De-Dollarization Spreads: Why These 5 Nations Are Backing Away From The Buck

 

The past year was full of events that inevitably split the global geopolitical space into two camps: those who still support using US currency as a universal financial tool, and those who are turning their back on the greenback.

Global tensions caused by economic sanctions and trade conflicts triggered by Washington have forced targeted countries to take a fresh look at alternative payment systems currently dominated by the US dollar.

Turkish Intel Will Run ‘Operations’ Against Political Opponents On US Soil, Erdogan Spokesman Says

 

• A top adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan says that the president has ordered “operations” against his political opponents, even on U.S. soil
• The adviser, Ibrahim Kalin, said that the operations could include kidnappings of supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a political opponent of Erdogan
• Kalin said that operations will take place, “whether it be the U.S. or some other country”

The Turkish government plans to continue “operations,” including in the United States, against supporters of a political opponent of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a top adviser to the Turkish president said Friday.

The Turkish-US visa spat was triggered by Kurdish dispute, Ankara’s flight from NATO to the Russian-Iranian fold

 

As of Monday, Oct. 9, US missions in Turkey have suspended non-immigrant visa services and closed their doors to the public, while Turkish consulates in the United States have suspended “all visa services” to Americans. The Turkish currency immediately plummeted on world markets. The ostensible cause of the visa spat was the arrest in Turkey of a local US consulate employee on suspicion of links to Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish cleric living in exile in America, whom President Tayyip Erdogan accuses of orchestrating the failed coup against him in 2016. Washington says the charge is baseless and damaging bilateral relations.

NATO Splinters: Germany Completes Withdrawal From Turkey’s Incirlik Airbase

 

Several months after an unprecedented collapse in relations between two NATO member states, on Thursday Germany’s military announced it has finished its withdrawal from Turkey’s strategic airbase Incirlik, which as a reminder was prompted by Ankara’s refusal to allow visits by German parliamentarians. Going forward, Bundeswehr planes will instead be based in Jordan.

Leaked EU intelligence report says Islamists were not behind Turkey coup

 

A leaked report by a European Union intelligence body states that Islamist forces were not behind last July’s failed coup in Turkey, and that the ruling party used the coup to neutralize its few remaining political rivals. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accuses members of the so-called Gülen movement of orchestrating the coup, which included an armed attack on the country’s parliament and the murder of over 200 people across Turkey. The Gülen movement consists of supporters of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, who runs a global network of schools, charities and businesses from his home in the United States. The government of Turkey has designated Gülen’s group a terrorist organization and claims that its members have stealthily infiltrated state institutions since the 1980s.

Ankara threatens to ground US fighters at key Turkish air base

Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Wednesday that his country would consider not allowing the US to use its Incirlik Air Base in light of Washington’s refusal to help the Turkish air force carry out operations in the area of the Syrian city of Al-Bab. He said the US lack of assistance “is leading to serious disappointment in Turkish public opinion” that “is leading to questions over Incirlik.”

Assassin of Russian ambassador had guarded Turkey’s President Erdogan

Mevlut Mert Altintas. /AP

 

The assassin who gunned down Russia’s ambassador to Turkey had served on security details to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan several times prior to the Dec. 19 assassination of Andrei Karlov.

Mevlut Mert Altintas, 22, served on police details backing up Erdogan’s personal body guards eight times since the July 15 failed military coup in Turkey, according to a Hurriyet report on Dec. 21.

Turkey fires 10,000 more civil servants, shutters 15 media organizations

In the latest wave of purges after the July 15 coup attempt, Turkey has sacked 10,000 more civil servants and shut down 15 more media outlets.

Ankara said those let go in the new round of dismissals are suspected to have links with terrorist organizations by which is meant U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for orchestrating the failed coup.

Turkish President Warns Against Mixing Gulen Extradition Request

A purely 100% arrogant and corrupt megalomaniac is now extorting America — and is getting away with it as Washington chooses to ignore it.

 

© AFP 2016/ STR / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS OFFICE

 

It is necessary to separate the request put forward by Turkey to the United States for extradition of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and the relationships between Ankara and Washington amid the situation at Incirlik airbase, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.

…

“We must not confound the issue of extradition of Gulen and the relations with the United States over air base Incirlik. Relations with other countries should not be built on feelings and emotions, but based on logic. Of course, it would be a big mistake on the part of the United States not to extradite Gulen. We’ve sent all the necessary documents to the United States, we’ve begun the extradition process, and we will wait for the decision,” Erdogan said in an interview with Al Jazeera broadcaster.

Erdogan locks US airmen, nuclear arms in Incirlik

An update from a previous post on the unreported (not one word) Incirlik airbase situation, where ~1500 American soldiers are being held hostage by Erdoğan. Share this unreported story with your friends and get the word out.

 

 

This extraordinary situation, reported here by debkafile’s military sources, whereby a large group of American military personnel are held virtual captive by an allied government, was almost certainly raised in the phone call that took place Tuesday between President Barack Obama and Erdogan.  But the most outlandish aspect of this affair is that no American official has raised it in public – nor even by the administrations most vocal critics at the Republican convention which nominated Donald Trump as presidential candidate.

Failed Turkey coup deepens conundrum of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s power

And so another cot-case nation is born. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan already has begun consolidating in the wake of Friday’s failed coup, with a vengeful purge of the military and the judiciary to help drive home a ruthless bid to package virtually all power in his strongman presidency.

Critics argue that his Putin-like shift from the office of Prime Minister to the presidency is a threat to democracy in Turkey. But the failure of the coup likely will cause Erdoğan to redouble his efforts, which he will parse as an essential antidote to instability.

Turkish PM: Any country that stands by cleric Gulen will be at war with Turkey

Any country that stands by the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen will not be a friend of Turkey and will be considered at war with the NATO member, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday.

NUKE BASE THREAT: US airbase in lockdown and power cut by Turkey in revenge for harbouring ‘mystic’ cleric blamed for masterminding coup

Turkey, NATO member, is now holding U.S. soldiers hostage — as well as U.S. nuclear weapons.

 

Turkey ‘shuts down Incirlik air base’ to stop US jets bombing ISIS after Erdogan blasts: ‘You’re no friend of Turkey’

A TURKISH airbase used by the USA to launch attacks on ISIS and store nukes is reportedly under lock-down in revenge for the nation harbouring last night’s “coup mastermind”.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the man he has accused of masterminding Friday’s failed coup.

Hillary and Islamic Cleric Linked in New Docs

A newly-released email and lobbying documents filed with Congress reveals new ties between Clintonworld and members of a network operated by a mysterious Islamic cleric from Turkey.

Connections between Clinton and acolytes of the imam, Fethullah Gulen, could muddle the complex relationship between the U.S. and Turkey, a key NATO ally, if the former secretary of state wins the White House.

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has mounted an aggressive crackdown against Gulen and his followers, known as Gulenists. Erdoğan, who was once allied with Gulen, has even personally asked President Obama to extradite the 74-year-old guru, who has lived in self-exile in Pennsylvania’s Pocono mountains since 1999.