Thomas Friedman, "Close to the Edge": "'You Can’t Just Vote Your Vagina"

In her latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Bill’s Turn at Bat" (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2013/08/maureen-dowd-bills-turn-at-bat-you-cant.html), Maureen Dowd mentions that Democratic New York mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has the backing of Susan Sarandon, who "decided not to support [Christine] Quinn because 'you can’t just vote your vagina.'"

As regards New York, I agree with Susan.

However, in Egypt, where some 90 percent of Egyptian women have had their clitorises removed, I think women should be "voting their vaginas."

Regrettably, however, Egyptians in their first free elections in 2012, which brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power, were busy "voting their religion." A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in December 2010 (http://pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims-around-the-world-divided-on-hamas-and-hezbollah/) determined:

"At least three-quarters of Muslims in Egypt . . . say they would favor making each of the following the law in their countries: stoning people who commit adultery, whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery and the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion."

According to the Pew poll, 95% of Egyptian Muslims also believe it is "good" that Islam plays a large role in politics.

By now it is fairly clear that the consequences of "voting your religion" can be somewhat less than sanguine.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/opinion/friedman-close-to-the-edge.html
Who is responsible for the current chaos in Egypt? Yesterday, one of President Obama's five best overseas friends (see: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-269076-obama-names-turkeys-erdogan-among-top-five-international-friends.html) weighed in on the topic and blamed the Jews for toppling Morsi. As noted by The Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Erdogan-Israel-orchestrated-Morsi-overthrow-Egypt-unrest-323679):

"Erdogan’s comments come just a few weeks after he blamed the unrest in his own country on an 'interest rate lobby,' widely believed to be a metaphor for Western Jewish businessmen."

Obama sure as heck knows how to pick his overseas friends: Erdogan, Putin, Chavez . . .

Which brings me to Thomas Friedman's latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Close to the Edge" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/opinion/friedman-close-to-the-edge.html), in which this self-proclaimed prophet, who has a solution for everything (even baldness), declares:

"Of all the troubling images from Cairo these days, none could be worse than the pictures of the many civilian casualties. But nearly as disturbing was footage from last week showing an Egyptian police vehicle toppling off the 6th of October Bridge, which spans the Nile in central Cairo. News accounts differed over whether the vehicle was pushed over by protesters or, in a panic, the driver burst through the bridge railing and plunged into the river. Either way, the bridge was badly damaged, the car was lost, the fate of its passengers unknown."

Peculiar how Friedman doesn't mention the pictures of the more than 60 churches in Egypt recently torched by the Muslim Brotherhood (see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/ravaged-churches-reveal-sectarian-split-feeding-egypts-violence/2013/08/20/59902866-09bc-11e3-9941-6711ed662e71_story.html) as equally disturbing.

Friedman, however, is once again ready with advice for Egyptian General Sisi:

"I understand why so many Egyptians turned against the Brotherhood. It was stealing their revolution for its own stale agenda. But the best way to justify ousting the Brotherhood was for the military to put in place a government that really would get Egypt started on the long march to modernization, entrepreneurship, literacy for women and consensual and inclusive politics — inclusive even of Islamists — not another march in place under generals.

. . . .

So, once again, Egyptians and their friends abroad are being polarized between the same two bad options. The hour is late. General Sisi has got to pull back and empower the cabinet he appointed to produce a third way — an authentically modernizing, inclusive government. That is what the 2011 revolution was about. If he diverts Egypt from that goal, the way the Brotherhood did, if his only ambition is to be another Nasser and not a Mandela, Egypt is headed for a steep plunge, just like that police vehicle tumbling into the Nile."

Ah yes, "pull back and empower . . . an authentically modernizing, inclusive government."

I have even better advice: Let's send Tom to Cairo on a multi-year mission away from his Maryland mansion and have him explain to Sissi how to do it in a country with dwindling foreign reserves, soaring unemployment, a devastated tourist industry, chaos caused by Islamic militants in Sinai, a weakening currency, poverty, illiteracy, discrimination against women, murderous oppression of its Christian Coptic minority, and a population that is growing far beyond the country's means.

Go for it, Tom! General Sissi impatiently awaits your arrival! I'll even help sponsor a one-way ticket!

What Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan Was Not Asked at Yesterday's White House Press Conference

Yesterday, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and President Obama held a joint press conference at the White House. Inasmuch as the Obama administration is engulfed in scandal, Erdogan was pretty much ignored. A pity, however, that American journalists, so concerned with the AP horror, didn't ask why Turkey is considered the world's worst jailer of journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists (http://cpj.org/2013/02/attacks-on-the-press-in-2012-turkey.php).

The White House press corps might also have asked why more than 30 million Kurds in the Middle East, some 55% percent of whom live in and are oppressed by Turkey, are not entitled to their own state.

But heck, Erdogan was once one of Obama's best friends (see: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/world/2013/05/16/Erdogan-and-Obama-Best-friends-no-more.html), and we wouldn't want to embarrass this pompous potentate in the presence of the Sultan of Spin.

Netanyahu Explains His Apology to Turkey: Read Between the Lines!

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has explained his recent apology to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan for the loss of life on the Mavi Marmara by observing on his Facebook page(https://www.facebook.com/Netanyahu) (JG Caesarea's translation from the Hebrew):

"After three years of severed relations between Israel and Turkey, I decided that this is the time to rehabilitate them.

The changing reality around us demands that we constantly reexamine our relationships with countries in this region. During the last three years Israel has undertaken a number of initiatives to bring an end to this breach between Turkey and us.

The fact that the crisis in Syria is worsening from moment to moment was the central consideration in my view. Syria is crumbling, and its significant arsenal of advanced weapons is beginning to fall into the hands of various factions. The greatest danger is that its chemical weapons stockpiles will fall into the hands of terrorist organizations.

The reality in Syria, including, inter alia, the positioning of worldwide Jihad forces along our Golan Heights border, creates large challenges for our defense establishment. We are following developments there and are prepared to respond accordingly.

It is important that Turkey and Israel, which both border on Syria, can communicate with one another, and this is important also with respect to additional regional challenges."

"Additional regional challenges"? This is a veiled reference to Iran.

Stay tuned.

Turkey Fines TV Channel for Blasphemous Episode of "The Simpsons"? Heads Roll in Saudi Arabia for Blasphemy

There is a lot of talk about how the government of Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan has fined a TV channel the equivalent of $30,000 for broadcasting a "blasphemous" scene from "The Simpsons" (see: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/03/entertainment-us-turkey-simpsons-blasphe-idUSBRE8B20MG20121203). "Blasphemy"? "Yes indeedy," as Ned Flanders might say. The scene - avert your eyes - actually has the devil asking God for a cup of coffee.

But why the excitement? We've known for quite some time that Erdoğan, one of Obama's best buddies (see: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-269076-obama-names-turkeys-erdogan-among-top-five-international-friends.html), has befriended Hamas and has rubbed shoulders with a variety of other "questionable sorts" (see: http://www.turkeyemergency.com/2011/confirmed-erdogan-and-akp-rubbed-shoulders-with-hezbollah/), while throwing record numbers of journalists in jail (see: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/03/turkeys-jailed-journalists.html).

Judge Obama by the company he keeps? No way. The Reverend Wright, Tony Rezko, Rashid Khalidi and Bill Ayers couldn't make a dent in his sterling reputation.

But why all this noise about "The Simpsons"?

After all, Saudi Arabia executes persons for "blasphemy" (see: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/world/asia/malaysia-detains-saudi-over-twitter-posts-on-prophet.html?_r=0), and we all know how Obama feels about the Saudis, as evidenced by his bow to the Saudi king.

[In case you wondered, my travel plans don't include Istanbul, Ankara or Riyadh for the foreseeable future.]

Obama and His Best Buddy, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, to Bring Democracy to Syria

This story just out from Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/us-turkey-accelerate-syria-transition-white-house-202114418.html):

"President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone Monday 'to coordinate efforts to accelerate a political transition in Syria,' the White House said.

This 'would include the departure of (Syrian leader) Bashar al-Assad and be responsive to the legitimate demands of the Syrian people,' the statement said.

Obama and Erdogan shared their concerns over the Syrian regime's crackdown on opposition 'and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions throughout Syria as a result of the regime's atrocities.'

. . . .

The statement said US and Turkish teams 'would remain in close contact on ways that Turkey and the United States can work together to promote a democratic transition in Syria.'"

Ah, yes, Obama and Erdogan will together make the world, or at least Syria, safe for democracy. The problem is that Syria's Muslim Brotherhood is not in the market for democracy. Perhaps theocracy, but not democracy.

But more to the point, how is Erdogan in any position whatsoever to assist in another country's transition to democracy? As observed in a March 9, 2012 comment in The New Yorker entitled "Turkey’s Jailed Journalists" (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/03/turkeys-jailed-journalists.html), by Dexter Filkins:

"Measuring strictly in terms of imprisonments, Turkey—a longtime American ally, member of NATO, and showcase Muslim democracy—appears to be the most repressive country in the world.

According to the Journalists Union of Turkey, ninety-four reporters are currently imprisoned for doing their jobs. More than half are members of the Kurdish minority, which has been seeking greater freedoms since the Turkish republic was founded, in 1923. Many counts of arrested journalists go higher; the Friends of Ahmet Sik and Nedim Sener, a group of reporters named for two imprisoned colleagues, has compiled a detailed list of a hundred and four journalists currently in prison there.

The arrests have created an extraordinary climate of fear among journalists in Turkey, or, for that matter, for anyone contemplating criticizing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. During my recent visit there, many Turkish reporters told me that their editors have told them not to criticize Erdogan. As I detail in my piece in the magazine this week, the arrests of journalists are part of a larger campaign by Erdogan to crush domestic opposition to his rule. Since 2007, more than seven hundred people have been arrested, including members of parliament, army officers, university rectors, the heads of aid organizations, and the owners of television networks."

You sure as heck know how to pick your friends, Mr. President! Yet another foreign policy success!

Iran: Turkey Plays Both Sides of the Street

A widely circulated Reuters news item (see, e.g.: http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/06/11/turkey-cuts-iranian-oil-buys-steeply-in-may/) informs us that Turkey reduced oil purchases from Iran by 20 percent in May, purportedly in keeping with EU and US sanctions. However, this decline comes after Turkey increased purchases and stockpiled Iranian oil from January until April. In other words, the drop in May is little more than an optical illusion.

The Reuters item goes on to say that Turkey will continue to buy oil from Iran after June notwithstanding the EU boycott, making it the only buyer of Iranian oil in Europe.

In this regard, let us not forget Obama's declaration following a March 2012 meeting with Erdogan in Seoul (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/25/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-erdogan-turkey-after-bilatera):

"I think it's fair to say that over the last several years, the relationship between Turkey and the United States has continued to grow across every dimension. And I find Prime Minister Erdogan to be an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend on a wide range of issues."

That's one helluva friend you have there, Mr. President.

Thomas Friedman, "Facebook Meets Brick-and-Mortar Politics": Let's Talk Turkey

As recently acknowledged by David Ignatius of The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/david-ignatius-obamas-friend-in-turkey/2012/06/07/gJQAAhqCMV_story.html), "no world leader has a greater stake in Obama’s reelection than the Turkish prime minister." Obama is also deeply committed to his alliance with Erdogan, and, after a March 2012 meeting with Erdogan in Seoul, the American president declared (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/25/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-erdogan-turkey-after-bilatera):

"I think it's fair to say that over the last several years, the relationship between Turkey and the United States has continued to grow across every dimension. And I find Prime Minister Erdogan to be an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend on a wide range of issues."

As evidence of this "outstanding" friendship, Obama has demonstrated a willingness to ignore:

• Erdogan's suppression of political opponents;
• Erdogan's imprisonment of journalists;
• Erdogan's hatred of Israel;
• Erdogan's friendship with leaders of Hamas;
• Erdogan's acceptance of the 2011 Qaddafi Human Rights Prize;
• Turkey's ongoing oppression of its Kurdish minority;
• Turkey's warm relationship with Iran;
• A spiraling rate of murder involving women since Erdogan's AK Party came to power;
• A child bride rate of 37% in Turkey.

Indeed, Obama is also reneging on his pre-election promise to demand that Turkey recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915.

Today, in a New York Times op-ed entitled "Facebook Meets Brick-and-Mortar Politics" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/opinion/sunday/friedman-facebook-meets-brick-and-mortar-politics.html), Thomas Friedman also weighs in on the Obama-Erdogan love affair. Writing from Istanbul, Friedman concludes:

"If Erdogan’s 'Sultanization' of Turkey continues unchecked, it will soil his truly significant record and surely end up damaging Turkish democracy. It will also be bad for the region because whoever wins the election in Egypt, when looking for a model to follow, will see the E.U. in shambles, the Obama team giving Erdogan a free pass and Turkey thriving under a system that says: Give your people growth and you can gradually curb democratic institutions and impose more religion as you like."

On a day when Friedman is so critical of Obama's relationship with Erdogan and Nicholas Kristof is savaging Obama for his inaction with respect to the carnage in Syria and Sudan (see: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/opinion/sunday/kristof-from-peace-prize-to-paralysis.html?ref=opinion), and notwithstanding the inane ground war in Afghanistan which continues to bleed the US white, the polls still indicate that a majority of Americans approve of Obama's foreign policy (see: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/22/poll-voters-prefer-obamas-foreign-policy-to-his-economics/). Time for a wake-up call. When Bill Clinton described Obama as an "amateur" president (see: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/bill_blockbuster_an_amateur_XJHYdaV5LT1vpr5I39IKrN), he was being kind.

Iran Threatens to Sink an American Aircraft Carrier

Notwithstanding efforts being made by Tehran to create a spurious aura of flexibility and accomodation around its talks with the P5 +1 (the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany) over its nuclear weapons development program (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2012/04/p5-1-talks-with-iran-begin-in.html), Iran on Friday threatened to sink an American aircraft carrier. Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said in an interview with the Persian service of the Fars News Agency (http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1586971):

"'It is a misconception that an aircraft carrier can be put out of action only if it is sunk. First, sinking an aircraft carrier is not a complicated task. Second, an aircraft carrier is equipped with so many advanced, delicate, and sensitive devices . . . that it could be incapacitated by even the smallest explosion in every corner of it.'

. . . .

Elsewhere in his remarks, the [Islamic Revolution Guards Corps ] official said that the Islamic Republic is not concerned about the presence of U.S. troops in the region because they do not pose a threat to Iran anymore, but rather their presence has provided an opportunity for Iranian forces.

'Today, one of our short-range missiles can function as an intercontinental missile because they (U.S. troops) have been based near us,' he added.

Commenting on the proposed missile defense shield in the Persian Gulf, Hajizadeh said that Iran has taken measures to counter the 'U.S.-Israeli' plan.

'I promise that the missiles, which would be supposed to hit (Israel), will undoubtedly do the job. We have taken measures that the shield will become inefficient, and we will show our methods and tactics to counter the defense shield on the day of action,' he said."

Although Obama has tried to win over the mullahs with past sweet talk and a recent secret message conveyed via Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan that the US is willing to tolerate an Iranian civilian nuclear program (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2012/04/obama-sends-message-to-irans-supreme.html), this explosive situation will not remain under wraps until after the November elections or beyond, as Obama had hoped. Much to his displeasure, Obama will need to answer this insolent blustering threat.

What Does Saudi Arabia Think About Khamenei's Edict Against Nuclear Weapons?: "Taqqiya"

Everyone is familiar with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's disappointment with the recent decision in Istanbul by the P5 +1 to grant Iran another month and a half to pursue its nuclear weapons development program without interference: a "freebie" (see: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/16/world/meast/iran-nuclear/).

Obama, of course, took issue with Netanyahu's characterization and inanely declared, "But so far at least we haven't given away anything" (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2012/04/obama-at-least-we-havent-given-away.html). You will also recall Obama's "secret" message to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, conveyed via Turkish Prime Erdoğan and premised upon Khamenei's purported "fatwa" (religious edict) against nuclear weapons (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2012/04/obama-sends-message-to-irans-supreme.html).

What does America's ally, Saudi Arabia, think of Khamenei's fatwa and this extension of time granted by the West to Iran to halt nuclear weapons development? The answer is to be found in an April 15, 2012 article entitled "The ‘Security Council’ for fatwas!" (http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article612854.ece?service=print), written by Tariq Alhomayed, who is the editor in chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, which is tied to the Saudi family. Alhomayed writes:

"The problem with the Obama administration is that it wants to pursue policies that may be acceptable to the day-dreaming cultural elite, but not to regimes that are full of cunning and deceit, like the Iranian regime, whose primary objectives do not include development, openness, humanitarian values, the well-being of its citizens, or even religious tolerance; rather all that the Iranian regime — and the ideology behind it — cares about is expansion and infiltrating other countries, for sectarian motives. Since the world is ruled by international laws and conventions, as well as interests, it is absurd to talk about an Iranian fatwa when negotiating with Tehran, for countries — like individuals — have reputations and histories that cannot be ignored, therefore the reputation of a bad country, like the reputation of a bad individual, is not based on statements or fatwas, but rather past deeds! Therefore, when US Secretary of State Clinton talks about the Iranian fatwa, we can be certain that she has not heard about Iranian taqqiya) the practice of precautionary dissimulation emphasized in Shiite Islam whereby adherents may conceal their religion when under threat)!

. . . .


In reality, the claim that we can rely on a fatwa that prohibits the possession of nuclear weapons, reminds us of the famous Arab proverb: 'the thief was asked to swear (his innocence), and he swore (falsely) and said 'yes, this is the way out [of the predicament]!' If this fatwa is one of the merits of dialogue with Iran, then by God we are truly facing a disaster in the region!"

Or in short, Obama and Hillary Clinton are naifs, willing to be lulled into inaction by Khamenei's lies, which are permissable when dealing with infidels, i.e. the doctrine of "taqqiya."

Yes, the West is in deep trouble with Obama at the helm.

P5 + 1 Showdown in Istanbul Today: Iran "Has No Need to Compromise"

Today, the “P5+1” — the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany - will meet in Istanbul to discuss Iran's ongoing nuclear weapons development program. Obama is warning Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei that this is his "last chance" to honor international demands. This, of course, comes after Obama informed Jeffrey Goldberg in an interview published by The Atlantic one month ago (see: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/obama-to-iran-and-israel-as-president-of-the-united-states-i-dont-bluff/253875/) that "as president of the United States, I don't bluff."

Obama doesn't bluff? He is certainly sending Tehran mixed signals. In December, Obama sought to torpedo the bipartisan Kirk-Menendez Iran Sanctions Act (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2011/12/iran-obamas-secret-agenda.html), and now is pushing, via Senator Harry Reid, for a new toothless Senate sanctions bill. As stated in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Thursday (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303299604577327800154544244.html?mod=googlenews_wsj):

"Harry Reid is now pushing a watered-down sanctions bill that gives the Administration wide discretion in applying the bill's penalties. The Majority Leader also closed the bill to additional amendments, most conspicuously one from Illinois Republican Mark Kirk.

The Kirk amendment—which would have more of an impact on Iran than the rest of the bill combined—would close loopholes in existing sanctions, including one that allows a handful of Iranian financial institutions (and the Iranian government itself) to continue to do business with the outside world. It would also strengthen disclosure requirements for foreign financial institutions tempted to do business with Iran, effectively putting them to the choice of whether they want to have business ties with the U.S. or with the Islamic Republic."

A week ago, there was also Obama's secret message to Tehran, conveyed via Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2012/04/obama-sends-message-to-irans-supreme.html), in which Obama informed Khamenei that the US is prepared to tolerate an Iranian civilian nuclear program and hinted that his ongoing opposition to international action against Iran's ally, Syria, is conditioned upon Iranian cooperation involving the nuclear weapons development issue.

What does Iran think of Obama's "veiled warnings"? As translated by MEMRI, an April 8 article (http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/6256.htm) in the Iranian daily newspaper Kayhan, which is closely tied to Khamenei, informs us that Khamenei indeed believes that Obama is bluffing:

"'Examining an entire decade of the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, one can characterize it as a record of [instances in which] the U.S. adapted its 'red line' to the Iranian [stance]. The Americans always started out with an extreme [position] and ended up with a nominal one...

. . . .

If we plot [these changes] on a graph, it will show an amazing downward plunge... The American administration... always sets large goals [for itself], and makes a huge fuss over them, but, once it realizes that they cannot be implemented, quietly adapts them [to reality] and replaces them with other, humbler, goals, while continuing to make a fuss.

. . . .

So one might say that the West's hands are completely empty [of means with which] to threaten Iran in the upcoming talks... The simple conclusion... is that the West's distress vis-à-vis Iran, on the strategic [level], has become acute, and it seems that the statesmen in the White House have neither the courage nor the wisdom to extract themselves from this historic dead end... Iran is proving that it has no need to compromise with the West in order to grow strong.'"

Yet another Obama foreign relations disaster . . .

Obama Sends a Message to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei

Yes, Obama is dangerously naive.

After conveying his infamous open microphone message to Putin that the US would be more "flexible" regarding missile defense following his reelection, Obama asked Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan to inform Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei that the US is prepared to tolerate an Iranian civilian nuclear program, provided that Iran "will never pursue nuclear weapons."

This new information is provided by David Ignatius in a Washington Post opinion piece entitled "Obama’s signal to Iran" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/obamas-signal-to-iran/2012/04/05/gIQApVLDyS_story.html). Without disclosing his sources, Ignatius writes:

"The statement highlighted by Obama as a potential starting point was made on state television in February. Khamenei said: 'The Iranian nation has never pursued and will never pursue nuclear weapons. . . . Iran is not after nuclear weapons because the Islamic Republic, logically, religiously and theoretically, considers the possession of nuclear weapons a grave sin and believes the proliferation of such weapons is senseless, destructive and dangerous.'"

Obama believes Khamenei (and also in the Tooth Fairy), or is he grasping at straws to avoid a confrontation prior to November?

Meanwhile, Iran's delaying game continues. As reported by Iran's Mehr News Agency (http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1569528):

"Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Iran has proposed Baghdad as the venue of talks and the 5+1 group should announce its decision in this regard.

'In regard to Iraq’s transparent stance on the Iranian nuclear issue I believe that the negotiations should be held in Iraq instead of Turkey,' Boroujerdi told the Mehr News Agency.

Iran and the major powers are scheduled to meet for nuclear talks on April 13.

Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Wednesday that Iraq and China are possible venues for the next round of talks."

Apparently Obama still doesn't understand the manner in which the game is played in the Middle East. "Talk quietly and carry a big stick"? In this instance, Obama would have been wiser to handle Khamenei in accordance with a different maxim: "Stop with the nonsense, or I'm going to ram this big stick up your posterior."

Obama's Best Buddy, Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan, to Double Bilateral Trade With Iran

In a January 2012 Time interview with Fareed Zakaria (http://swampland.time.com/2012/01/19/inside-obamas-world-the-president-talks-to-time-about-the-changing-nature-of-american-power/?iid=sl-main-lede), President Obama proudly proclaimed:

"I think that if you ask them, Angela Merkel or Prime Minister Singh or President Lee or Prime Minister Erdogan or David Cameron would say, We have a lot of trust and confidence in the President. We believe what he says. We believe that he’ll follow through on his commitments. We think he’s paying attention to our concerns and our interests. And that’s part of the reason we’ve been able to forge these close working relationships and gotten a whole bunch of stuff done."

A close working relationship with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan? Nice to know.

Indeed, on March 25 a jubilant Obama met with the Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan for one hour and 45 minutes at a hotel in Seoul ahead of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit in South Korea. Following their discusions, Obama and Erdoğan held a joint press conference, and Obama once again declared that Erdoğan is an "outstanding" partner (see: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-275311-erdogan-obama-discuss-syria-iran-at-seoul-meeting.html).

Well, this outstanding partner subsequently spent the past several days meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and Iranian President Ahmadinejad, and on March 28, following discussions with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Erdoğan announced that Turkey and Iran had agreed to double bilateral trade to 30 billion dollars within the next three years (see: http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1565561).

This agreement to expand trade from $16 billion in 2011 to $30 billion in 2015 comes at a time when the US and Europe are seeking to impose stringent sanctions on Iran to prevent further development of its nuclear armaments program.

Obama, a foreign policy naif, certainly knows how to pick his friends . . .

Paul Krugman, "Paranoia Strikes Deeper": Suffering from Gas

No, I don't suffer from paranoia, and I don't think that Obama is engaged in a conspiracy to drive the price of gas higher. On the other hand, I do believe that the Obama administration has done a poor job of controlling price speculation by oil traders.

In his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Paranoia Strikes Deeper" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/opinion/krugman-paranoia-strikes-deeper.html?_r=1&hp#), Paul Krugman writes:

"Oil prices are set in a world market, and America, which accounts for only about a tenth of world production, can’t move those prices much. Indeed, the recent rise in gas prices has taken place despite rising U.S. oil production and falling imports."

America can't move those prices much? Oh really? America is blessed with enormous quantities of oil shale, which translate medium-term into energy independence, and this resource will ultimately make a difference. Meanwhile, if Obama wants to control oil speculation, he can release strategic oil reserves, as was belatedly discussed with UK Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this month (see: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/15/us-oil-reserves-idUSBRE82E0UM20120315). In addition, Obama could have also sent a message to the markets by agreeing to allow the Keystone XL pipeline to proceed, as advocated by New York Times columnist Joe Nocera (see: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/opinion/nocera-the-poisoned-politics-of-keystone-xl.html).

Krugman observes that Romney has conveniently bought into the claim that gas prices are higher owing to an Obama administration plot; however, he thinks that Romney will reject such conspiracy theories after winning the Republican nomination:

"If and when he wins the nomination, Mr. Romney will try, as a hapless adviser put it, to shake his Etch A Sketch — that is, to erase the record of his pandering to the crazy right and convince voters that he’s actually a moderate. And maybe he can pull it off.

But let’s hope that he can’t, because the kind of pandering he has engaged in during his quest for the nomination matters. Whatever Mr. Romney may personally believe, the fact is that by endorsing the right’s paranoid fantasies, he is helping to further a dangerous trend in America’s political life. And he should be held accountable for his actions."

My guess is that Romney, after being nominated, will indeed adapt his candidacy to middle-of-the-road America. But does this make him a dangerous demagogue, or is this all part of the game?

In this respect, perhaps Paul can tell us:

• What happened to Obama's past promise to acknowledge Armenian Genocide? Had Obama honored this commitment, I don't think he would now be able to count Turkey's loathsome Prime Minister Erdoğan as one of his best buddies.

• What happened to Obama's campaign promise to close the terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay? Answer: Nothing.

• What happened to Obama's promise to bar lobbyists from working in the administration on issues related to their prior employers for two years? Answer: Conveniently ignored.

• What happened to Obama's promise to bring US troops home after becoming president? Obama declared in October 2007 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ9vKX73UZ0):

"I will promise you this – that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank."

Well, the troops came home from Iraq in 2011, but not on schedule, and Obama significantly escalated US involvement in Afghanistan.

Oh goodness gracious me, even Democrats are not to be trusted! Yawn . . .

Turkey and Israel: The Deep Freeze Thaws Ever So Slightly

Driving in and out of Tel Aviv on Tuesday via the coastal highway, I noticed three things:

1. Heightened activity at the location, which to the untrained eye appears like a giant garbage dump, where Israel trains to lift massive concrete blocks in anticipation of the earthquake which will ultimately rock the country.

2. An advertisement on a bus reading "Turkey welcomes you." Turkey is again welcoming Israelis to vacation there? Given the strains between the two countries since the Mavi Marmara incident and the humiliation of Israelis arriving in Istanbul, I found it somewhat remarkable that Turkey would now be "welcoming" Israelis.

3. As always, the Turkish flag proudly unfurled from the Turkish Embassy building in Tel Aviv with no sign of tension whatsoever in the environs.

Sure enough, I later learned that Turkey was asking Israel for assistance in rescuing persons still trapped under the rubble following its latest earthquake. I'm certain that the delay has resulted in the deaths of several Turks, but fortunately Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan was ultimately willing to swallow his pride. However, there's more to this story than meets the eye.

Erdogan has recently learned that a weakened Egypt does not want his meddling. The roots of this rivalry between Arabs and Turks go back hundreds of years, particularly as it pertains to Egypt. Moreover, even when I visit Istanbul, I still hear Turks decrying how the Arabs stabbed them in the back during World War I.

Erdogan has also sought to improve relations with Iran, notwithstanding economic sanctions being imposed by the West on Tehran. Erdogan is again coming to realize that notwithstanding the Middle East power vacuum created by Obama, the historic tensions between Turkey and Iran cannot be undone overnight, and there is a price to be paid for snubbing Turkey's NATO benefactors, particularly when he is seeking their material assistance in heightened fighting with Kurdish guerilla forces.

Last but not least, Erdogan, who had sought to improve relations with Syria, as part of his efforts to regain suzerainty over the Middle East in a throwback to Ottoman days, has determined that more harm than good can come from befriending Syria's Assad, who has made sport in recent months of murdering his own people.

As the Russian ambassador to Israel once told me many years ago: "There is never a dull moment in this country. Sometimes it's crazy."

Anthony Shadid, "In Mideast Riddle, Turkey Offers Itself as an Answer": Barely a Mention of the Kurds

In a New York Times article entitled "In Mideast Riddle, Turkey Offers Itself as an Answer" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/world/europe/in-mideast-riddle-turkey-offers-itself-as-an-answer.html), Anthony Shadid describes the ascendancy of Turkey in a Middle East power vacuum:

"But in an Arab world where the United States seems in retreat, Europe ineffectual and powers like Israel and Iran unsettled and unsure, officials of an assertive, occasionally brash Turkey have offered a vision for what may emerge from turmoil across two continents that has upended decades of assumptions.

. . . .

'We’re not out there to recreate the Ottoman Empire, but we are out there to make the most of the influence we have in a region that is embracing our leadership,' said Suat Kiniklioglu, the deputy chairman of external affairs for Mr. Erdogan’s party."

Shadid writes in his penultimate paragraph:

"And across the spectrum in Turkey, still wrestling with its own Kurdish insurgency in the southeast, critics and admirers acknowledge that the vision of a Turkish-led region, prosperous and stable, remains mostly a fleeting promise amid all the turmoil."

I ask myself, how is it possible to write such an article and relegate the Kurdish issue to a single sentence? There are 30 million Kurds in the Middle East who have been perpetually abused and demeaned, of whom some 14 million live in Turkey. Notwithstanding Turkey's purported outrage over conditions in Gaza and its shipment of aid to Palestinians, Turkey's Kurds have a lower standard of living, a lower life expectancy and lower rate of live births than persons living in Gaza. Blind to the poverty of its Kurdish minority, Turkey has threatened to send warships to the eastern Mediterranean to ensure that future shipments of aid by sea to Gaza are delivered without impediment.

While Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan continues to demand an apology for the death of nine Turks aboard the Marmara, which was attempting to break the Israeli maritime blockade of Gaza, he refuses to apologize for the Armenian Genocide.

The recipient of the 2010 Qaddafi International Prize for Human Rights, Erdogan refused to take an active role in NATO's recent operations to remove Libya's despot.

Of late, Turkey is engaged in saber rattling over offshore drilling for natural gas by both Cyprus and Israel.

A Middle East power vacuum has been created by President Obama, and both Turkey and Iran are rushing to fill the void. How has Obama responded to Erdogan's power drunk shenanigans? Several days ago, Erdogan announced that the US had agreed to supply him with Predator drones to fight the Kurds.

Given the financial crisis enveloping both the US and Europe, Ankara can probably continue to engage without scrutiny or opposition in this adventure, which for many Erdogan admirers amounts to a romantic resurgence of the Ottoman Empire, or at least until another nationwide banking crisis brings Turkey to its knees.

Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan to Hire My Wife As Senior Adviser

Yes, it's true: Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has announced that he will be hiring my wife as a senior political adviser effective immediately.

The decision to hire my wife was precipitated by a number of international developments. Earlier this month Erdogan again demanded that Israel apologize for the death of Turkish nationals during the attempt, over a year ago, by the Mavi Marmara to break the Israeli maritime blockade of Gaza. Erdogan threatened that if the Israelis did not apologize, he would conduct an official visit to Gaza to meet with its rulers from Hamas, who have been declared terrorists by the US, Canada, EU and Japan (see: http://www.businessturkeytoday.com/pm-erdogan-to-visit-gaza-if-israel-refuses-to-apologize-to-turkey/). Thus far, Israel has ignored his demands.

If Erdogan's visit to Gaza occurs, it will come at a time when Turkey is experiencing new tension with its Kurdish minority, which has long sought autonomy (see: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=231192).

More recently, Erdogan is demanding that Armenia apologize to Turkey for filling its youth with hatred, after Armenian Prime Minister Sarkisian, asked whether Western Armenia, today part of Turkey, will ever be united with Armenia, responded, “everything depends on the young generation” (see: http://asbarez.com/97287/erdogan-asks-sarkisian-to-apologize-for-western-armenia-remarks/). Erdogan, of course, refuses to acknowledge Turkey's massacre of Armenians in 1915 and is now threatening to deport 100,000 Armenians who are allegedly working illegally in Turkey (see: http://asbarez.com/78347/erdogan-threatens-to-deport-armenians-from-turkey/).

So why will my wife be advising Erdogan? Apparently, Erdogan learned from his security services that my wife is expert at extracting apologies from me almost every day.

In case you were wondering, my wife doesn't read this blog. But in case she gets wind of this latest entry, allow me to go on record as saying, "Sorry, dear, I was only joking."

Turkey and Israel: A Sea Change in Relations

After years of deteriorating relations between Jerusalem and Ankara since the AKP came to power in Turkey, there suddenly appears to be a sea change, owing to the current tempest in Syria. With thousands of Syrian civilians fleeing to the Turkish border, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is no longer cooing over his fraternal relationship with Syria's Assad. Quite the contrary: Two weeks ago, Erdogan labeled the conduct of Syria's army "barbaric" (see: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=224433&R=R3), and when Assad called Erdogan to congratulate him on the AKP's June national election victory, Assad received a tongue-lashing (see: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?ID=225002&R=R1).

How has the turmoil in Syria impacted upon Turkey's relationship with Israel? First, the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which had been expected to carry hundreds of protesters, suddenly abandoned the upcoming Gaza flotilla without good reason. Turkey is even acknowledging that the flotilla is unnecessary and could prove counterproductive:

"Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Turkish secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference was quoted in the Turkish media on Tuesday saying that 'a return of last year’s events may lead to problems that will be impossible to solve. There is no need for that.'

He said humanitarian aid was continuing to be brought in the Gaza Strip over land."

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=227274

More recently, it was reported that Turkey conveyed an Israeli warning to Assad not to initiate hostilities in order to halt the ongoing insurrection. As reported by The Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=227058):

"Israel sent a message to Syrian President Bashar Assad in recent days, warning him that if he started a war with the Jewish state in order to divert attention from domestic problems, Israel will target him personally, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the personal warning was sent through Turkey following intelligence reports of unusual Syrian troop movements, including the moving of long-range ballistic missiles that could be used to target Israel."

Never a dull moment in the Middle East.

Turkey's IHH Pulls Out of Gaza Flotilla

IHH, a Turkish organization linked to al-Qaeda (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2010/06/gaza-flotilla-little-picture-big.html), has pulled out of the Gaza flotilla planned for later this month. According to IHH, their ship, the Mavi Marmara, which participated in the prior flotilla, did not get the necessary approval from Turkish port authorities to depart. Yeah, right.

Make no mistake about it: IHH receives marching orders from Turkey's ruling, Islamic, AKP Party, and the IHH cancellation follows Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's "suggestion" to IHH that they reconsider their participation in the flotilla (see: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/turkey-foreign-minister-urges-organizers-to-reconsider-gaza-flotilla-1.366327).

The chaos and rioting in Syria, which have brought thousands of Syrian refugees to the Turkish border, have sparked tension between Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and his heretofore "dear friend" Assad. Erdogan is now accusing Assad of "barbarism" (see: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=224433&R=R3).

It could prove extremely embarrassing for Erdogan if IHH were to sail to Gaza, given the emerging humanitarian crisis on Turkey's border with Syria. It was already embarrassing enough that longevity, live births and literacy are higher in Gaza than in all of Turkey without even drawing comparisons with Turkey's disadvantaged Kurdish population.

Erdogan is carefully watching the response of Syria's oppressed Kurdish minority to the rioting. Erdogan is concerned that a Kurdish insurrection in Syria could spread to the significant Kurdish minority in Turkey, who were already outraged by the ban on their candidates' participation in national elections earlier this month (see: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/04/19/turkey-explosion-kurds.html). Erdogan does not need to be bothered by the distraction of another flotilla, given the real crisis on the Syrian border.

Also, the U.S. is now scrutinizing the conduct of Turkey, which did not provide NATO with assistance to contend with Libya's Qaddafi. Parallels will necessarily be drawn between the AKP's interaction with the IHH and the Pakistani government's "arrangements" with the Taliban and al-Qaeda (see: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7910687/Wikileaks-Pakistan-accused-of-helping-Taliban-in-Afghanistan-attacks.html). It would appear that both Pakistan and Turkey are adept at playing both sides of the fence.

Turkey: Violence and Death at Election Rally in Hopa

With Turkey's 17th general election scheduled for June 12, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan traveled on Tuesday to Hopa, a town on Turkey's northeastern border with Georgia, to attend a rally, but instead encountered rioting that resulted in the death of a retired school teacher. As reported by Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review (http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=protests-death-mar-erdogans-election-rally-2011-05-31):

"Lokumcu, a retired teacher, died in the hospital due to a heart attack, reportedly after collapsing during a police crackdown in the city. Lokumcu’s friends said he was kicked by a police officer while already on the ground due to the gas bombs used by the police.

Nine people were wounded and six others were overcome by pepper gas sprayed by the police, Hopa State Hospital authorities told the Hürriyet Daily News over the phone.

. . . .

Protests and clashes between the police and the protesters continued for the whole day, although they were not covered by television channels.

. . . .

The protests in Hopa started before Erdoğan’s arrival in the coastal town. A group of demonstrators hung a huge banner, reading 'Erdoğan, get out of Hopa,' on a building overseeing the square where the prime minister would hold his rally. Another building in the square bore a huge banner for the main opposition CHP."

This is not the first instance of violence surrounding the upcoming Turkish elections. In April, one person was shot dead in southeast Turkey after a dozen Kurdish politicians were barred from participating in the general election.

Meanwhile, preparations continue in Turkey for a second flotilla expected to challenge the Israeli sea blockade of Gaza later this month. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, seeking to galvanize Turkey's Islamic vote, stated last month (http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?ID=221581&R=R1):

"It should be known that Turkey will give the necessary response to any repeated act of provocation by Israel on the high seas."

Remarkable how Davutoglu can engage in such hypocrisy, given Turkey's treatment of its Kurdish minority. Davutoglu also ignores the fact that in Turkey, life expectancy is 72.23 years and infant mortality is 24.84 per 1,000 births, whereas in Gaza, life expectancy is 73.68 years and infant mortality is 17.71 per 1,000 births. In addition, Turkey's literacy rate is 88.7%, while in Gaza it is 91.9%.

How do you say in Turkish, "Charity begins at home"? Better still, how do you translate, "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones"?

Time to Reassess America's Relationship with Turkey

It's time for the U.S. to reassess its relationship with Turkey.

After Obama became president, the first Muslim country that he visited in April 2009 was Turkey, where he told the Turkish parliament that he favors Turkish membership in the European Union. Beyond that, Obama has systematically reneged on his campaign promise to recognize Armenian Genocide. What has the U.S. gotten in return?

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has publicly supported Iran's nuclear program, claiming that it is for civilian purposes only (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8570842.stm), notwithstanding the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and hosted Ahmadinejad in late December 2010.

Erdogan was also among the few world leaders to congratulate Ahmadinejad after the spurious Iranian presidential election in June 2009 (http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/17322.htm), notwithstanding the brutal suppression of subsequent mass protests in Tehran.

In December 2010, Erdogan traveled to Tripoli to receive the "Qaddafi International Prize for Human Rights". Previous recipients of the prize, worth some $250,000, have included Louis Farrakhan (1996), Fidel Castro (1998), and Hugo Chavez (2004).

Earlier this month, Turkey opposed sanctions passed by the U.N. Security Council against Libya, and Erdogan announced that he would also object to NATO enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya (http://www.hudson-ny.org/1927/turkey-opposes-no-fly-zone-over-libya-and-un).

Now, Turkey's deputy prime minister, Bülent Arınç, is voicing support for airstrikes against Israel (http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/03/21/turkey%e2%80%99s-deputy-prime-minister-calls-for-airstrikes-on-israel/).

Given all of the above, does the U.S. seriously intend to proceed with its plans to provide Turkey with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter? Time for Obama and friends to give this a little more thought.