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Speaker talks US, Turkey politics

In their struggle for a more democratic nation, Turkey has made numerous advancements throughout the last two decades.

The country has been gaining power in multiple areas of international relations, James Harrington said during a Gulen Institute lecture Tuesday at the Conrad Hilton College.

“In the last 10 years, maybe 15, progress in Turkey has been just astronomical, both in terms of democracy and as an economic world power,” Harrington said. “And, as we are seeing, in terms of a foreign policy leader in the Middle East.”

Harrington, a University of Texas Law School professor and founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, presented his lecture, “Turkey’s Struggle for Greater Democracy: The Role of Its Legal System, the 2010 Constitutional Referendum, and Individual Rights,” which focused on the constitutional changes made by Turkey in the 2010 Constitutional Referendum.

The referendum is meant to further facilitate a bid for European Union membership and to reform individual rights and the legal system in Turkey.

Compliance with the standards of the EU is essential to the membership process; Harrington said membership supporters hope the referendum, which is equivalent to the U.S. Bill of Rights, will bring them closer to securing a spot.

Harrington said he is interested in seeing what we can learn from the Turkish referendum, since the democracy in Turkey has progressed about 10-times faster than it did in the U.S.

Although the 1791 Bill of Rights was an “amazing accomplishment, we have sort of kept ourselves as Americans in 1791 and forgot that the idea of human rights expands, expands and expands,” he said.

Turkey’s original constitution was drafted in 1982 following a history of military coups, which Harrington said were always bloody and awful.

“It’s against that background that you have this phenomenal movement developing in Turkey, in a move to becoming a much more democratic country,” he said.

The amendments to the Turkish constitution exemplify the adaptation of government to modern society by revising the rights of their people, which Harrington said Americans take for granted.

He said it is “pretty pathetic” that Americans take so much for granted that they generally don’t even vote anymore.

When the referendum passed, 74 percent of people in Turkey voted, many of whom had returned from the pilgrimage in Mecca to take part in the election, according to Harrington.

“That’s phenomenal,” he said. “We’re lucky in a presidential election if we have 50 percent turnout to vote.”

Harrington said the 58-42 percent vote was a “pretty significant margin for something like this.”

The Turkish referendum included some key aspects that address significant issues in the country’s government, including an amendment granting the right to privacy, which is not a right in the U.S.

“A lot of people are surprised we do not have a right of privacy in our constitution,” Harrington said. “Not only is there a right to privacy (in Turkey), but you get to go to court to vindicate it if the government violates it.”

He said he is skeptical about the success of the granted right to petition, a process to handle complaints against the government, but said it does show something else.

“What it does represent is the people getting more involved and wanting more transparency in the operation of the country,” Harrington said.

In addition to the reform of individual rights, the referendum confronts the issues regarding the justice system.

Harrington shared an anecdote from a meeting with a judge in Turkey, who provided a different perspective on the workings of the justice system in other countries.

“In a trial in Turkey, the prosecutor sits up next to the judge,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine that’s fair and impartial.”

When addressing the interactions with the prosecutor during a trial, Harrington said the judge told him they just lean over and ask them what they think.

“What’s even worse is that when the judges go back to deliberate, the prosecutor gets to go — not the defense attorney,” Harrington said.

Even though things differ between governments, the communication between countries is important, especially with Turkey, which Harrington said is a large part of world and human rights scenes these days.

“I think in developing human rights and developing our idea of democracy in a fairer and more just world, this interaction is really helpful,” he said.

Freshman political science major Sarah Rush, who did not know much about Turkish politics but aspires to be a lawyer, admires Harrington and his views on justice and civil rights.

“I feel inspired by Mr. Harrington’s words,” she said. “He has really opened my eyes to a whole new world of politics.

“When you fight for justice and civil rights like Harrington has been doing, it’s so admirable and you can really change things in many different ways.”

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40 Comments

  • Unfortunately, Dr. Harrington failed in his scholarship and does not seem to be informed at all about this topic. The current government is destroying democracy, civil society, and freedoms under the guise of modernization. There is virtually no freedom of expression left in Turkey. Freedom of press has been under attack. Many journalists have been arrested under bogus charges and detained without fair trial. People who express opinions against the government and the Gulen organization (ironically this is the institute who sponsored Dr. Harrington's talk!!!) are arrested and put in prison. Academics, journalists, leaders of civil societies are awaiting in jail for several years now to have a fair trial…

    After four years since the infamous "ergenekon investigation" has been launched, there are still no convictions. Many suspects have not even been charged. The government is using this excuse to put people in prison and keep them there indefinitely. This is also used as an intimidation method.

    See for example: http://www.economist.com/node/18333123

    The separation of powers does not exist anymore in Turkey; the government took complete control of judiciary system. Any prosecutor who dares to investigate cases against the government (e.g., the corruption and money laundering case known as Deniz Feneri) are replaced by prosecutors controlled by the government.

    It is really sad to see how a UT Law Professor can be so weak in research and scholarship. It is really sad that he cannot see the aforementioned abuses of the judicial system. Even worst, he seems to be a mouth piece for the very organization accused of attacking civil rights and democracy. I only hope that this is just naivete and Dr. Harrington will take these comments seriously, do his homework, and produce scholarly tenable work rather than what appears to be pure propaganda…

    • Fortunately Dr. Harrington has a much wider academic perspective than the so called "Anonimous" commenter. The commenter avoids talking about the real big picture and the causes of those aforementioned arrests in Turkey. They had nothing to do with freedom of press but as undeniable evidences indicated, those so called journalist's had solid connections with terrorist groups which are also recognized as terrorist groups by the US Government such as PKK. Dogu Perincek, one of those leading members of the terrorist group Ergenekon, was also claiming freedom of press, while he cared less about freedom of human lives and supported all the terrorist efforts of PKK including killing thousands of innocent people. Since the arrests of hundreds of members of Terrorist Group Ergenekon, the mysterious deaths of thousands of people stopped. How interesting? Including the killings of true journalists like Ugur Mumcu, and Hrant Dink… In other words leave alone freedom of press, the ergenekon and the pkk have involved in evidenced, mass destruction of press in Turkey. Now Get a Grip and let the real academician do their jobs despite the jerks like "Anonimous".

  • The "real big picture" is that backward thinking is on the rise and those who want it back are taking advantage of the corrupt machinations of the Turkish cold war police state which made putting people away and throwing away the key possible. The real reason for Turkey's rejection by the EU is that it's going back by a couple hundred years in spite of the spit shine of reforms like the repeal of the death penalty etc. EU grants are funneled through Gulen followers sucking on the body politic, and are being robbed. State industries and land privatized by Gulen followers in office are practically gifted to the same leeches. Just who are these people really? Google "Kubilay the martyr" and find out.

  • The "real big picture" is that backward thinking is on the rise and those who want it back are taking advantage of the corrupt machinations of the Turkish cold war police state which made putting people away and throwing away the key possible. The real reason for Turkey's rejection by the EU is that it's going back by a couple hundred years in spite of the spit shine of reforms like the repeal of the death penalty etc. EU grants are funneled through Gulen followers sucking on the body politic, and are being robbed. State industries and land privatized by Gulen followers in office are practically gifted to the same leeches. Just who are these people really? Google "Kubilay the martyr" and find out.

    • To "Kemal" the immature-
      If you call having the 8th fastest growing economy in the world, having the military coups and mysterious murders to stop, having the number of universities and colleges increase more than double, having more than 85% of the public participate in the most recent elections and choosing a party with 50% is "going back for couple hundred years", then U.S. in your eyes, must be 800 hundred years behind your pseudo-utopia. Keep day dreaming, may be one day, even you may be able to digest some level of democracy. If you continue to suffer from democra-constipation, then see Dr. Harrington!

  • Hey! What happened to John's to the point comment? More democra-constipation appears to take place when you codemn the terrorist groups like pkk and ergenekon and their affiliations with arrested so called "journalist" i.e. dogu perincek. Remember Ugur Mumcu and Hrant Dink and how they were murdered by ergenekon once they identified the connections between pkk and ergenekon. John, thanks for your deleted, but excellent insight. Galileo was in your shoes once…

  • To "Kemal" the immature-
    If you call having the 8th fastest growing economy in the world, having the military coups and mysterious murders to stop, having the number of universities and colleges increase more than double, having more than 85% of the public participate in the most recent elections and choosing a party with 50% is "going back for couple hundred years", then U.S. in your eyes, must be 800 hundred years behind your pseudo-utopia. Keep day dreaming, may be one day, even you may be able to digest some level of democracy. If you continue to suffer from democra-constipation, then see Dr. Harrington!

  • To "Kemal" the immature-
    If you call having the 8th fastest growing economy in the world, having the military coups and mysterious murders to stop, having the number of universities and colleges increase more than double, having more than 85% of the public participate in the most recent elections and choosing a party with 50% is "going back for couple hundred years", then U.S. in your eyes, must be 800 hundred years behind your pseudo-utopia. Keep day dreaming, may be one day, even you may be able to digest some level of democracy. If you continue to suffer from democra-constipation, then see Dr. Harrington!

  • To the guest:

    The numbers that you are citing do not mean much if the system is moving towards dictatorship.

    For example, you are talking about increased number of universities and colleges. First, most of these are merely buildings devoid of sufficient resources (both intellectual and material) to qualify them as "university" or "college".

    More importantly, the government is taking control of academia destroying academic freedom.

    Here is an excerpt from a recent editorial in one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world:

    "Scientists around the world should protest efforts by the government of Turkey to erode academic autonomy. And the wider world should note the threat to democracy."

    Nature 477, 131 (08 September 2011) doi:10.1038/477131a

    As I discussed in my previous post, and as noted in the excerpt above, the democracy in Turkey is under serious threat. It is shameful to see someone like Dr. Harrington, who purports to be a civil rights advocate, to become the mouthpiece of an organization such as Gulen foundation. I have noticed that he has written a book on Gulen and I fear that financial motives may be at play… I would appreciate very much if Dr. Harrington can reply and explain what he thinks about all the civil right violations orchestrated by the current government.

  • To the guest:

    The numbers that you are citing do not mean much if the system is moving towards dictatorship.

    For example, you are talking about increased number of universities and colleges. First, most of these are merely buildings devoid of sufficient resources (both intellectual and material) to qualify them as "university" or "college".

    More importantly, the government is taking control of academia destroying academic freedom.

    Here is an excerpt from a recent editorial in one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world:

    "Scientists around the world should protest efforts by the government of Turkey to erode academic autonomy. And the wider world should note the threat to democracy."

    Nature 477, 131 (08 September 2011) doi:10.1038/477131a

    As I discussed in my previous post, and as noted in the excerpt above, the democracy in Turkey is under serious threat. It is shameful to see someone like Dr. Harrington, who purports to be a civil rights advocate, to become the mouthpiece of an organization such as Gulen foundation. I have noticed that he has written a book on Gulen and I fear that financial motives may be at play… I would appreciate very much if Dr. Harrington can reply and explain what he thinks about all the civil right violations orchestrated by the current government.

  • To the guest:

    The numbers that you are citing do not mean much if the system is moving towards dictatorship.

    For example, you are talking about increased number of universities and colleges. First, most of these are merely buildings devoid of sufficient resources (both intellectual and material) to qualify them as "university" or "college".

    More importantly, the government is taking control of academia destroying academic freedom.

    Here is an excerpt from a recent editorial in one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world:

    "Scientists around the world should protest efforts by the government of Turkey to erode academic autonomy. And the wider world should note the threat to democracy."

    Nature 477, 131 (08 September 2011) doi:10.1038/477131a

    As I discussed in my previous post, and as noted in the excerpt above, the democracy in Turkey is under serious threat. It is shameful to see someone like Dr. Harrington, who purports to be a civil rights advocate, to become the mouthpiece of an organization such as Gulen foundation. I have noticed that he has written a book on Gulen and I fear that financial motives may be at play… I would appreciate very much if Dr. Harrington can reply and explain what he thinks about all the civil right violations orchestrated by the current government.

    • Well, the numbers and facts will certainly will not matter to any biased approach, even if you are talking about a majority like 50% of a voting population. Don't make mistake here! 50% where you have more than 10 parties competing, not even two. If democracy is in danger when the governance is satisfying to a vast majority like 50%, then where do we have democracy on the earth? one's argument cannot not fly good, if you do not have the ability to see the 50 PERCENT!
      That's what called bias blindness. Please see Dr. Harrington. I am sure he will have some anti-bias medicine for you as well.

      • hold on there.
        America doesn't want Turkey to have democracy, they want them to be divided with their Secularism vs. Gulen Movement/Islam. This way Turkey will never be a powerhouse as they were for 600 years (Ottoman Empire)
        Which oddly is what Fethullah Gulen hopes to restore, the universal caliphate neo Ottoman Empire, where only his followers (he dubbed "Golden Generation") will be the controlling classes of this so-called empire. This is the main reason for Gulen expansionism to over 100 countries and over 1000 schools that teach Turkish language……………."The language of Love" their motto at their ridiculous Turkish Olympiads is "7 billion people and 1 language"
        http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.com

        • The outcry for the lack of freedom of speech in Turkey is an exaggeration. There are hundreds of websites and numerous print newspapers and magazines that everyday criticize the government. True, Turkey has yet to take important steps in the field of rule of law and democratic culture. However, to say that Turkey is going backwards in democracy is simply unfair and unfounded. Those who advocate the rights of Ergenekon suspects are either unaware of or purposefully twist the mountain of information against those people. We are talking about people who allegedly planned, evidence confirms this claim, many acts to produce chaos and crisis in Turkey so that the AKP government goes down. Most of the people being tried in Ergenekon are pure ultranationalists and anti-democrats with proven connections with underground elements. Among them are columnists who went to the army barracks and encouraged the army to bring down legitimately elected government. Among them are the ex-military officers involved in racketeering and gun trafficking. Among them are some militants who helped a mass killing of judges to occur which was done to provoke a coup from the military. Among them are university professors, writers, and businessmen who asked the army to take charge of the country. it is ironic that these people are being defended in the name of democracy. What a sad campaign of disinformation!

          • "Those who advocate the rights of Ergenekon suspects are either unaware of or purposefully twist the mountain of information against those people. "

            Advocating the rights of SUSPECTS is different from making a judgment on their guilt. They are innocent until proven guilty in a fair trial. In a judicial system, the question is not whether you or me are "aware of information against the accused". The opinions that you write above are your opinions and do not have any bearing on whether the accused are guilty or not. The burden of proof lies with the prosecutor and it should be done in a fair trial. The ergenokon trials have been complete failures.

          • Tarik, you mean like planting information on Sik's and the other journalist's computers?

            Gulen controls the police, judiciary system, etc., but will never gain control of the military.

            Arresting journalists is a crime against freedom of speech that is frowned on by the world. Even Secretary of State cautioned Turkey on her last visit that "arresting journalists was not in Turkey's favor"

            "you touch it you burn" everyone knows this, yet we will not allow a 5th grade educated con man to manipulate or harm our country. No wonder Gulen lives under house arrest in Poconos, PA.

            • Tarik and other Hizmet members.
              ""Ergenekon" is the label your group puts on those that dare to speak the truth, like "sledgehammer" and other campaigns your group has cleverly crafted via Gulen's media own outlets.

              Now you have a campaign against the Kurds and have convinced some countries that they are terrorists and a danger to all. America gives you $1 million a day to fight Kurdish civilians and gives you the tools to bomb their villages in northern Iraq.

              The Kurds will NEVER succumb to you and will win.

            • the two anonymous commentators deliberately switch focus to the Sik case because it is seemingly one of the confusing elements of the Ergenekon trials. But, why are they hesitant to accept that most of the Ergenekon suspects are known to be part of the "ulusalcilar" the ultranationalist elements with no clean record. Why do they ignore the Danistay incidents, or Veli Kucuk, who once openly said that the police can't enter even into my neighborhood, or Mustafa Balbay whose diary clearly shows very strong relationship with the coup-planning generals of the Turkish army. Now, they invite everyone to "advocate the rights of suspects" but they continue to blame Gulen for everything that is bad in Turkey with no proven record in the courts of law. If they are so interested in advocating the innocence of people until they are proven guilty, why are they so fast deciding that the Gulen people are responsible for the so called witch hunt in Turkey even though there is no single proven connection between Gulen and the Ergenekon case? Why do they fail to mention that there are more than 30 published books against Gulen, which empties the claim that Gulen is behind the arrest of the journalist Sik because of his anti-Gulen book? And why has this "important book" which was downloaded hundreds of thousands from internet, turned out to be a false hope for anti-Gulen circles? We are witnessing a deliberate disinformation campaign here. There may be some errors and failures by the prosecutors of the Ergenekon trials but these mistakes don't change the nature of the trials which clearly show an orchestrated campaign to produce chaos and crisis in Turkey and thus violating the spirit of democracy. By the way, I am totally against the way the Denizfeneri case has been handled by the courts or prosecutors.

          • i am 60 yrs old and being away from my country since i was 15 yrs old.what i see is this government want to take charge and rule like Chavez and fidel castro.how old are you?

      • In order to understand and interpret numbers, one has to understand the context that generates the numbers. It is not a question of bias, it is a simple question of logic and scientific method.

        One cannot have democracy or meaningful elections when there is no freedom of press, freedom of speech, or civil rights.

        The election results do not mean much when most of the media is controlled by one party, when state resources are controlled by one party, when illegal wiretappings are used to blackmail or intimidate opponents, when illegal money laundering is used in election financing, when freedom of speech and freedom of press is suppressed.

        Remember that many dictators claim to be "elected" by majority votes in elections.

        Remember that 1982 Turkish constitution was approved in a referendum by 91% vote (with 91% turnout)!

        What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

  • What I am curious about the Nature Magazine is whether it ever made any comment on the quality of democracy in Turkey, when the military has taken over the governance, the academia and even supervised the press several times via implementing and claiming dictatorship in the history of Turkey. If not, then the Nature Magazine should first try to focus more on politics free science and research on STEM. Such insincere, and double standards have been in the very NATURE of the illegal ERGENEKON group in Turkey. How interesting!

  • The only "illegal" group in Turkiye is Hizmet (Gulen Movement) so illegal and controversial that Gulen (Islamic Imam Fethuallah Gulen) had to flee Turkey in 1999 after his famous "moving into the arteries speech" Gulen Followers wake up……………..He is hiding in America and will not return to Turkey any time soon. http://www.turkishinvitiations.weebly.com http://www.gulencharterschools.weebly.com

    Besides Harrington, please research NON PAID speakers by the Gulen Movement for un biased information:
    Ex-FBI Turkish Translator Sibel Edmonds
    Dr. Aland Mizell,
    Dr. Joshua Hendrick, former speaker for the Gulen Movement and now advocate for asking them to "come clean" about their affilation with Islamic Imam Fethullah Gulen – especially the Charter Schools they operate in the USA. http://www.gulenpolticians.blogspot.com http://www.gulenschoolsworldwide.blogspot.com

    • Kaz Professor is continuing the same kind of opportunist misinformation campaign with the support of the Oda TV gang, who is bent on bringing down the AKP government, for which they see the Gulen movement a big supporter. Sibel Edmonds long ago quit talking about Turkish politics. She only had a few short speeches where her lack of knowledge about Turkey and the Gulen movement is clear. Joshua Hendrick was never a speaker for the Gulen movement. Now, he clearly rejects any "illegality" about the Gulen movement. For more information how Hendrick's arguments are refuted by Aslandogan and he is forced to retract some of the words he said.

      Let's accept that there is a network in the US, named as the Goose Network or the Kazlar, by some. This network, with heavy support of information from some anti-Gulen circles and some financial support from inside the US, continues to attack Gulen and the people of the Gulen movement tirelessly and without any credible evidence other than a few commentaries here and there. We don't know these people. They don't have names. They don't appear anywhere. They don't have an official existence where they can express their feelings about a group they think is the most dangerous Islamic group. Why are they in the dark??? Why do we not see this Professor Kaz's, or other kazs' picture for that matter, or know about their identity? Gulen is in the open, even gives speeches broadcast via websites. So-called Gulenist schools are freely operating everywhere but the network that goes after these schools is not identified in public. Is it the Gulenists or these people that the FBI is investigating? This dark operation has to be identified with all its bloodlines and sources of livelihood.

      • There you go applying labels to those that oppose the Gulen Movement and your corrupt bribes of politiicans and other officials. The world is catching on. Every day another article comes out about your lying group. Your schools are being denied and in some cases shut down like the scandalous Abramson Science and Technology School in Louisana, where you attempted to bribe a school official over $20,000.
        Stay tuned, there are many many more news across the USA being investigated as we type.

        Any credible evidence? You have a paper trail of 990 IRS tax returns, H1- B visa fraud (although you are attempting to pay back some of the states for charging TAXPAYERS to bring your families to America) and other land deals. Like the former Catholic Schools you are purchasing for peanuts then paying $20,000 a month to your landlords in Turkey.

        • I did all of these?? First of all, there is no proven case of bribery anywhere. So no need to bend the truth. All the articles attacking Gulen and the Gulen movement are written by the same people under different names. You say there are more than hundred "gulen charter schools" in the US but you are not able to mention any case where someone from these schools has been convicted for bribery or any kind of fraud. The Abramson case is an overreaction by the district and is still in the court.

          Even if there were someone from these schools committing a crime, why should other people in the organization (only Turkish origin ones) be held responsible for this incident?

          Various school districts in the US brought teachers from English speaking countries and they paid all expenses for them and their families (no one should be separated from his/her family) to come to the US. But suddenly you guys make it something illegal.

          If you look at the websites created by the Goose Network, you see all kinds of labels applied to Gulen and the people in the Gulen movement. Now when "goose" becomes a label hurting your feelings, you turn back and analyze what you called the people in the Gulen movement.

      • Hey Tarik….would you care to be specific about what misinformation that Prof. Kaz is spreading.

        You made a generic statement, with no specifics as usual. very weak and lame argumentation.

        So you admit you have a dark propaganda campaign against Oda TV and more. They are NOT a "gang" they are credible journalists….unlike the paid mouthpieces of Fetos.

        Get a life Tarik, Gulen cares less about you. He will never meet you directly, and is throwing you under the bus when questioned. Are you willing to take the fall for the crimes of Hizmet?

        The FBI is on the side of America and never wanted Gulen to get his green card. In fact, Gulen was denied his green card because he had no extraordinary talen or education. Refresh your memory about Gulen's appeal Gulen vs. Homeland security (Chertoff) some CIA members signed letters for Fetos. So now what? Why has the Carlyle Group purchased the controlling interest of Turkey's schools for $300 million?

        • Guest, do you have difficulty understanding plain English? Why ignore my comments on Sibel or Hendricks?

          The only "illegal" group in Turkey is the Gulen movement? How can a movement with thousands of organizations function freely and openly and be "the most illegal" at the same time?

          Who said there is a dark propaganda campaign against Oda TV? I said the anti-Gulen campaign is conducted with the support from the Oda TV group, with which you accepted your connection with.

          Oda TV's reporting has been refuted many times and most people in the media are fed up with divisive and ugly journalism pracitced by the Oda TV people.

          I don't expect to get anything for my advocating the integrity of Gulen or the people in the Gulen movement. I don't have to meet Gulen to learn from him. His books and hundreds of speeches clearly show what he is after, which is nothing but goodness. You just can't point to any single individual involved in violence and criminal behavior with encouragement from Gulen but continue to beat the air. To you , the only truth Gulen said is the famous arteries speech; everything else is lie. What a shortcut to a character assassination!..

    • Dr. Harrington has certainly the freedom of speech and he can express his opinions and views. However, if there is a financial relationship or interest, he has to declare it. Failure to declare financial relations is a breach of academic ethics.

  • Dr. Harrington is only one of the few paid academic tools of the Gulen Movement.
    The worst is inept Dr. Rose Ebaugh,
    No other group would have her.
    Traitors to Americans.

  • Now they should just admit that they attempted complete genocide of the Armenians during World War 1 and perhaps they will be slightly better than the US.

  • The Dog Barks and The Caravan Moves on!

    G20 made and announced a decision today that in 2015 TURKEY will lead the group

    Suck it up ergenekon supporters! Suck it up! or Just keep barking!

    If G20 is not loud and clear check the recent news on STERN about Turkey's social and financial growth! and SUCK IT UP again!
    http://www.trt-world.com/trtworld/en/newsDetail.a

  • John:
    please keep civility in the discussion.
    Criticizing the judicial system is not equivalent to "supporting ergenekon".
    G20 and STERN references did not address the criticisms leveled against the judicial system.

    • Wow!
      "Civility", a great virtue unless it is used to mask the insincerity of sincere communists like the anonymous…Did you ever comment on Chinese government's judicial system on the net? How about the freedom of press in China? May be the quality of democracy in China? Just like the insincerety of the Nature magazine. Game is over! Your masks will no longer cover your bald heads:)
      So get a grip or at least find better masks that even you may sell to your own kind…Soviet story is over, and few left overs will also follow them accordingly. You don't believe me? Patience is the virtue(not a mask). just wait and see…
      FYI: STERN's topic also covers Turkey's social growth which also includes the judicial system from the academic aspect! Cheers:))

    • Wow!

      Civility! A great virtue unless it is abused to mask the real faces of communists acting democrats and freedom advocates…

    • Who in the world would want to be part of Euro zone while they are suffering big time with Greece, Italy, Southern Cypus and more coming? Check Fareed Zakaria at CNN on this issue… Lucky Turkiye!!! Human rights record like freedom of religious practices and choices??? Turkiye is getting much better at it since the roadblock Ergenekon is IN:))

  • To cry out Ergenokon is similar to crying Communists under McKarthy's rule in the 1950's. This is just a label to sway the public view in the media. Just about every major newspaper in Turkey and TV station journalists have been arrested. That is except the Zaman and EBRU Tv which is owned by FAT BOY Fethullah Gulen.

    You can never ever say this in Turkey.

    • It is true that Ergenekon has had many international connections i.e. the ones with SSCB. Even, Dogu Perincek, the fake journalist, has been fed by russian bones so that he could sell Turkey and also work with the terrorist group pkk, to kill many innocent people of Turkey. The masks are down and it does not matter whether people call it normailization of Turkey or elimination of terrorist group ergenekon… since those ergenekon arrests, the myterious murders in Turkey have stopped. How interesting? The toll for such mysterious ergenekon mass destruction operations has reached to 18,000 plus innocent people in Turkey in the past 20 plus years. However, after the arrests of ergenekon terrorist group members, the number did not even reach to 18 in the past 2 years. How intersting 2?…The Dog Barks, and the Caravan moves on…I love it.

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