Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the sulfurous President of Turkey, who relishes his role as a neo-Ottoman quasi-caliph, making policy from his 1500 room White Palace (“Ak Saray”), has run up against reality yet again. First, there was his published plan for the creation of a pan-Islamic army – no doubt intended to be under Turkish leadership – that in numbers, if not in technological prowess, would be many times stronger than Israel’s military, and could at long last “crush” the Zionist enemy. Erdogan waited for what he assumed would be a favorable response from other Muslim nations, but none was forthcoming. The rebuff should have been clear, but Erdogan had a difficult time taking the hint. He apparently forgot, or failed to quite comprehend, that for 400 years the Ottoman Turks were the overlords of the Arabs in both the Middle East and North Africa, and their historic memory of mistreatment by the Turks makes them permanently leery of any schemes or dreams in which Turkey’s leader sees himself as leading an Army of Islam.
Erdogan has been involved in disputes with various Infidels as well. He attacked the American government for refusing to extradite Erdogan’s arch-enemy Fethulleh Gulen, and even arranged for the trial and imprisonment on trumped-up charges of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, whom he hoped to trade to the Americans for Gulen. Nothing doing, said an infuriated Washington.
When the Germans refused to allow Erdogan’s party, the AKP, to electioneer among the Turks in Germany, Erdogan denounced them as “Nazis.” When the Dutch similarly refused to allow electioneering among the Turks in the Netherlands, he described them as “Nazi remnants.” It’s his epithet of choice in condemning the Europeans.
After Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kunz shut down some “extremist” mosques and expelled their imams, Erdogan gave an address on June 9, 2018, where he predicted that such measures by the Infidel Christians could lead to war “between the cross and the crescent”:
“They [Austria] have all but declared war on worship, the azan, and the mosques. What is the difference between Austria’s chancellor today and the mentality of old times? Now they are planning and calculating how to shut down our mosques in Austria. Where is this going? I fear that the measures taken by the chancellor of Austria are bringing the world toward a war between the cross and the crescent.”
Erdogan’s fury is telling. He leaves no doubt of what side he would be on in such a conflict.
He has, after all, been busy dismantling secular Kemalism, and he has discharged from office, and in some cases even jailed, tens of thousands of Turks — lawyers, professors, judges, journalists (more journalists are jailed in Turkey than anywhere else) and military men — whom he suspected of remaining loyal to Ataturk’s secular reforms.
At this point, however, Erdogan has a problem. Turkey has already taken in more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees who since 2011 have fled the civil war. As the Syrian army is moving into the last redoubt of the Syrian opposition, Idlib Province, Erdogan fears that several hundred thousand new refugees will flood into Turkey.
He has asked for help ending a humanitarian crisis in the Idlib region. In a phone call on February 21, Erdogan asked for “concrete support” from Germany and France for this new group of refugees.. It was not so long ago that he was discussing a future war between the “cross and the crescent,” not so long ago that he referred to Germans as “Nazis.” He insulted Macron for commemorating the Armenian genocide. After Macron had described NATO as suffering from “brain death” in November 2019, just before a NATO summit, Erdogan raked the French president over the coals, claiming that “the French president’s statements are examples of a diseased, shallow understanding. What’s he saying? That NATO has experienced brain death. Mr. Macron, look, I appeal to you from Turkey, I will also say it at NATO, have your own brain death checked out first.”
So here he is asking two countries whose leaders he has repeatedly insulted – “Nazis” and “brain-dead” do not exhaust the epithets he has hurled at both Germany and France over the past few years – to come to the rescue with “concrete support” for Muslim Syrians. Why should Germany and France answer this call from the abusive Erdogan? Why does he not ask for “concrete” help from the colossally rich Gulf Arab oil states? Saudi Arabia and the Emirates ought to be put on the spot by Erdogan, who can ask “fellow Muslims, please spare us the humiliation of relying on Infidels to help out. Those Muslims who have the greatest financial resources will of course want to help fellow members of the Umma. In Turkey we have already taken in 3.5 million Syrian refugees. We did this unstintingly, we paid for everything, but now we have simply run out of money to take in, and support on our own, the hundreds of thousands of new refugees that are being created in Idlib Province by the criminal regime of Bashar Assad. We call upon Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to help support these Syrians, whether they come to Turkey or find refuge elsewhere in the Muslim lands – including, perhaps, the countries of the Arabian Gulf.”
This should embarrass the Saudis, the Emiratis, and the Kuwaitis, who have refused to take in any Syrian refugees, though some Syrian have been admitted as migrant workers. Since 2011, the Gulf Arabs have contributed $900 million to the upkeep elsewhere of Syrian refugees, but this amounts to a rounding error in their oil revenues, that collectively amount to much more than a trillion dollars during that period – that is, those three Gulf Arab states have taken in more than one thousand times the amount that they have given to support Syrian refugees. Erdogan should even let them know, quietly, that for now he won’t make those astonishing figures public, implicitly threatening that if they don’t come through with greater support, he will do just that. He could also request that the Gulf Arabs do their part to support not just these new refugees from Idlib, but the five to six million Syrians who for years have been living in camps, in “temporary” housing, in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. He could describe how such “generosity will win the gratitude of all Muslims.”
Erdogan would then be spared having to go hat in hand to the German “Nazis” and the supercilious “brain-dead” French, who, in any case, have given clear signs of compassion fatigue.
Turkey could receive billions from the Gulf Arabs to support the 3.5 million Syrian refugees already in Turkey and the new refugees from Idlib. Other billions should go to Jordan, which has 1.3 million Syrians, and to Lebanon, which has 1.5 million Syrians. The Saudis have a stake in the continued survival of King Abdullah in Jordan, fearing he could be replaced by an Islamist regime hostile to Arab monarchies. Recently the Gulf Arab gave the Jordanian king several billion dollars so that he could rescind an unpopular increase in income taxes. Money supplied by the Sunni Arabs of the Gulf to Lebanon would, similarly, do more than help support the Syrian refugees; those sums would show up the Shi’a terrorists of Hezbollah, who have done nothing to support those refugees, both because they are nearly all Sunnis, and therefore don’t deserve Shi’a support, and in the last two years, because of American sanctions re-imposed on Iran, Iran has had to decrease dramatically its financial support to Hezbollah which, in turn, is in no position to help Syrian refugees or, indeed, anyone.
France, Germany, and the rest of Europe would be spared having to take in even more Muslims with their hands always out. Neither Erdogan, nor Pope Francis, nor anyone else should pressure the Europeans into taking still more Muslims into their midst. Even Chancellor Merkel gives signs of recognizing her colossal error in “welcoming” several million Muslims into Germany, where the main result has been steep increases in rapes, murders, and general mayhem by the new arrivals, and increases too, in government expenditures for their upkeep. And the Europeans can finally agree that it is not they, but the rich Arabs in the Gulf, who should be responsible for the care and feeding of the Syrian refugees.
That last point is the most important: no more Muslims, from Syria or anywhere else, should be admitted into Europe or, if remaining outside Europe, expect to be supported by Europeans. Europe’s Infidels have done quite enough for the welfare of Muslims, who show no signs of gratitude nor of a desire to truly integrate into Western societies, though they are happy to accept all the benefits lavished upon them by the generous welfare states of western Europe. From now on, let the rich members of the umma take sole responsibility for the poor ones. Isn’t that what Zakat is supposed to be about – Muslim-to-Muslim charity? Muslims are, after all, “the best of peoples,” while we, miserable wretches, are the “most vile of created beings.”
mortimer says
Caliph Erdogan’s fabulous new palace reminds one of Hitler’s grandiose chancellery in Berlin, except the White Palace of Caliph Erdogan is even more grandiose. It is a great shame that the victorious Western Powers of 1918 did not reduce the size of Turkey by reassigning Turkish Europe entirely to Bulgaria and Macedonia in order to confine the menace of Turkey to Asia Minor.
elee says
You may recall that, by the treaties ending the war a portion of western Anatolia was supposed to be Greek…..the Young Turks didnt care for that, there was a war, there were massacres (look up what happened at Smyrna), the west declined to involve itself, the Greeks went the way of the Armenians and Chaldeans……..more shame for the First World. The British should never have relinquished Istanbul, we continue to reap yet another bitter fruit of the fashionable doctrine of postcolonial selfdetermination..
GreekEmpress says
Great posts, Mortimer and elee!
I would love to go back to Anatolia and see the places where my Greek and Armenian ancestors lived, but I refuse on principle.
I think there will be no response from the rich Arab countries. Probably Erdogan will again threaten to flood Europe with migrants if the EU doesn’t pay him more blackmail money.
gravenimage says
This was a continuation of the horrors of the Armenian Genocide, which really targeted *all* Christians in Turkey–Armenians, Greeks, Assyrian, Levantines–and continued from the Ottoman Empire to the “Young Turks” to Attaturk. Slaughtering Infidels was the one thing they all agreed on.
jca reid says
Just shows the real hyprocrisy of Islam & Islamists. Constantly bitching & whining about the West & non-Muslims in general. But who do they turn to when they need help? Certainly not their ‘Ummah’. The West is not perfect, but it’s the Best that on the go.
roberta says
I think (maybe) erdogan and his ilk are crazy like a fox on this one. Its a good idea to impoverish your enemy “war cost a lot of money”. Beg the cash from the kaffir and save your own for the battle yet to come.
France, Germany, and the world have dropped their pants to the ankles for so long on behalf of these parasites, its only natural for erdogan to bark up the same old tree.
mortimer says
Many Turks must be praying that a reincarnated Kemal Ataturk will emerge to reimpose secularism.
Infidel says
Mortimer
Mark Steyn did a good analysis on Turkey about 2 years ago, where he points out that the majority of Turks, particularly in interior Anatolia, never really endorsed Kemalism, and illustrates why demographically, Turkey has changed back into an Islamic state
Start at about 2 minutes into this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGdByVDwmZo
James Lincoln says
Mark Steyn is absolutely brilliant.
Interesting point about fertility rates/demographics “within” the muslim population itself…
Thanks for the clip, mortimer…
gravenimage says
Yes–Mark Steyn i wonderful–Talented, witty, and a great Anti-Jihadist.
gravenimage says
All too true, Infidel.
Seeking Deliverance says
Thank you for that Infidel. What is so sad is our western nations have no idea the demonic forces (i.e. Jihad) they’ve allowed to take hold of their prison populations let alone take up residence within their borders. Only Poland and Hungary have it right. Amazing really. The U.S. Democratic Party and Republican Party are more akin to “Fascist Party” with each passing day.
Infidel says
Hugh
In addition to the US, Germany and Austria, Erdogan has been infuriating others as well. As you noted late last year, he tried ganging up w/ Malaysia and Pakistan to form an ‘anti-Islamophobia’ club, but Pakistan’s participation in that conference was scuttled by Riyadh. So now, in an attempt to wean Pakistan to his side, he visited Islamabad a few weeks ago and declared his support to Pakistan over Kashmir, thereby squarely making India regard Turkey as a hostile country and throwing its lot behind Assad
Then there was the earthquake on the Iranian border, and Turkey has had to close that border as a result.
In fact, the suffering at Idlib is more due to Turkey, and has less to do w/ anything that either Syria or Russia is doing. Turkey has been trying to conquer parts of Syria, maybe to resettle their Syrian refugees, and in the process, have pissed off the other 2 Muslim blocs – Iran, which supports Assad, and the Arabs, who don’t wanna see Arab territory in Syria get devoured by Turkey
Not to mention that by trying to resurrect an Ottoman style caliphate, he’s miffed all Arab countries except Qatar, and so is unlikely to get any financial support from them. Maybe he should try milking Qatar for all he can, as well as the ‘stans’, which need Turkey to get their oil out to the rest of the world
Finally, on the Europe refugee question, yeah, Europe shouldn’t take in any more Muslim refugees. But have Merkel’s and Macron’s views been changed on this issue? Hopefully, in the UK, Priti Patel would turn that off, and crack down on all those pesky ‘Asians’
elee says
Despite all the press to the contrary, Erdogans Ottoman schemes continue to prosper. He has landed Turkish troops in Libya to back an Islamist warlord there, and neither Italy nor anyone else seems inclined to oppose him. Hes extending his zone southeastward and according to informed speculation seems to propose liquidating the remaining Yazidis and Chaldeans to create a nominally Kurdish vassal there. Who knows how much of Irak he wants to retake or where hes got assets on the ground? And he insults and provokes the Greeks at every opportunity and threatens war to take other peoples natural gas wells in the Mediterranean. Just what his minions are up to in the Balkans, no one seems to be telling now, but does anyone think hes any more benign there than in western Europe? Same for the Caucasus, the stans and Chechnya. Not comforting thoughts regarding a nominal ally with the second-largest military in NATO. Oh and theres his Diyanet and the Muslim Brotherhood, both of which have worldwide presence and schemes. Bad decisions by the west after WWI to allow Turkey all of Anatolia and ratify the Armenian Genocide.
Infidel says
Putin better wise up to him rather than treat him as a tactical ally, otherwise, before he knows it, he’ll have resurrected uprising in Chechnya and threats from the stans. That, and Turkey can enforce its chokeholds on the Sea of Marmara and block the bulk of Russian shipping
GreekEmpress says
+1 elee and Infidel!
You nailed it!!!!
David says
Either ISIS surrenders in Idlib, or Assad will have to kill them. Will they surrender? I doubt it.
Then refugees can go back home.
Is Assad really bombing hospitals? If so, why? I know ISIS embeds itself in a human shield of innocent civilians.
Infidel says
I’m no fan of the Assads, particularly the late Hafiz al Assad, but a lot of the allegations about the Baathists is plain propaganda from sunni Muslims, particularly the Turks, as well as groups like the FSA, ISIS and others. We need to be wary about what we believe, unless it’s our own sources.
Both the previous chemical attacks allegedly perpetrated by the regime came at very inopportune moments – the first when the US decided that regime change in Damascus was no longer its goal, and the second when there was a troop drawdown announcement from the White House. In both instances, Assad got what he wanted, and would have had to be really stupid to launch chemical attacks immediately to provoke a US response. However, there was other investigations into whether the rebels had chemical weapons, possibly moved into Syria from Iraq to hide Saddam’s WMD program, and it’s not credible to assume that the rebels had no access to WMDs. If they did, using it made the most sense in driving home to the Americans the need to leave troops there, since they couldn’t survive w/o western troops
Walter Sieruk says
As for the Chancellor of Austria who has closed down quite a number of mosques and expelled the imams of those same mosques from Austria because of suspicious subversive jihadist scheming within them.
This shows wisdom of that chancellor because with the history and continued practice of Islam to this current century the mosque had not only been the building for Muslims to engage in group prayer to their god ,Allah. but the mosques has also been a jihad strategy and command center .
In addition, the construction of mosques on in Austria and the other European countries has a symbolic meaning which has been explained by a former Muslim who is now a Christian, Dr. Daniel Shayesteh, in his book ISLAM THE HOUSE I LEFT BEHIND for in page 99 it informs the reader that “The mosque is vital for establishing Muslims as sovereign over non-Muslims in a non-Islamic society or country. Building a mosque in a non-Islamic society or country symbolizes Islam’s claim over that society or country, even with a non-Muslim majority.”
Walter Sieruk says
As for Tayyip Erdogan with his desire, and Islamic prayer to destroy the State of Israel he is only engaging in wishful fantasy and an unrealistic Islamic daydream .
Erdogan , had also earlier declared “Whoever is on the side of Israel ,let everyone know that we are against them.” This then by those words “against them.” Likewise must mean against him of her ,as an individual, who for the State of Israel
This must thus mean that they are also against Him. Who is God for being on the side of the Israel for being for Jewish State of Israel. As it is written in the Bible, “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.” Psalm 135:4. [N.K.J.V.]
Furthermore, the Jewish people have every right to all of that land that in now part of Israel, , including the West Bank and the Golan Heights by Divine Right. As seen, for example, in Genesis 28:13-15. 35:48, 49. Psalms 105:7-11. 135:4.
In addition the Jewish people should also have that land by historic rights. As found in First Kings 4:20,21,24,25. 8:55,56.
As about Erdogan with is scheming agenda for the destruction of nation of Israel and the replacing her with an Islamic “state” is may ,truly be said that “Erdogan is a deluded fool.”
Wellington says
Another fine article by Hugh Fitzgerald. Particularly good is the last paragraph which is an excellent summation of a very nasty problem which shouldn’t have become a problem in the first place if only the willfully ignorant (criminally ignorant?) in charge in sundry Western nations had done their homework up front on the true nature of Islam and its massively ungracious, highly intolerant and disgustingly supremacist followers.
Let Muslims take care of Muslims. Enough already of this suicidal madness in the West. There is still time to save Western Civilization (I think) but no more immigrants who adhere to the one major religion which is a most definite threat to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
James Lincoln says
Wellington says,
“Let Muslims take care of Muslims.”
That’s a keeper!
Infidel says
‘Take care of Muslims’ – it has a double entendre, and both of them are applicable to Muslims
Walter Sieruk says
Tayyip Erdogan would truly love to have a reestablishment of the Ottoman Empire which would be headed with a restored caliphate , such a man would be a caliph ,grand imam, and sultan many Muslims call this man the Mahdi.
This odd idea of Erogan does open the door to some Bible based information with authorized Islamic literature also taken into account and yet not to go into detail and that state that this is a theory of Bible prophecy and not a complete prophecy fact. This is what might happen. This awful and terrible conflict in the twenty -first century is part of the war between the Judo- Christian West and the Islamic East. The Mahdi will arise in the Middle East he will appear a wonderful man to many people, in reality he will be wicked man and will be so very deceitful and lying to he will seem, very much, like a good righteous and rightly guided man who will make a short and false “peace” in the Middle East. The Mahdi with have a partner who will be the false “jesus” of Islam. This Islamic ”jesus” will give Christian’s a choice , which is convert to Islam or die by beheading, this is the Koranic way to killing non-Muslims, as in 47:4. Those vicious murders of Christians in the future are predicted in the Bible. As seen in Revelation 20:4.
Furthermore in Israel the Mahdi “shall divide the land” Daniel 11:39. [K.J.V.] between the Jews and Muslims and the Mahdi will also by many deceiving lying signs and wonders, will unify Shi ‘ite and Sunni Islam together common goal destroying the State of Israel ,once and for all. The Mahdi will then take the all the military force of Islam with Satanic intention of totally destroying the Jewish State, one and for all. The when the Second Coming of real Jesus will occur .This is at the Battle of Armageddon where the final and complete defeat of the Mahdi, along with false ”jesus,” and his Islamic military forces. After the great Victory there will be then the total destruction of Islam. As found in the Bible in, for example, Ezekiel chapter 37 and 38. Zechariah Chapter 12 and then 14:9-21 well as in Revelation 19:11-21.
There is an Christian Arab pastor ,Michael Youssef who had written two well researched and informative books about the Islamic messiah called the Mahdi the are END TIMES AND THE SECRET OF THE MAHDI also the book entitled JESUS , JIHAD AND PEACE Furthermore, another Christian author on the topic of the Mahdi and prophecy is other than pastor Youssef is Joel Richardson who wrote THE ISLAMIC ANTICHRIST :THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE BEAST and the other book entitled THE MIDEAST BEAST : THE SCRIPTURAL CASE FOR THE ISLAMIC ANTICHRIST.
Westman says
Since there is a great “brotherhood” in Islam, Erdogan could simply draft the Syrian “refugees” into his very own Pan-Arab Army. After all, they are all equal under Islam, no? And the Saudis could simply send some money for the upkeep without “sullying” their own population with permanent foreigners.
Crusades Were Right says
Can it be that European / Western generosity towards Mohammedan refugees is being categorized as “jizya”, and that Allah is the party to be thanked, not the “infidels”?
somehistory says
“I fear that the measures taken by the chancellor of Austria are bringing the world toward a war between the cross and the crescent.”
This is a war he actually wants in order to slaughter all Christians.
As Jesus Christ said to a man who questioned Him about being a follower, “Let the dead bury their dead.”
moslims are spiritually dead. They intend to, and do, murder anyone who disagrees with their vile teachings and practices. They don’t hesitate to murder family members.
And yet, they brag about how they take care of their own, so let them do it. “Let the dead…those belonging to the death cult from satan…bury their dead.”
gravenimage says
Recep Tayyip Erdogan Calls On the Kuffar For Help
……………..
Wait–after all this Erdogan doesn’t want to have to deal with his own coreligionists?
Infidel says
Yeah, can’t he get help from his new pals – Mahathir Mohammed and Imran Khan Niazi? Or is combating islamophobia limited to just running a joint TV station?
Mural says
This might just be a ploy to get more of their brethren in Europe before the europeans wise up.
The end goal of all muslim leaders is the same. Just the means might differ.
Seeking Deliverance says
Erdogan is waging an illegal war in Syria. The West is to blame for its own demise just as the European Union is.
Infidel says
The Arab League should ask itself whether an alawite Syria is more alien to them than a sunni Turkey i.e. does Arabness trump sunniness? If yeah, they should support Syria in getting back Idlib, and drop all ideas of toppling Assad. If no, then they can do what they’re doing now, but then, Saudi Arabia can’t blame anyone but itself when Turkey starts horning in on leadership claims on islam
Rita says
In December 2014, Erdogan told Europe to ‘mind its own business’. Now would be a good time for Europe to comply and to send him packing. https://www.thenational.ae/world/erdogan-tells-eu-to-mind-own-business-in-turkey-media-arrests-1.647839
TimothyS says
“Come on” said the scorpion to the frog, “help me onto your back.”
jewdog says
No, those migrants show few signs of healthy integration into European culture or even gratitude (Europe has its own versions of the “Squad”). They are like the ungrateful volcano Churchill once called Iraq. Even the Vikings assimilated quickly after their conquests of Britain and Sicily in the 11th century, and their rule in Sicily proved highly beneficial.
Europe should have learned the history lesson from Israel’s experience, where Zionist investment beginning in the late 19th century drew in large numbers of Muslim immigrants, who ultimately proved to be Israel’s own ungrateful volcano.
I’m afraid that very few countries possess the steel that Hungary does, for example, and will simply acquiesce to this moral blackmail and open their borders to yet more volcanic lava, until they are buried like old Pompeii.