Turkey just banned Wikipedia, labeling it a 'national security threat'
Turkey has blocked Wikipedia. If you're inside the country, you can only access the online encyclopedia through a virtual private network connection to a system outside the country.
Turkish law allows the country's leaders to ban access to websites deemed obscene or a threat to national security.
This was just the latest crackdown on free speech and expression in Turkey. The monitoring group Turkey Blocks and other organizations have accused the government of occasionally blocking social-media sites such as Twitter or Facebook, particularly after militant attacks. (The government has denied this.) But according to the BBC, half of all requests to Twitter to remove offensive content have come from Turkey.
Tags
Who is online
108 visitors
I remember when Turkey was actually a democracy.
I remember when Turkey was actually a democracy.
And when it became an autocracy Trump called up Erdogan on his victory of becoming damned near a dictator. Political penis envy?
Political penis envy?
No, he's just a dick.
Which one or both?
Which one or both?
Both
Gotta agree with you on that. Cut from the same cloth. Trump, Putin and Erdogan. Blood brothers in faith and belief all.
. . . and Netanyahu.
I would happily add him to the list and apologize that I forgot about him. My bad.
Except that Putin, Trump and Netanyahu allow Wiki. Only Turkey is turning into a theological dictatorship.
For now.
Except that Putin, Trump and Netanyahu allow Wiki. Only Turkey is turning into a theological dictatorship
I doubt a whip in a secular hand has less of a sting on the backs of the oppressed.
Erdogan and Netanyahu are the would be the theological dictatorships (Netanyahu is nearly there) and Putin is purely a political, Mafia Family type one and is the model Trump aspires too. The problem with Trump is that he may have started at much too old of an age and with a nation that is not in as bad of shape (despite how Steve Miller and Steve Bannon think) to want to be torn down and rebuilt in a none Democratic/Republic like it is now. He won't be able to leave America to Qusay and Uday Trump like he would like too. Then again, maybe he will be able too. That depends on all of us.
This topic is not about Netanyahu, or Putin or Trump. It is about Erdogan, and Turkey, and Wikipedia and freedom of speech. Ony a sick sick obsessive mind would find it necessary to discuss other than Turkey, and Erdogan and his evil intentions. I could flag every one of those comments that are off topic.
Then flag it. They are all the same type. They are all looking for the same power. Blood brother at heart IMHO.
I found this statement elsewhere but it gave no further details.
Turkish state media said the ban was imposed because Wikipedia had failed to remove content promoting terror and accusing Turkey of cooperation with various terror groups.
Turkish state media said the ban was imposed because Wikipedia had failed to remove content promoting terror and accusing Turkey of cooperation with various terror groups.
Here's why:
1. The Syrian Civil War is basically part of an age-old religious sectarian conflict-- Sunni Muslims vs Shia Muslims. (Turkey, a Sunni country, doesn't like the Shia-- so the Turks want Assad (the Syrian dictator) out of power).
2. The Sunni rebels also want Assad out of power.
3. There are many Sunni rebel groups. They range from some that want democracy-- to groups like ISIS & al Qaeda.
4. Since ISIS ( Sunni) is battling Assad (Shia), Erdogan turned a blind eye to ISIS for a long time. (Turkey has a long border with Syria and Iraq-- in fact most people from around the world going to join ISiS go first to Turkey and then cross the porous border to Iraq & Syria. Erdogan looked the other way-- because he knew ISIS was fighting Assad, who he hates. So Turkey was cooperating with a terror group--ISIS.
5. But then ISIS made a big mistake-- they attacked Turkey! So now Erdogan has changed his policy re: ISIS. He's trying to keep the border tight, and has actually started battling ISIS for a change.
6. Although he's still trying to commit genocide against the Kurds, which seems to be an even bigger priority for him than battling ISIS.
Most of the US led force that are retaking Sunni cities in Iraq and in Syria are Shia AND Kurd! And the number one way to get rid of ISIS is to deal with the Kurdish forces who are making the most progress and having the most success, which of course Edorgan wants them to have success, but hates them at the same time because he does not want an ethnic Kurd uprising in Eastern Turkey which, quite frankly, he could not stop from happening consider that the Kurds already have what is basically their own country to operate from in North Eastern Iraq and the respect of just about every fighting force in the region and beyond. As far as I can see the Kurds are the most fearsome fighting force in the region, bar none. ANY peace settlement in the area will have to include a very big chunk of land for them. Perhaps even some Turkish land.
I read where they just purged another 2900 governemtn employees/military and others.
It's a pure dictatorship after the election...
And they didn't even have to burn their version of the Reichstag. Just kick everyone out. The big problem here is that Turkey is a member of NATO and can we have a member of NATO that is a pure dictatorship? That is not how NATO is supposed to operate.
The big problem here is that Turkey is a member of NATO
Exactly. And its even worse than that-- they are one of the most important members of NATO because of their location-- they border or are very close to several potential threats: Russia and Iran. For a long time they've been considered one of the main blocks to Russia's ambitions in the area.
And they are one of only two countries that border both Iraq and Syria.
There is also a major airbase there, used by Turkey and the U.S. (Incirlik) .
And there are nukes there:
From a security point of view, it’s a roll of the dice to continue to have approximately 50 of America’s nuclear weapons stationed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, just 70 miles from the Syrian border. These weapons have zero utility on the European battlefield and today are more of a liability than asset to our NATO allies.
From the Wiki article:
Due to increasing risks some suggest moving NATO's nuclear weapons out of Turkey
I couldn't agree more. The nuclear weapons are much more of a danger there then an asset and must be pulled out now before Erdogan tries to seize them for himself. Along with making sure none of our 1,000 Airman there have any civilian dependents on base (as all are confined to base now anyway) and have the active duty Airman ready to bug out at a moments notice, perhaps with help from an Army or Marine detachment from Italy or Germany.
The 173th Airborne Brigade is stationed in Italy...Those guys would be ready in a NY minute.
Just the right guys to provide a military cover while the Air Force gets the vital information, weapons, planes and Airman out of there. Remember in the Air Force we can control things that can blow up huge parts of the world, but we really aren't all that combat trained. LOL.
I read where they just purged another 2900 governemtn employees/military and others.
It's a pure dictatorship after the election...
This is the predicable result of the failed coup last year. He's going to turn that place inside out.
Without a doubt he will.
It was a fake coup. It achieved what it was supposed to achieve.
It was obvious where Turkey was going when it sent the Mavi Marmara ship to crash the LEGAL (according even to the anti-Israel biased UN) blockade that prevents the terrorist Hamas from importing rockets and missiles that they fire into Israeli civilian areas. Didn't matter that Erdogan was one of Obama's best friends, and after all, it's right that Erdogan imprisons and fires thousands of Turks who disagree with him..
An interesting followup is:
Of course the passengers on that ship were according to Israel-bashers all peaceful humanitarians, right?
A different take on the Palmer report which supposedly determines that the blockade is legal.
A different take on the Palmer report which supposedly determines that the blockade is legal.
What I always wonder about is how come you constantly mention the Israeli blockade-- when there's also an Egyptian blockage?
Also, the use of the term "Blockade" implies that nothing gets through. Did you know that Gaza is not self sufficient in food and other necessities? (So how come they're not all dead after years of the so-called "blockade?)
That's a good question, Krishna, but you must realize that those who would revel at the destruction of Israel would ignore that.
Your answer does not answer the question.
That illustrates the change that happened when Erdogan came to power.In addition to curbing civil liberties of his own citizens, he started doing some other provocative thing in foreign affairs.
(Although they weren't officially allies-- before Erdogan the Turks has a "secret" military alliance with Israel. When Israel bombed the Syrian nuclear reactor that Assad was building, to avoid detection Israeli aircraft first flew out to the Mediteranean. Then they reversed course-- but flew inland over Turkish territory. (At the last minute they turned south into Syria)> This could not have been done had not the Turks agreed to let Israeli planes fly over their territory.
(Its an interesting story: Operation Orchard)
That illustrates the change that happened when Erdogan came to power.In addition to curbing civil liberties of his own citizens, he started doing some other provocative thing in foreign affairs.
(Although they weren't officially allies-- before Erdogan the Turks has a "secret" military alliance with Israel. When Israel bombed the Syrian nuclear reactor that Assad was building, to avoid detection Israeli aircraft first flew out to the Mediteranean. Then they reversed course-- but flew inland over Turkish territory. (At the last minute they turned south into Syria)> This could not have been done had not the Turks agreed to let Israeli planes fly over their territory.
(Its an interesting story: Operation Orchard)
(Its an interesting story: Operation Orchard)
Although not nearly as interesting a story as Operation Opera!
Tensions rise between Turkey, US along Syrian border
ISTANBUL — Tensions rose Saturday along the Turkish-Syrian border as both Turkey and the United States moved armored vehicles to the region and Turkey’s leader once again demanded that the United States stop supporting Syrian Kurdish militants there.
The relocation of Turkish troops to the area came a day after U.S. troops were seen patrolling the tense border in Syria. Those patrols followed a Turkish airstrike against bases of Syrian Kurdish militia, the United States’ main ally in combating Islamic State militants in Syria.
More U.S. troops were seen Saturday in armored vehicles in Syria in Kurdish areas. Kurdish officials described U.S. troop movements as a “buffer” between them and Turkey.
But Turkey views Syria’s Kurdish People’s Protection group, known as YPG, as a terrorist organization and an extension of the Kurdish militants who have been waging a three-decade-long insurgency against Turkey.
“The YPG, and you know who’s supporting them, is attacking us with mortars. But we will make those places their grave, there is no stopping,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Footage shot Friday night showed a long line of Turkish trucks and military vehicles driving to the border area. The private Ihlas news agency reported that the convoy was heading to southeastern Sanliurfa province from Kilis in the west. The base is 30 miles from Syria’s Tal Abyad, a town controlled by the Kurdish militia.
Just before the troop location, the agency said, Turkish officials announced the completion of a phase of Turkey’s cross-border operation of Euphrates Shield in Syria, adding that the force may be used against Syrian Kurdish militants “if needed.”
Tensions in the border area rose last week when Turkey conducted airstrikes against YPG bases in Syria and Iraq on Tuesday. The Turkish military said that it killed at least 90 militants and wounded scores more. The Kurdish group in Syria said that 20 of its fighters and media activists were killed in the strike, which was followed by cross-border clashes.
Erdogan hinted that his country was also ready to repeat its attacks in Sinjar, Iraq, to prevent it from turning into a base for the Kurdish militia.
Kurdish officials said that the U.S. patrols are monitoring the Turkish-Syrian border to prevent an increase in tensions with Turkey, a NATO member and U.S. ally.
On Saturday, more U.S. troops in armored vehicles arrived in Kurdish areas, passing through the town of Qamishli, close to the border with Turkey. The town is mostly controlled by Kurdish forces, but Syrian government troops hold pockets of territory there, including the airport.
The convoy was followed by another of YPG militia. Some footage posted online showed Kurdish residents cheering U.S.-flagged vehicles as they drove by.
U.S. officials say the troop movement is part of its operations with the Kurdish forces in northern Syria.
Ankara sent its troops into Syria last August in a military operation triggered in large part by the Kurdish group’s expansion along its borders.
The issue has been a source of tension between Ankara and Washington that threatens to hamper the fight against the Islamic State. Instead of working with the Syrian Kurds, Turkey is pressing the United States to let its army join the campaign for Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State.
Erdogan is due in Washington on May 16 for his first meeting with President Trump.
Claiming that his country is leading the most effective campaign against the Islamic State, Erdogan said: “Let us, huge America, all these coalition powers and Turkey, let us join hands and turn Raqqa to Daesh’s grave,” using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.
The YPG forms the backbone of the U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces.
Redur Khalil, spokesman for the YPG in Syria, said that Turkey is reinforcing its border posts opposite Tal Abyad as well as others.
“We hope that this military mobilization is not meant to provoke our forces or for another purpose linked to entering Syrian territories. We don’t want any military confrontation between us, since our priority is to fight Daesh in Raqqa and Tabqa,” Khalil told the Associated Press in cellphone text messages.
Khalil said that his forces were not building up in the area.
I wouldn't trust the Turks on a bet.
The Turks would lose.