Trump fist-bumped Erdogan at NATO meeting, says it's "right" to become dictator

[TPIG]

I thought disliking Erdogan was Islamophobic. Interesting how our resident appeasement cultists suddenly oppose Erdogan now that Trump is chill with him.

Anyone who supports democracy and the rule of law should be opposed to Erdogan. Why even try to defend Trump on this? I'm not saying this makes Trump the Hitler that the left makes him out to be, but can't we just agree this is pretty darn bad?

[Devout Centrist]

I thought disliking Erdogan was Islamophobic. Interesting how our resident appeasement cultists suddenly oppose Erdogan now that Trump is chill with him.

Seriously dude?

The only supporter Erdogan supporter here I can think of is TimTurner. C’mon man.

[KingSweden]

I thought disliking Erdogan was Islamophobic. Interesting how our resident appeasement cultists suddenly oppose Erdogan now that Trump is chill with him.

Anyone who supports democracy and the rule of law should be opposed to Erdogan. Why even try to defend Trump on this? I'm not saying this makes Trump the Hitler that the left makes him out to be, but can't we just agree this is pretty darn bad?

Yeah exactly there’s no good spin on this

[DavidB.]

Anyone who supports democracy and the rule of law should be opposed to Erdogan. Why even try to defend Trump on this? I'm not saying this makes Trump the Hitler that the left makes him out to be, but can't we just agree this is pretty darn bad?

I don't disagree that this is bad at all. No defense of Trump's actions here -- though I find throwing out his Georgian and Ukrainian allies much worse than the firstbump, which nonetheless was also inappropriate.

The only supporter Erdogan supporter here I can think of is TimTurner. C’mon man.

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

There is no more politics when it comes to Trump.  You're either with him, or you're a patriotic American.  Patriots must vote him out, and that means voting for a Democrat.  After the Democrat wins, you can go back to politics as usual.  But until this wannabe dictator is out, politics is anything but usual.

give me somebody worth voting for and I will.

You truly don't see any of the potential Dem candidates as being even the slightest bit better than Trump?

Most of them I'd imagine, it's not hard to be better than Trump.  Going to have to do better than last time.  On a scale of 1-100 with the evil guy on Hitler's right shoulder as a 1 and some, mythological person that always believes in the same things I do as a 100...Trump is a like a 17 and Hillary is a 21 (G.Johnson at, say, 79, Obama a 48)....you're going to have to have somebody I measure as at least in the low 40s to consider it.  I'm sure you've got those people....Biden might work, I just don't have any faith that your party will pick one.


On the other hand, this is Trump...if he keeps going the way he's going, and there is a shot my vote might actually make a difference, I might consider voting for any gun control loving, capitalist hating, SJW pandering douchenozzle you goofballs nominate.....nah, no chance.

Yeah, nobody the Democrats put up except maybe a Dan Lipinski or Joe Manchin clone you would vote for.

Just say that you would never vote for a Democrat and be done with it. Stop pretending like you would "if the Dems put up the right candidate". That's just BS

[Landslide Lyndon]

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

"A few years ago" being the operative words, in case you didn't notice.

[DavidB.]

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

"A few years ago" being the operative words, in case you didn't notice.

It turned out that we've been right all along.

[dead0man]

Just say that you would never vote for a Democrat and be done with it. Stop pretending like you would "if the Dems put up the right candidate". That's just BS

You're right.  The "right candidate" is nearly impossible.  Integrity is very important to me and there is almost zero chance of somebody with any of that getting the nomination.

[Inmate Trump]

Just say that you would never vote for a Democrat and be done with it. Stop pretending like you would "if the Dems put up the right candidate". That's just BS

You're right.  The "right candidate" is nearly impossible.  Integrity is very important to me and there is almost zero chance of somebody with any of that getting the nomination.

If integrity is important to you then there's no scenario in which you could ever vote for Trump.

[mvd10]

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

"A few years ago" being the operative words, in case you didn't notice.

Erdogan has been doing things like blocking social media since 2014 (and the first authoritorian measures started before that). Maybe he was a relatively acceptable leader (by Turkish standards) in the mid 2000s but he's been off the deep end for years by now.

[America Needs R'hllor]

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

"A few years ago" being the operative words, in case you didn't notice.

It turned out that we've been right all along.

That's correct, opponents of Erdogan (which I guess I could be counted amongst, because a few years ago my only knowledge of him was his terrible attitude towards my country) were right. But it doesn't justify Trump's consistent and repeated praise not just to the dictators themselves, but to their way of management. This includes Putin, Erdogan and even Kim Jong Un. I don't believe he's some hardcore authoritarian, but he definitely seems to find the concept of control and domination over his country appealing.

[ProudModerate2]

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

"A few years ago" being the operative words, in case you didn't notice.

It turned out that we've been right all along.

That's correct, opponents of Erdogan (which I guess I could be counted amongst, because a few years ago my only knowledge of him was his terrible attitude towards my country) were right. But it doesn't justify Trump's consistent and repeated praise not just to the dictators themselves, but to their way of management. This includes Putin, Erdogan and even Kim Jong Un. I don't believe he's some hardcore authoritarian, but he definitely seems to find the concept of control and domination over his country appealing.

And let's not forget China's Xi Jinping; in regards to the possibility of him extending (forever) his terms in office as president.
trump then relished on the idea saying "maybe we'll have to give that a shot some day."
trump is dangerous, a creep and a disaster, all rolled-up into one.

[KingSweden]

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

"A few years ago" being the operative words, in case you didn't notice.

Erdogan has been doing things like blocking social media since 2014 (and the first authoritorian measures started before that). Maybe he was a relatively acceptable leader (by Turkish standards) in the mid 2000s but he's been off the deep end for years by now.

Right. The Sultan began his reign long before the “coup attempt” (which I’m positive he staged)

[PSOL]

Just to let you guys know the Turkish economy is about to tank thanks to the delusions of Gollum. I wonder if Trump would come to his rescue like all presidents have with islamists for these couple of decades?

[Wisconsin SC Race 2019]

Why is Erdogan all of a sudden a villain to people here? At least be consistent or explain the change. I guarantee you if it was Hillary Clinton doing the same, the red avatars (and the Landslide Lyndon types) here would be cheering her on for "sticking it to Islamophobia".

[PSOL]

Why is Erdogan all of a sudden a villain to people here? At least be consistent or explain the change. I guarantee you if it was Hillary Clinton doing the same, the red avatars (and the Landslide Lyndon types) here would be cheering her on for "sticking it to Islamophobia".

The man is literally an actual islamofascist who got off his rocker. Also what wrong whataboutery. You think the D’s here like it when a president goes sees the gulfies.

[DavidB.]

Erdogan has been doing things like blocking social media since 2014 (and the first authoritorian measures started before that). Maybe he was a relatively acceptable leader (by Turkish standards) in the mid 2000s but he's been off the deep end for years by now.

Exactly. Had the pleasure to witness some of it myself when I was in Istanbul right before the local elections in early 2014. Twitter was shut down (RIP) and police were using tear gas at Taksim Square, which my group was told to avoid but of course yours sincerely wanted to see what was going on. Erdogan has been behaving like a dictator since the Gezi Park riots in early 2013, and even before that point everybody could have seen it coming.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Just to let you guys know the Turkish economy is about to tank thanks to the delusions of Gollum. I wonder if Trump would come to his rescue like all presidents have with islamists for these couple of decades?

The Turkish economy is tanking two years now but Erdogan's voters still support him because they think he sticks it to the coastal elites.
Remind you of somebody?

[Sestak]

To right-wingers,


WHEN DID WE SUPPORT ERDOGAN/SAY OPPOSING HIM WAS ISLAMOPHOBIC?

[PSOL]

Just to let you guys know the Turkish economy is about to tank thanks to the delusions of Gollum. I wonder if Trump would come to his rescue like all presidents have with islamists for these couple of decades?

The Turkish economy is tanking two years now but Erdogan's voters still support him because they think he sticks it to the coastal elites.
Remind you of somebody?

To be honest I always got a more Cruz vibe from him.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Anyone who supports democracy and the rule of law should be opposed to Erdogan. Why even try to defend Trump on this? I'm not saying this makes Trump the Hitler that the left makes him out to be, but can't we just agree this is pretty darn bad?

I don't disagree that this is bad at all. No defense of Trump's actions here -- though I find throwing out his Georgian and Ukrainian allies much worse than the firstbump, which nonetheless was also inappropriate.

The only supporter Erdogan supporter here I can think of is TimTurner. C’mon man.

At this point, yes, but it wasn't like that a few years ago. People like myself and Tender have been highly critical of Erdogan for years and were considered "Islamophobic" for it. I even remember being ridiculed for calling him a dictator. We were right all the time.

Not sure about what you were being admonished for, but I found (and still find) the insinuation that the Erdogan/Morsi experience proves that Muslims are "not ready" (or even never ready) for democracy to be islamophobic, culturally relativist guff. I also can't stand the hypocrisy: calling Erdogan is a dictator is fine, especially now, and his authoritarian tendencies have long been apparant. But then people turn around and praise the Turkish and Egyptian militaries? Why? Because they pretend to be secular while their opponents pretend to be pious? Do the mass slaughters of Kurds and leftists by the military government not matter because they sufficiently worshipped the concept of laicite?

I also dislike the clamping down of political activity in the Turkish diaspora to also be anti democratic, which is ironic because the reasons given in favour is normally "defending Democratic values".

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Just to let you guys know the Turkish economy is about to tank thanks to the delusions of Gollum. I wonder if Trump would come to his rescue like all presidents have with islamists for these couple of decades?

The Turkish economy is tanking two years now but Erdogan's voters still support him because they think he sticks it to the coastal elites.
Remind you of somebody?

To be honest I always got a more Cruz vibe from him.

No, I think trump is a better match. He has the same sort of pugnacious, weird and machismo charisma combined with, um, mercurial and crowd-pleasing approach to policy aside from a key wedge issues, rather than the Cruz "evil smart guy" vibe (nobody starts a personality cult when you act like teddy). Really it's more of a Turkish thing - every Turkish leader of note acts like a BIG MAN to cuck his opponents until the day he inevitably is dead or couped. Atatürk, Inonu, Demirel, Medneres, Ecevit - they all did it.

[dead0man]

Just say that you would never vote for a Democrat and be done with it. Stop pretending like you would "if the Dems put up the right candidate". That's just BS

You're right.  The "right candidate" is nearly impossible.  Integrity is very important to me and there is almost zero chance of somebody with any of that getting the nomination.

If integrity is important to you then there's no scenario in which you could ever vote for Trump.

indeed.  Trump has never been and never will be an option to me for that very reason.

[JA]

When has Trump not taken an opportunity to demonstrate his fondness for strongmen? I think even most people who love Trump would have to admit that he admires the authoritarian style of government and prefers it over the often painfully slow, yet democratic method of governance as seen in America and across the Western world.

[Progressive Pessimist]

There is no more politics when it comes to Trump.  You're either with him, or you're a patriotic American.  Patriots must vote him out, and that means voting for a Democrat.  After the Democrat wins, you can go back to politics as usual.  But until this wannabe dictator is out, politics is anything but usual.