Desperate Call or... Erdogan Says Turkey Will Boycott U.S. Electronics

[entertenter + 24]

People of Turkey have chosen a regime/Erdogan.

But call for boycott has very little effect, as chinese production has long ago replaced low value electronic products anyway, and remaining US electronic products can not be replaced most cases or discarding them will hurt Turkey. Especially military stuff, factory/industry related electronics etc.

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

Erdogan's speech was followed by dozens of videos on social media showing young Turks destroying smartphones, including one man who shot his phone with a handgun and another widely viewed video showing a man breaking phones with a sledgehammer. i don't se how are they hurting US economy by destroying their phones. 

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

On 8/14/2018 at 12:23 PM, Dan Warnick said:

Well, one might say the people were quite aware of their own decisions.  In Turkey, this pastor is lucky the U.S. has taken up his cause, and I'm not sure Donald would take it up if the administration hadn't been fighting with Turkey for months about other, much larger issues.  I'm pretty sure the pastor knew the risks going in.  As for the Canadian/Saudi woman activist in Saudi Arabia, she absolutely knew the risks going in.  She was begging for a fight, as she has done with Saudi for years.  She got women's driving rights back and she has had her share of wins in Saudi court.  I can't find what it is she did this time, but I can actually picture the King throwing up his hands and saying enough of this woman!  And then Canada stepped into......it.  And then Canada started whining about nobody supporting "their" activist.  I so hope she comes out of this ok, though.  The new King is pretty unpredictable, so say the least.

Dan, a couple of tidbits:

That pastor in Turkey is some missionary, and he has apparently been peacefully living there for over 20 years.  It is not as if he is some new arriviste bent on fighting with the police.  Why he gets scooped up is not clear, although there are these rumors that it is because Erdogan wants to pressure the USA in extraditing some Turk that is sitting in the US, claiming sanctuary.  

The Saudi woman activist is a Canadian national, although again it is not clear, apparently the KSA also claims her as a Subject.  The Canadians are basically useless when it comes to sticking up for their nationals imprisoned abroad  (mostly, the US also says: "Hey, you're on your own"),but the theatrics are spurred by her extended family back in Canada. It should be noted that it was not the Canadian Ambassador who made the fateful tweet; that was Chrystia Freeland, the Premier Trudeau's alter ego and the emissary to the Trump Administration on various trade issues.  I rather suspect that Tweet was intended more for domestic consumption than any real shaking of the Saudi tree.  

MbS is using the woman, and the Canadians, as an object lesson to anyone and everyone that you don't criticize anything he or his government does.  If you do, the boom comes down.  Basically, he is the big bull in the bullring pawing the ground. ANd personally, I don't see any of this as ending well. 

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

On 8/16/2018 at 8:19 AM, Leko said:

You guys really make me laugh. It;s easy to criticise another countries dictator, when in fact the biggest dictator in the world at the moment is your own president. And you voted for him, at least you can vote for your own dictator I suppose, Bravo!

Come on, JP, I sure did not vote for Trump!  You are painting with a very broad brush. 

Although Mr. Trump is running a bizarre White House, and does bizarre things, the USA is still a very long way from a "dictatorship." And yes, American Presidents going all the way back to Abraham Lincoln do exceed their authority, and try to expand their envelope;  in lots of cases they get heartily slapped for it.  And Americans have a mechanism for removal, in any event by default after a maximum of 8 years, which rather differentiates the USA for "dictatorships."  Food for thought. 

[Rodent + 1,424]

I don't understand the link between thinking the president is an unstable screwball and calling his term in office a dictatorship. 

 

[TXPower + 643]

9 hours ago, Rodent said:

I don't understand the link between thinking the president is an unstable screwball and calling his term in office a dictatorship. 

 

I know you know this Rodent, my response isnt for you.   Trying to make ridiculous correlations like that, its what regressive liberals do, they accuse others of being or doing what they are and do.  It’s rules for radicals, Alinsky 101.  They can’t win on the merits of their argument, logic or facts so they name call.  Will the real fascists please stand up.......

TXPower

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

28 minutes ago, TXPower said:

I know you know this Rodent, my response isnt for you.   Trying to make ridiculous correlations like that, its what regressive liberals do, they accuse others of being or doing what they are and do.  It’s rules for radicals, Alinsky 101.  They can’t win on the merits of their argument, logic or facts so they name call.  Will the real fascists please stand up.......

TXPower

Tex, you misapprehend the thrust of Rodi's tantalizing tweak.  That was another little sarcasm, a lead-in (and you just bit!).  Rodi is one really smart cookie, ya gotta watch out for the bait!  Cheers.

[TXPower + 643]

1 hour ago, Jan van Eck said:

Tex, you misapprehend the thrust of Rodi's tantalizing tweak.  That was another little sarcasm, a lead-in (and you just bit!).  Rodi is one really smart cookie, ya gotta watch out for the bait!  Cheers.

Yeah Jan, I purposely wrote it that way because I didn’t want to offend Rodi.  You know the locals better than I do yet Jan.  I trust your instincts.  

However, my argument stands, if Rodi is as clever as you say then he undoubtedly knows the symptoms and pathology of regressive-liberalism.    

Some folks know what they suffer from and spread it willfully because hey, misery loves company; it’s a cognitive dissonance type thing.  Some don’t.  My comment was intended as vaccine for those who don’t know what’s making them sick.

 

TXPower

 

 

 

[Jan van Eck + 7,558]

1 minute ago, TXPower said:

Yeah Jan, I purposely wrote it that way because I didn’t want to offend Rodi.  You know the locals better than I do yet Jan.  I trust your instincts.  

However, my argument stands, if Rodi is as clever as you say then he undoubtedly knows the symptoms and pathology of regressive-liberalism.    

Some folks know what they suffer from and spread it willfully because hey, misery loves company; it’s a cognitive dissonance type thing.  Some don’t.  My comment was intended as vaccine for those who don’t know what’s making them sick.

 

Tex, my man, this will come as a shocker, but Rodi is a very sharp, very smart, very classy young Woman!  Plus, she drives a 4x4 on muddy roads for fun, wears jeans, and cowboy boots!  As far as packing a pistol, I won't go there. 

Rodi won't toot her own horn,  she is too reserved for that, but take it from me, in the ability department she stands head and shoulders over 90% of the men out there. I have found out to my chagrin that she can play with the best of them.  A bit scary, though;  would you go on a date with a woman named "Rodent"?   Aaargh!

[TXPower + 643]

7 minutes ago, Jan van Eck said:

Tex, my man, this will come as a shocker, but Rodi is a very sharp, very smart, very classy young Woman!  Plus, she drives a 4x4 on muddy roads for fun, wears jeans, and cowboy boots!  As far as packing a pistol, I won't go there. 

Rodi won't toot her own horn,  she is too reserved for that, but take it from me, in the ability department she stands head and shoulders over 90% of the men out there. I have found out to my chagrin that she can play with the best of them.  A bit scary, though;  would you go on a date with a woman named "Rodent"?   Aaargh!

Nothing more alluring than a very intelligent and capable woman that drives a 4x4 on muddy roads and wears cowboy boots and blue jeans.  That describes many of the women in my neck of the woods.

Thanks for the education on one of our resident intellects.

TXPower

[Rodent + 1,424]

On 8/18/2018 at 3:25 PM, TXPower said:

Nothing more alluring than a very intelligent and capable woman that drives a 4x4 on muddy roads and wears cowboy boots and blue jeans.  That describes many of the women in my neck of the woods.

Thanks for the education on one of our resident intellects.

TXPower

I can't decide whether I'd prefer people to think I'm less clever than I am, which would mean somehow I come across as...well... unclever, or whether I would want people to think I was more clever than I really am, which would mean I actually was unclever. Aaaaannnnndddd Rodent has derailed yet another thread.

Let's see if I can bring this back around.

Today, Turkish citizens are still largely buying iPhones (not sure why this is the focus of the electronics boycott). https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1005603/Turkey-lira-crisis-Erdogan-iPhone-boycott-fails-US-row

well, so much for that. [Dusts imaginary dirt off hands loudly and in showy fashion] 

 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

I'm trying to figure out what world Erdogan is living on.  I know he needs to be seen as being tough, but this seems rather ridiculous, and people still buying iPhones does not surprise.  The Turks that live in Germany do most of the internet shop business as far as I could see, and if you needed a phone on short notice that is already unlocked, that is where you go.  Those guys will make a deal!  So maybe Erdogan is out of touch?  Do you think?

[John Foote + 1,135]

Turkey matters, but no so much for whatever consumer electronic doodads the USA exports. Heck, Apple products are designed in the USA, but Chinese manufactured. NATO still matters some and there are still important US/NATO bases in Turkey. Without Turkey there is no Cuban missile crises (US placement of Jupiter missiles started the mess). Because of access to the Black Sea, Turkey matters a lot. Sell them F-35s, and the Turks get the S-400, you accelerate how quickly the Russians figure out how to shoot a F-35 down. On the upside, NATO would get their hands on S-400s, and semi-obsolete that platform as well. Russia is clearly the winner in that deal. Turkey is huge in the scrap metal business. If Turkey is also critical to keeping half the population of the blown up countries formerly known as Iraq and Syria  from heading to Europe. That's why you don't hear the EU screaming. 

I am no fan of Edrogan, he's another power monger who got elected in as a populist, going to make Turkey great again, but he was elected, he's not a dictator, not yet anyway. The coup perhaps/probably was faked by him to consolidate power. But that is an internal Turkey issue. The country is more or less stable and the USA should stay out of the regime change business. We get it wrong too often, and we conceded the moral high ground a while back. And do yourself a favor, visit the country sometime. Wonderful people, great history, though I suppose many others in the region are glad the Ottoman's haven't resurrected. The Ottomans were the protectors of the Holy Mosques for a long time. The train line Lawrence blew up, it was built for the hadj, which really, really matters. Constantinople mattered more than Rome for Christianity for a very long time. 

I expect Trump's next election isn't in four years, but rather Nov 2020. 

[Eodmatt + 114]

On 8/14/2018 at 10:21 PM, Marina Schwarz said:

What U.S. electronics? iPhones? I'm in no way supporting anything Erdogan does but, well, if you want electronics you get them from China, it's as simple as that.

It's not like there is much choice these days! Mind you it's only the past repeating itself. First it was "Made In Taiwan" Then it was "Made In Hong Kong" - or was it the other way round, I cant remember. Never mind, here we go again. Soon it may be the turn of "Made In Vietnam".....

[Eodmatt + 114]

On 8/14/2018 at 8:08 PM, Pavel said:

Boycott, retaliate? C'mon RTE... Their chief concerns are housing, food, and medical care. Where is a Secular Turkey in which all Turks enjoy freedoms lost under present regime?

Like all Despots 101, Erdigan appealed to the, largely uneducated, mass of peasants (sorry but I couldn't think of a more diplomatic way to put it). This societal group are also predominantly Muslim. Erdogan appealed to them by promising them a greater voice, via their religious leaders of course. All of which went directly against Ataturk's  vision for a modern turkey, in which the armed forces were charged with ensuring that Turkey remained a secular country.

One of the first things Erdogan did was to purge the military to prevent them from carrying out their duty.

However there is a strong danger that Erdogan may find himself holding a tiger by the tail once the religious leaders begin to feel their mettle. And Turkey isn't a million miles away from Syria, Iran, Iraq etc. The borders with these countries are so full of holes they resemble an elderly tramps vest.

There have been people trafficking routes, drug smuggling routes and in fact constant traffic, thuggery, buggery and skullduggery, through the border minefields (which are old and of dubious value) for many years now and the Turkish government only has partial control of the borders. It isn't unusual for anyone sticking their nose in around the borders  to be found dead in a minefield, or the victim of an "isolated" bomb attack.

Erdogan is playing dangerous games and Turkey will suffer. The suffering has already started.

[mcambl61 + 20]

The turks let this dictatorship be established. So what will be the solution? 

 

It will get ugly.