators, and Trump has spoken of him in highly positive terms.
Erdogan’s statement came amid widespread speculation that Ankara has been planning assassinations of dissidents abroad. It may have already carried out some killings — the most infamous being the assassination of three female members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who were shot in the head at the Kurdistan Information Bureau in central Paris in early 2013. Turkey regards the PKK as a terrorist organization (as does the United States).
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/12/02/president-erdogan-has-issued-license-kill/
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