48 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 31 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 8/26/16

Joe Biden visits Istanbul for solving pressing Turco-US issues

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   2 comments
Message Abdus-Sattar Ghazali
Become a Fan
  (11 fans)

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden sought to reassure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of American support during his visit to Ankara on Wednesday. Biden is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Turkey since the July 15 failed coup.

According to Washington Post, the goal of Biden's visit was to convince Turkey that the United States had no role in, and did not condone, a July 15 coup attempt that has sent the country into a whirlwind of conspiracy theories, mass arrests and estrangement from Washington at a crucial moment in the campaign against the Islamic State.

The head of Political Science Department at Bahcesehir University of Istanbul, Gulnur Aybet, says the relations of Turkey and the United States were not in a very good state before the last month's failed coup attempt. However, since then relations have taken a turn for the worst.

Al Jazeera quoted her as saying "as Vice President Joe Biden visits Turkey today, he is facing four pressing items on the agenda."

1. The first is the Turkish request for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, who is widely believed to be the hand behind the failed coup attempt.

Turkey says the failed putsch was orchestrated by Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania for 17 years. Pape Escobar has called Gulen a CIA asset. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has called on the U.S. to extradite Gulen.

Washington has yet to do so, but the U.S. State Department confirmed for the first time on Tuesday that documents submitted by Ankara constituted a formal extradition request.

The perception of a slow response by Washington has angered Erdogan and sparked an outpouring of anti-Americanism from the Turkish media.

Addressing a press conference after talks with Turkish President Tyyap Erdogan, Biden said he understands the "intense feeling" against Fethullah Gulen.

We have "no interest whatsoever in protecting anyone who has done harm to an ally," Biden said. "But we need to meet legal standard requirement under our law," adding that it would be an "impeachable offense" for President Obama to deliver Gulen without going through the U.S. justice system.

There was already an ongoing investigation against Gulen before the coup attempt, and on May 26 the Turkish National Security Council officially labelled the organisation as a terrorist group - the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), to be disbanded as a primary threat to Turkey's national security.

Gulnur Aybet says further evidence coming from the testimonies of the arrested coup plotters indicates without a doubt that FETO was behind the coup attempt.

2. The second pressing item on the agenda is the war in Syria and the US-backed advance of predominantly People's Protection Units (YPG)-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Vice President Biden told the press conference, the Obama administration will cut all U.S. support for its Syrian Kurdish allies if they do not comply with Turkish demands that they withdraw to the east of the Euphrates River.

Biden said the Kurds, who Turkey says intend to establish a separate state along a border corridor in conjunction with Turkey's own Kurdish population, "cannot, will not, and under no circumstances will get American support if they do not keep" a commitment to return to the east.

The Kurdish force has been instrumental in a series of victories against the ISIS over the past year in Syria, including the retaking this month of Manbij and other key towns west of the Euphrates River.

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Must Read 2   Valuable 2   Well Said 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Abdus-Sattar Ghazali Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Author and journalist. Author of Islamic Pakistan: Illusions & Reality; Islam in the Post-Cold War Era; Islam & Modernism; Islam & Muslims in the Post-9/11 America. Currently working as free lance journalist. Executive Editor of American (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Pakistan's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated by America

U.S. Muslims condemn killings of American diplomats in Libya

Are we living in Orwell's 1984 Oceania surveillance state?

Saudi Air Force trainee opens fire at Naval Air Station in Florida killing 3 people

2001-2011: A decade of civil liberties' erosion in America -- Part One

2001-2011: A decade of civil liberties' erosion in America -- Part Two

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend