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Prime Minister Wiretapped — Vast Corruption Upending Turkey's Government

Posted by Unknown on from the spring-turns-to-winter dept.

cold fjord writes with an update on the political upheaval happening in Turkey "From the article: 'Dawn raids last Tuesday nabbed almost 60 people and implicated three government ministries, the directors of state banks, and some of Turkey's most powerful businessmen in a massive corruption probe spread across three different cases. Three members of Turkey's cabinet resigned on Christmas Day, and one called on Erdogan to follow suit as accusations of kickbacks, smuggling, and abuse of office continue to mount. The scandal has even acquired an international dimension as suspicions that Iran has been using Turkey's banks to shirk sanctions were further bolstered by the arrest of Reza Sarraf, an Iranian businessmen who is accused of bribing the Economic Minister while coordinating transactions from Iran worth $120 billion. The AKP is scrambling to defend itself by claiming the arrests are a result of a dastardly foreign conspiracy ... while police officials have been removed and reshuffled and special prosecutors appointed to a degree that makes Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre look like exemplary justice. The Turkish press continues to eagerly publish the latest colorful details that emerge from the probe, including police reports of $500,000 bribes administered in boxes of chocolate and news that Erdoan himself was being wiretapped as part of the investigation.' Erdogan has been urged to resign, three days ago Turkey banned journalists from entering police stations, and police are using tear gas on protesters."

123 comments

  1. They named a country after a bird? by alen · · Score: 0

    That you eat?
    And there is corruption there?
    No way

    1. Re:They named a country after a bird? by AdamColley · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=2WNrx2jq184

    2. Re:They named a country after a bird? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      an Iranian businessmen who is accused of bribing the Economic Minister while coordinating transactions from Iran worth $120 billion.

      Just as the French catch "the English disease", the English catch "the French disease", and incomprehensible things are "all Greek" to English-speaking people, we have a nice local phrase along similar lines: "Turkish economy". ;-)

    3. Re:They named a country after a bird? by Panoptes · · Score: 1

      I don't know which is worse - the ignorance, or the illogicality, of this puerile post.

    4. Re: They named a country after a bird? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The bird was named after the country. It was firs known as turkey bird which then became turkey.

    5. Re:They named a country after a bird? by SpaceCracker · · Score: 1

      Here is some trivia: in Hebrew that bird is called 'Hodu' which is also used in that language as the name of a country you call in English 'India'.
      Rumor has it there is corruption there too.
      Is that a coincidence or what?

      --
      sigo ergo sum
    6. Re:They named a country after a bird? by matria · · Score: 1

      Actually it is fully named "taregol hodu", meaning Indian chicken. If you can find any country in the world where there isn't rampant corruption and bribery and other shenanigans, I'd like to hear about it. Try reading the Miami news for a while.

    7. Re:They named a country after a bird? by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      Personally I'm in favour of "Turkish Delight."

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    8. Re:They named a country after a bird? by lxs · · Score: 1

      If you can find any country in the world where there isn't rampant corruption and bribery and other shenanigans, I'd like to hear about it.

      Here you go. Denmark seems rather nice.

    9. Re:They named a country after a bird? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is that a coincidence or what?

      Yes.

      While this is a great example of a typical coincidence it is good to remember that correlation by itself doesn't prove a common cause but rather gives an indication of whether there is a point to look for a common cause at all.

    10. Re:They named a country after a bird? by ImdatS · · Score: 2

      The funniest thing? In Turkish, that bird is called "Hindi", which assumes that the bird came from India...

    11. Re:They named a country after a bird? by cold+fjord · · Score: 1, Interesting

      There is corruption, and then there is Corruption. I can't imagine paying a bribe in the Western world as part of a driver's license application. But there are countries where that is necessary, and similar arrangements are needed for basic interaction with the government or other institutions. That is a fight that various parts of the world fight, and which drives the public mad. The people hate the corruption, but then when given a job in which they can extract payments too few people resist the temptation or social pressure to extract the payments to pass on to the tribe or extended family. That explains some of the attraction of political Islam. The Islamists rightly decry corruption, and Muslim people turn to them, but the results are almost always disappointing. In time corruption rears its head and you are still stuck with the hand and head chopping and other harsh laws brought by the Islamists, and the corruption continues.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    12. Re:They named a country after a bird? by vux984 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Its actually pretty interesting to read where the various state names originated. People don't really think about them, but its almost invariably not nearly all that ... impressive.

      Half a dozen at least are named for Kings and Queens (Carolinas, Georgia, Louisiana, Virginias...) New York is named for the Duke of York. Kind of amusing the names stuck what with the revolution and all.

      Indiana is roughly 'land of indians'
      Oklahoma is literally 'red person' in a native dialect
      Caliornia is 'hot oven' in spanish
      Vermont is 'green mountain' in french

      And perhaps most amusing Texas amusingly is "hello friend'.

      With only minor changes in history, we could have had a nuclear superpower named roughly "The Republic of Hey Buddy"

      Names are funny things. :p

    13. Re:They named a country after a bird? by SpaceCracker · · Score: 1

      I read somewhere that 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.'
      That mayst been some olden goings on tither.
      Seems like they've bettered themselves since.

      --
      sigo ergo sum
    14. Re:They named a country after a bird? by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      5th or 6th definition in the 'Urban dictionary'?

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    15. Re:They named a country after a bird? by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      As available on Amazon.com, and as understood by the overwhelming majority of the population that knows the term.

      You seem to have at a strange compulsion, probably more than one.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    16. Re:They named a country after a bird? by Phil-14 · · Score: 2

      Texas is named for Tiles, because one of the earliest parts settled had red soil suitable for making roofing tiles from. Spanish has shifted its spelling/prononciation a bit between then and now.

      --
      (currently testing something about signatures here)
    17. Re:They named a country after a bird? by Arker · · Score: 2

      Eh, not quite.

      California means nothing, it's a word that a novelist made up and appeared as a fictional land in "Las sergas de EsplandiÃn" - a book which the conquistadores were familiar with, and from which they drew the name.

      Your other entries appear to be correct though.

      --
      =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
      Friends don't let friends enable ecmascript.
    18. Re:They named a country after a bird? by giorgist · · Score: 1

      Well in Greek, a Turkey is called a "Gallos" and and a French mand is also called a "Gallos", and Americans hate the French. Is there a connection ?

    19. Re:They named a country after a bird? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I read somewhere that 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.'

      [Citation needed]

      (grin)

    20. Re:They named a country after a bird? by fatphil · · Score: 1

      Many languages in Europe have a pointer towards India in its name for the bird. It's named after the town of Calicut in Kerala in most of the languages nearest to me.

      --
      Also FatPhil on SoylentNews, id 863
    21. Re:They named a country after a bird? by vux984 · · Score: 1

      I beleive you are mistaken.

      The origin of the state name, Texas, is from the word, "Tejas", which means 'friends' in the Caddo language.
      (from wikipedia, but it is cited, and is confirmed elsewhere.)

      Further, it is used as a greeting. So the "hello friends" interpretation is reasonable.

    22. Re:They named a country after a bird? by vux984 · · Score: 1

      California means nothing, it's a word that a novelist made up and appeared as a fictional land in "Las sergas de EsplandiÃfn" - a book which the conquistadores were familiar with, and from which they drew the name.

      You appear to be right, the origin I had appears to be a minor and largely discredited theory.

      In any case, the premise that it is a 'nothing' word simply because it names a made up land in work of fiction is not convincing. Even if that is its origin, the name likely still means something.

      Many authors select names with care, and they are not usually just random collections of sounds. (The exception being modern bad fantasy writers - who seem to delight in just throwing gibberish peppered with random puncuation at the wall.) Anyhow...

      I located an interesting article:
      http://archive.org/stream/originmeaningofn00davi/originmeaningofn00davi_djvu.txt

      Long but interesting, particularly section 33+ where it specifically looks at

      "THE ORIGIN AND MEANING OF THE NAMES CALIFORNIA AND CALAFIA, AND ASSOCIATED NAMES, IN LAS SERGAS DE ESPLANDIAN AND AMADIS DE GAULA."

      Check it out.

  2. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Hi there! You're clueless about what constitutes new for nerds and what matters! We've got story after story on Slashdot about intelligence agencies with people making claims that they must be doing it to politicians. Here is a case of a national leader being wiretapped, and you claim "Nope" "Nope". That is before the question of a NATO ally's government staring into the chasm is considered, and the possible ties to Iranian sanctions busting. You are truly clueless.

  3. Re:OK.. by AdamColley · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It matters and to suggest it doesn't just shows what a myopic moron you are.
    The islamists are taking over the asylum and they're a bit too close for my liking.
    This is a country that wants to get into the EU? I think they have a bit of work to do before that... Like providing basic rights to their citizens rather than operating a government that makes Argentina at its 30 year ago worst look positively angelic by comparison.
    Perhaps Mr Anonymous Coward would have a different view if he lived in a country rapidly going down the Thomas.

  4. what kind of box by phantomfive · · Score: 1

    police reports of $500,000 bribes administered in boxes of chocolate and news that Erdoan himself was being wiretapped as part of the investigation.'

    That must be a big box to hide that many bills

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:what kind of box by gweihir · · Score: 0

      400 bills of 1000EUR each are not that much volume. Europe has money that is hard to conterfit, unlike some countries with paper money on the quality-level of 3rd world countries, like the US.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    2. Re:what kind of box by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      Europe has money that is hard to conterfit, unlike some countries with paper money on the quality-level of 3rd world countries, like the US.

      It was once thought impossible to counterfeit the Euro, but since then counterfeits are up (here is one example). With modern printing technology improving and becoming cheaper, the counterfeiters are becoming more and more sophisticated. Any security feature that is widely known can be copied.

      Which is why both Europe and the US are constantly working to improve their currency. You apparently are not aware of that, but check out the latest security features. They are kind of cool.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    3. Re:what kind of box by cold+fjord · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Your original answer was 10 words that actually answered the question. You then went on a 25 word rant about the US. Yes, we've noticed you don't like the US. The post you replied to above was correct, and more on topic to you than you were to the original.

      Your first post is tedious axe grinding. It would be nice if you could give it a rest for a day, or is it a strong and compelling obsession to you?

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    4. Re:what kind of box by benjfowler · · Score: 1

      The biggest euro note being issued is the 500 euro note:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/500_euro_note

      They're nicknamed "bin Ladens": everyone has heard of them, and knows what they look like, but noone's actually seen one.

      The only people who really favour them are drug dealers and other shady characters moving dirty money. It's said that in a study, all the 500 euro notes they could find were contaminated with cocaine. Part of the reason why they're no longer manufactured in many countries.

    5. Re:what kind of box by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

      A USD$100 bill first issued in 1929 would be comparable to $1,300 today inflation adjusted. While things are certainly different, there are still plenty of legal things where cash is king and large bills make sense today.

    6. Re:what kind of box by gweihir · · Score: 1

      No, my answer was 35 words that explain what is going on. That you think it is a "rant", that I point out that the quality of paper-money in the US is too low to allow $1000 bills only shows your ignorance or that standards that the modern world applies to paper money.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    7. Re:what kind of box by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      I actually had one once (was a birthday present). Got rid of it as soon as possible. Never heard the one about "bin Ladens", though.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    8. Re:what kind of box by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      that I point out that the quality of paper-money in the US is too low to allow $1000 bills only shows your ignorance

      It shows that you don't understand the quality of modern USD paper money. But whatever, who cares.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    9. Re:what kind of box by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      That you think it is a "rant", that I point out that the quality of paper-money in the US is too low to allow $1000 bills only shows your ignorance or that standards that the modern world applies to paper money.

      If the standards of the "modern world" include accuracy for questions of fact, you aren't living up to them.

      Currency Facts

      United States currency denominations above $100 are not available from the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve System, or the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. On July 14, 1969, the Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve System announced that currency notes in denominations of $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 would be discontinued immediately due to lack of use. Although they were issued until 1969, they were last printed in 1945.

      The US Treasury could print new $1,000 bills if it wanted to, it wouldn't be a problem.

      Interesting that the year the US defeated Germany and Japan in WW2 was the last year they printed $1,000 bills.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    10. Re:what kind of box by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "the year the US defeated Germany"

      Helped defeat Germany, there were other nations involved like the Russians who got to Berlin first.
      So you could say that it was the Russians that defeated Germany.

    11. Re:what kind of box by blackraven14250 · · Score: 1

      When it comes to cocaine on currency, I remember reading somewhere a very long time ago that nearly all of it in the US, something like 90%, down to $1 bills, was contaminated.

    12. Re:what kind of box by swb · · Score: 1

      Snopes has an article on cocaine on currency.

      Apparently the idea is that its such a fine powder that it will contaminate all the bills it comes into contact with, the cash counting machines, ATMs, etc.

      The implication of these stories is always that the bills considered "most" contaminated were handled by drug dealers or used to snort coke, but the reality is that very few are but the powder is so fine it can spread easily to thousands of other bills that were never in proximity to cocaine.

    13. Re:what kind of box by Eunuchswear · · Score: 1

      If you have 1000 EUR bills there is a 100% probability that they're fakes.

      The largest Euro bill issued is the 500.

      --
      Watch this Heartland Institute video
    14. Re:what kind of box by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Russians rode into Germany and hauled their supplies with American trucks, eating American food, and plenty of other supplies from the US. There were also American aircraft and tanks used by their armed forces as well. American long range bombers did plenty of damage. Dresden was bombed at Soviet request. It was an allied effort, but it is always good to remind some people of the American involvement.

  5. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The islamists are taking over the asylum and they're a bit too close for my liking.

    Ah yes, the thinly veiled racism. They're brown people with names you don't know how to pronounce. That makes them evil, right?

    Is it just me or is every Google+ user that posts to slashdot a douchebag?

  6. education by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    One of the first steps to change the world should be to reeducate our police officers to make them recognize they're affected by all this shit too. A big part of the police and military training is aimed at dehumanizing and making robots out of people. But their brains are still there, you just have to reach them.

    1. Re:education by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      robocop

  7. Wiretapped by... ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    So some turkish banks were caught helping some unnamedIranian actors.

    Then some members of the Turkish cabinet, bank manages and the prime minister himself have been forced or are about to resign, because ...

    Some providential wiretaps show some wrongdoings.

    Who ordered those wiretaps and when?

     

    1. Re:Wiretapped by... ? by SpaceCracker · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      The Turkish police didn't really have to place wiretaps to listen in on Erdogan.
      They could have asked the NSA for recordings.

      --
      sigo ergo sum
    2. Re:Wiretapped by... ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So is the Turkish police interested in acting against their own higher ranks?

      Curious.

  8. The truly bizarre aspect of this by cold+fjord · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    The truly bizarre aspect of this is that it involves aspects of a power struggle involving the Turkish PM and a Turkish Imam currently residing in the US.

    Turkish imam Fethullah Gulen wields power from self-imposed exile

    The more extreme Islamists in power are facing challenge from more moderate Muslims.

    I hope it turns out well, or Turkey is in trouble. Erdogan has already managed to yank out many of the checks on the government that have long existed, as well as cozying up with Iran.

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    1. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Informative

      You're the first person I've ever heard call Erdogan a Muslim extremist. Authoritarian, sure, but generally he's considered a secularist.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      He's a "secularlist" in name only. He's using the fundamentalists to consolidate power. The extremists have made a lot of power gains during his reign.

    3. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      As a practical matter: I hope the NSA has as much dirt on his replacement, as they had on him.

      I sure wish Snowden would go ahead and release all the NSA dirt on our politicians/judges (esp supreme court judges)/reporters/CEOs etc. But the NSA likely had those files locked down well.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    4. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      ...power struggle involving the Turkish PM and a Turkish Imam currently residing in the US.

      Has all the trappings of a coup attempt. William J. Donovan would be proud of what his creation has become.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    5. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      If you imprison the political opposition it isn't uncommon for them to leave the country. On the outside they tend to be beyond your reach.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    6. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It is his outside portrait that is accepted as secularist which is beginning to shatter since Gezi. In Turkey he has always been known to be a hard roots muslim extremist. But anyone pointing it out is quickly discredited by the major media in Turkey and totally ignored by any media outlets abroad. He even has a conviction for "Inciting people to hatred and hostility" for a religious speech he delivered.

    7. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      It's also not uncommon for them to attempt a takeover from "beyond your reach", especially with a little help from their "friends".

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    8. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      Yes, well both Khomeini and Lenin would know about that. I don't think Donovan's crew had much to do with them.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    9. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by Mashiki · · Score: 4, Informative

      You're the first person I've ever heard call Erdogan a Muslim extremist. Authoritarian, sure, but generally he's considered a secularist.

      You must not pay too much attention to what he's actually doing and said. If he's a secularist, then it should be very easy for you to explain why he's pushing for the destruction of churches, and blames everything "on da juice"(aka the Jews), and why he just went on a massive hunt, imprison, and disappearing act against the secular members of the military leadership. Going as far as imprisoning members who were responsible for installing a secular government the last time around and making those individuals actually disappear after a very quick show trial, then installing generals who are devoutly muslim.

      Secular this guy is not.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    10. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      With Khomeini they certainly did. The Shah's death was expected, and they needed somebody to put in to keep the commies out. The hostage deal was just PR addon, if not revenge for George Bush being fired from the CIA.. Lenin? I'm sure he was getting help from somebody . Heh, turns out to be that same old bunch that the CIA/NSA/DEA/FBI/etc.. actually serve today. There's just nothing new these days *sigh*

      Please note the major economic issue here (and that's what really counts) is that markets are saturated, in both labor and product. Destabilization, panic, and "crises" are needed to keep prices and the entire market empire from collapsing completely. Social and economic stratification are becoming harder to sustain. So, we need this perpetual warfare. There is every reason to play both sides. It's for our own good.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    11. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I also don't think Erdogan is an extremist ... but he certainly has very strong Muslim leanings. Much more than any Turkish leader in the past 100 years would dare exhibit.

      *If* you'd like to learn how Erdogan is NOT a secularist:

      Erdogan’s Turkey: Less nationalism, more Islam

      or just Google "erdogan islam".

    12. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by TubeSteak · · Score: 1

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Development_Party_(Turkey)
      Not and Islamic political party, but still #1 amongst Islamists.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    13. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Erdogan while mayor of Istanbul in the late 90's said "You cannot be both a secular and a Muslim. Either you have to be a Muslim, or a secularist. If you were to be both together, it'd repel like magnetism. It's an impossibility to have them together" (Turkish: "Hem laik, hem Müslüman olunmaz. Ya Müslüman olacaksn, ya laik. kisi bir arada olunca ters mknatslanma yapar. Mümkün deil, ikisi bir arada olamaz" )

      Secular this guy is not.

    14. Re:The truly bizarre aspect of this by swb · · Score: 2

      Like most politicians, Erdogan has figured out that people vote with their wallets, and the emptiest wallets you can fill will be your best supporters. From what I've read, the more religious Turks, especially in the interior, are the poorest and a major part of his power base has been through massive construction projects funneled to construction companies owned by these more religious Turks.

      As for his party, Erdogan rose to power when the military still was considered to have veto power over civilian governments and parties who didn't meet secular standards. He would not have achieved any political goals if his party was called "Religion and Islamification".

      I'm inclined to think that Erdogan the man isn't an Islamist in the mold of Arab Islamists; but rather a politician who has embraced a more conservative Islam as a means to political power, much as some American Republicans have embraced evangelical Christianity. On a cultural level they aren't bothered by it but it is more about political means than some kind of theological belief.

  9. Re:OK.. by tgv · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Well, there is a point to "the islamists are taking over". It is a power struggle between Erdogan's party, which has a bit of an islamist agenda, and the Gülen movement, which is an islamist movement, whose goals are unclear. Turkey has always had a "deep state", mainly secular, Atatürk-oriented, which has done some ghastly things. And now either islamist movement is interfering there. It's not racism. It might be bigoted, but racism?

    BTW, Turks are not brown people, although a few do have unpronounceable names.

  10. beyond belief! by quonsar · · Score: 1

    i am shocked. shocked i tell you!

    --

    Sacred cows make the best burgers.

  11. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The islamists are taking over the asylum and they're a bit too close for my liking.

    Ah yes, the thinly veiled racism.

    Because Islam is a race, sure.

    This is a country that wants to get into the EU?

    Sadly it's more like the other way around ..

  12. Indeed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    We've got story after story on Slashdot about intelligence agencies with people making claims that they must be doing it to politicians. Here is a case of a national leader being wiretapped, ...

    Where in any of the links does this have anything to do with foreign (i.e. NSA) wiretapping? So what, local authorites are wiretapping.

    The wiretapping was done by Turkish authorities to catch corruption in their own government.

    It has nothing to do with the NSA other than a vague accusation of foreign conspiracy of some sorts in an attempt to deflect accusations.

    So ANY wiretapping story is gonna be automatically considered an NSA story?

    Clueless indeed.

    1. Re:Indeed. by HornWumpus · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Consider the NSA likely knew all this and used the information like Machiavelli.

      Consider the NSA likely knows of 100 equally volatile potential scandals world wide and is using that information.

      All these things ARE within the NSA's job description. Doing the same thing to all three branches of the US government and the press is not.

      I for one, want to see what the NSA has on 'my' senators (Feinstein stepped into it by defending them). They've collected it, we should force them to reveal it. Just so everybody knows exactly what they're up to (they referring to both congresscritters and the NSA).

      Still hoping Snowden got those files. (Congress, Executive, Judicial, Press, Banking).

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  13. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh look, another Anonymous Coward making absurd and irrelevant accusations of racism. Turkey doesn't need islamists, even of "moderate" type (there are NO moderate islamists, only lying and honest islamists). It needs good governance free of corruption, while the current government is needlessly authoritarian in management methods (the whole park thing earlier...), as well as clearly very corrupt.

  14. Take a page by girlintraining · · Score: 0

    Take a page from the US play book: Just fine their companies a fraction of the profit they made from it, tell everyone it was the "harshest penalties ever handed out" for such a conspiracy, and then reiterate their commitment to the "consumers" affected by the "isolated" case of fraud.

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
  15. Re:OK.. by lxs · · Score: 4, Informative

    There is no major news agency in Europe reporting about this outside of Turkey.

    Apparently reading newspapers is becoming a lost art.
    France
    Germany
    Belgium
    The Netherlands
    Great Britain

  16. Real reason: power struggle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Fethullah Gulen has a huge following in Turkey. His disciples have invaded the police forces. They became buddies with Turkey PM to reach their anti-secularist agenda. They crippled the Turkish army using their pawn police and pawn judges.

    The economy looks strong and religious zealots are praising the PM and this is getting to his head. He forgets that it is Fethullah that actually controls everything in Pennsylvania and he openly started fighting Fethullah by banning prep schools, which is the main source of fresh meat for Fethullah. (there must be other behind the scene issues, but we dont know them yet). That link is the Zaman newspaper, which is also owned by Fethullah

    So now Fethullah/CIA is tired of PM's shit and they are unveiling what was already known for who knows how long. Interesting things are unfolding if you are Turkish.

  17. Re:OK.. by gl4ss · · Score: 2

    ...yeah, right.

    this must be the 234th "uuu news aren't reporting about this!!" shit piece of commentary I've read this year about this and that - every fucking time it has been about something that the news orgs were in fact reporting about. I don't know why the fuck this myth about turkish problems persists - since fuck, the news are reporting it! THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE FUCKING DOLTS WHO REPEAT THE LIE THAT THE NEWS AREN'T REPORTING ABOUT IT ARE IN FACT NOT READING THE NEWS, but still want to appear like they keep up to date and care and shit.

    http://yle.fi/uutiset/turkin_hallituskriisi_syvenee_jo_kolmas_ministeri_erosi_korruptiosotkujen_takia/7001035

    that's a finnish broadcasting company(that is, bbc equivalent, paid out of tax dollars) news about it.. plenty of news on other sources as well. but as I said the people who want to be seen politically active nowadays don't even fucking read the fucking news, they just repeat what they read on some blog while getting high.

    look man, even if you don't actively go to read news every day then you would know the fucked up situation in turkey, the protests and all.

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  18. Conspiracy by Xas · · Score: 1

    Erdogan likes to blame things on others so much. During the huge country wide protests in May and June, he blamed it on foreign powers, interest lobbies, international media and his political rivals. Now he blames them all plus protesters. It isn't hard to guess why; his voters are comparably less educated and more prone to believe everything bad comes from "infidel seculars" and "infidel foreigners". This time he isn't completely wrong however. He has been crossing swords with Fethullah Gulen, leader of an international muslim community for some time. He had been supporting Erdogan even before his rise to power, and pulled lots of strings for his benefit. Now the tables have turned. Gulen has excessive control over government bodies, judicial system and the police organization. This is going to be bloody.

  19. Re:OK.. by mc6809e · · Score: 1

    Ah yes, the thinly veiled racism. They're brown people with names you don't know how to pronounce.

    Ah, yes, the not so thinly veiled stupidity that confuses race and religion.

    Religion is a personal choice, you moron. At least it should be.

  20. There is amateur, and there is pro by smittyoneeach · · Score: 1

    When you're a pro, you just delegate the counterfeiting to "Zimbabwe" Ben Bernanke, or Janet "Weiss" Yellen.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  21. Re:OK.. by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Religion is a personal choice, you moron. At least it should be.

    You might want to get out in the real world a bit more. Religion is often what you're born with. Yes, it would be nice if everyone got to pick and chose after careful deliberation, but that rarely happens. And, in many places in the world, religion is also a tag or badge or category that places significant restrictions on your life at many levels.

    Very few countries have the separation between church and state that is jealously guarded in the US.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  22. Re:OK.. by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 1

    > Is it just me or is every Google+ user that posts to slashdot a douchebag?

    So I see you are just as guilty of stereotyping as any racist.

  23. Re:OK.. by benjfowler · · Score: 1

    Nice strawman, leftie AC lurker. Are you a member of the SWP, by any chance?

  24. Re:OK.. by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Many Americans are shocked to find out how religion and the state are still tied together in even Western Europe.

    They are doing still stuff that was ruled out in the US before the revolution.

    In a lot of ways the fact that America is so religious is due to the separation allowing for more freedom and diversity.

  25. Re:OK.. by mc6809e · · Score: 0

    You might want to get out in the real world a bit more. Religion is often what you're born with.

    I'm not sure I'm willing to give thoughtless people a pass.

    But suppose I grant that you're right. It still doesn't change things much because skin color doesn't matter much at all while a belief system does matter.

    The rightness or wrongness of judging has nothing to do with whether or not the object of our judgement is responsible or not. We shouldn't judge based on skin color because skin color is mostly irrelevant. But the religious belief that infidels (like me) should be killed is very relevant to me, and I don't give a damn if one was born into that belief system or chose it. I judge it as wrong and dangerous.

  26. Some more juicy news by Twelfth+Harmonic · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The absurdity of the story and the tragic situation Turkey has been in for the last decade cannot be overestimated.

    - This is a power struggle between an Imam who lives in a mansion in Pennsylvania vs. his servant.

    - In the past week, 5 ministers resigned. That is almost %20 of the cabinet

    - In the past two days, almost all the police chiefs in the country were suspended

    - When district attorneys ordered police to arrest some key businessmen, police refused. Eventhough this is a constitutional offense and has a penalty of jailtime, no one is on trial

    - A reshuffle is expected tonight or tomorrow. Definitely before weekend. The servant wants to pick up the pieces but the Imam is bent on destroying them

    - These fractions were once united through their belief in Allah and were hell-bent on destroying the old regime which they claim was built by American servants and godless infidels

    - No Muslim country in the area would interfere if these two fractions are to murder each other this very moment. Just like Assad is murdering his country and destroying history that dates before religion and no one does anything useful

    List goes on and on and on. You wouldn't care and I can't blame you. Just know that these are not much different from any other crazy religious people in the world. Just like anywhere else in the world, there are some people in this country who are harming its future. The mistake is that they are ruling now. This too shall pass.

    1. Re:Some more juicy news by couchslug · · Score: 2

      Only the ruthlessness of an Ataturk and the military which succeeded him can bring modernity and secular order to move such an Islamic country forward. Turks rightly admire Kemal Ataturk, but unless enough are willing to pick up a gun they will become prey for the fundamentalists. Theocratic superstitions (all of them) are only able to see democracy as a stepping-stone to their takeover of the State. Those who would resist superstition had better be willing to kill for their freedom. Ataturk and the Young Turks were willing, and they made tremendous progress. We shall see if that progress will be reversed.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  27. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't worry about Turkey, the islamists are already doing a pretty good job taking over France, the UK and other parts of western europe.

  28. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Turkey is more secular than the USA. In the courts in TR u don't take an oath on holy books. Prime ministers take oath on constitution. Not saying "God bless Turkey" . On Turkish money there are pictures of Ataturk and Turkish scientists. No "In God we trust" on our money either ;)

  29. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Also a significant proportion of Turkish population consists of atheists and agnostics

  30. Syria sarin gas perhaps? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it does not have something to do with Turkey supplying weapons and SARIN GAS ingredients to Syrian Insurgents...?! Syria is going, you know where, and now the ones entangled with recent Syrian Terrorist support, well... It's all just simple assumptions.

  31. The wiretapping part is the news for nerds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The wiretapping part is the news for nerds. The spying, bribes, corruption, illegal money transfers, police crackdowns and hoarde of politicians jumping ship is the stuff that matters. On slow news days you will read too much fluff. If you already have all that I described, it usually means that what you are looking at is the tip of the iceberg. And yeah, this stuff matters.

  32. Re:OK.. by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

    Turkey is more secular than the USA. In the courts in TR u don't take an oath on holy books. Prime ministers take oath on constitution. Not saying "God bless Turkey" . On Turkish money there are pictures of Ataturk and Turkish scientists. No "In God we trust" on our money either ;)

    That may well be 'superficial secularism'. If indeed, the Turkish government is closely tied with a single religious faction and grants extra power to that faction, the window dressing makes little difference.

    And you don't have to swear on Bibles in the US if you are so inclined.

    IMHO, the Church / State separation is not as assiduously maintained as it should be (along with separation of powers, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and a couple of other useful documents and concepts).

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  33. Re:OK.. by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 1

    Well, there is a point to "the islamists are taking over". It is a power struggle between Erdogan's party, which has a bit of an islamist agenda, and the Gülen movement, which is an islamist movement, whose goals are unclear. Turkey has always had a "deep state", mainly secular, Atatürk-oriented, which has done some ghastly things. And now either islamist movement is interfering there. It's not racism. It might be bigoted, but racism?

    BTW, Turks are not brown people, although a few do have unpronounceable names.

    The leaders of the USA have also done ghastly and unspeakable things over the years. This might seem embarrassing to Turkey but can you imagine a corruption probe exposing the fact that US cabinet members and the president are as hopelessly corrupt? I mean we all know that most US political leaders they are corrupt to various degrees as they are in most countries but can you imagine the FBI raiding major corporations, wall-street banks, wiretapping the white house and hauling these bozos into court? At least Turkish law enforcement still has enough backbone to mount an operation like this. It would take another Snowden, sheltering in some secure foreign location safe from being kidnapped, gagged and locked away like the "Man in the Iron Mask" to expose this kind of graft in the US administration.

    --
    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow
  34. Etymology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Peru in Portuguese, Dinde (d'Inde = "from India") in French. And my cultural background (Asterix) tells me that said India must have been America when they were thought to be the same land by the Western Europeans.

  35. Re:OK.. by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 1

    Our has that one it, but they left out the whole saying:

    "In God we Trust; all other must use cash"

  36. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Indeed. Islam is a violent theory of suppressing other ideas by means of war. And no, it's a mental desease that can be cured by not believing into it. Exactly like Stalinism.

  37. Re:OK.. About the Gülen movement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Well, there is a point to "the islamists are taking over". It is a power struggle between Erdogan's party, which has a bit of an islamist agenda, and the Gülen movement, which is an islamist movement, whose goals are unclear. Turkey has always had a "deep state", mainly secular, Atatürk-oriented, which has done some ghastly things. And now either islamist movement is interfering there. It's not racism. It might be bigoted, but racism?

    BTW, Turks are not brown people, although a few do have unpronounceable names.

    Actually, you would be surprised to know that the Gülen movement encourages inter-religious dialogue and is one of the most progressive Islamic schools when it comes to women's rights and dialogue with the West.

    Well, at least I was surprised. Apparently, not all Islamic schools/movements are Islamist.

  38. The NSA thinks (?) by IanGrant604 · · Score: 1

    And the NSA thinks "Whew. Dodged that one!"

    1. Re:The NSA thinks (?) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah yes, here is a story about corruption in a foriegn country's government. There must be some way to involve the US. Well now, the NSA (think foriegn intelligence) must be involved somehow, so the US is once again evil and somehow related to this crisis. Wait, the US should have known about this and could have possibly prevented it. Clearly, the US is at fault as much as any other country in *any* foreign crisis.

    2. Re:The NSA thinks (?) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Read John Perkin's Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. This is standard US corporate state policy: First try to buy off leaders in order to get them to do your bidding. If that fails try to install bought and paid for opposition. Finally in the worst case kill the leader.

  39. Re: OK.. by Nocturna81 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why is it then, that you better be Christian if you hope to attain any position of power in the good 'ol USA? Talk about superficial secularity.

  40. Going into 2014.... by hackus · · Score: 1

    Ahem....well in case you haven't figured this out yet...

    We are fast approaching a pivotal moment in this human history. We are all aware, government employs primarily people who are attracted with conquering, and destroying humanity. However, up until this point you could flee to far off lands, you could cut a kings head off and end his/her reign and the weapons that people who do like government had access to were simple cannon and pistol and later during WWII planes/missiles.

    This means that regionally a continent or two would be completely destroyed, like for example Europe or Japan later with Atomic weapons.

    Now, we face a large number of psychopaths world wide with weapons and technology to destroy the human race and totally enslave it with no place to run or hide.

    How long will we dodge this bullet I wonder? Do we get another 5 years? Maybe another 10 years?

    I don't think we have even 10 years before the human race will have to choose:

    Live as slaves as equals, or face extinction.

    -Hack

    --
    Got Geometrodynamics? Awe, too hard to figure out? Too bad.
  41. Re:OK.. by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

    . Religion is often what you're born with. Yes, it would be nice if everyone got to pick and chose after careful deliberation, but that rarely happens.

    That is actually what many of the fights around extreme Islam are about: convert, leave, or die. That also goes for the local Muslims since they are often not considered pius enough for the tastes of al Qaida. The fact that al Qaida kills many Muslims has been costing them significant amounts of support in the Muslim world.

    The current Turkish leadership has been playing footsy with Iran and other extremist elements. That have been sowing the seeds of future trouble.

    There are many people in Africa turning to both Islam and Christianity.

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  42. Re: OK.. by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 1

    Uh....

    14 US Senators do not avow that they are Christian.

  43. Re: OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow only 86% christian, how diverse of you...

  44. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It doesn't seem to be superficial to me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism_in_Turkey
    From what I understand, they just happen to have a religious party at the helm today (which is not constitution)

  45. Re:OK.. by sumdumass · · Score: 1

    I don't think he said it wasn't important, he said how is this news for nerds. Or in other words, why is it on slashdot's front page. Where is the nerd/geek connection.

  46. Re: OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    RU Moron? The point of the question is the claim that you have to be Christian to achieve a position of power in the US.

    CLEARLY that is not true.

  47. Inspiration? - Yep by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 1

    Stuff that matters? - Nope

    Correction: What happened in Turkey should be an inspiration for all citizens of the United States of America.

    The American government has grown so corrupted that even a broken website cost the American tax payers One fucking Billion Dollars ! ( http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-12-02/obamacare-website-costs-top-1-billion )

    When will we have FBI raiding the White House ?

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
  48. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is partially about financing the religious activities. There is much less emphasis on charity as opposed to taxation in financing religious and in general, cultural aspects of the societies in Europe. Once the flow of money is controlled by selected administrative entities, the people going to the way of snake handling have to make it on their own, are socially isolated and eventually have to fend off accusations of animal and child abuse. The last part applies to any religious organization not protecting themselves from the hordes of attacking pedophiles who like to target organizations based on trust.
      The remains of financial organization of the Catholic Church from the middle ages are still existing in this way in even the most protestant countries in Europe.

  49. Islam = Race ?? by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 1

    The islamists are taking over the asylum and they're a bit too close for my liking.

    Islam is regarded as race now ?

    What kind of fucking moron are you ?

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
  50. Islam = Race ?? by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 1

    The islamists are taking over the asylum and they're a bit too close for my liking.

    Ah yes, the thinly veiled racism

    Islam is regarded as race now ?

    What kind of fucking moron are you ?

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
  51. Re:OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I read the BBC every day and I did not see the story you linked from the BBC until I followed your link. Give the guy a break who claims this is not being covered by Western news sources. They may have articles but they are not found through normal browsing.

    strike

  52. what does that even mean... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Live as slaves as equals, or face extinction." Missing a comma? Even with a comma "slaves, equals, extinction" don't seem to be a proper set of all probable cases of existance.

    1. Re:what does that even mean... by eyenot · · Score: 1

      I think OP meant, "live as slaves -- as equals, or face extinction". I think they meant to describe living in slavery as essentially making all of us (slaves) equal. I don't think the slave-owners were intended to be included in the equality.

      --
      "Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee
  53. Re:OK.. by Fjandr · · Score: 1

    No, what makes this particular group evil is that they want to turn another nation into a theocracy. It has nothing to do with their names or skin color. I have no problem with Muslims who are not evil, and that constitutes the majority of all Muslims. Religious fundamentalists are a problem, regardless of what religion they claim to be operating on behalf of.

  54. Seriously? by ThatsNotPudding · · Score: 1

    Very few countries have the separation between church and state that is jealously guarded in the US.

    You're the one that needs to get out in the real (non-costal) US a bit more. I wish you were right, but the facts on the ground are that in most of the rural US, the state and the predominant Christian sect church are hand in hand and full lock step, even to the point of prayers opening county and city government meetings.

  55. Re: OK.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    What are you on about? We have a Muslim President! ;)

  56. Re:OK.. by MisterToad · · Score: 1

    This is kind of a "Blade Runner" issue. We persons are programmed by our families and society. After that we don't even think about the basis for these issues. We just know it's important. But don't know why.

    --
    Dick
  57. Re:OK.. by tgv · · Score: 1

    I think many will agree (and quite a few will disagree or defend it). But my comment was to point out that the comment wasn't necessarily racist per se. And that the Turkish law enforcement acts now seems to be a result of one faction gaining control over it, and using it to get the other one out of office.