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Beck Calls NATO Ally Turkey A "Dictator We've Made Friends With"

January 31, 2011 11:06 pm ET — 41 Comments

Glenn Beck displayed a symbol on a map of Turkey that, as Beck explained, indicated it is a "frenemy" and "a dictator that we've made friends with." In reality, Turkey's government is a republic, and Turkey has been a NATO ally since 1952.

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Beck Graphic Indicates Turkey Is One Of The "Dictators" The U.S. "Made Friends With"

Beck: "The Little Blue Faces Are The -- Are Really The Dictators That We've Made Friends With." From Glenn Beck:

BECK: The little blue faces are the -- are really the dictators that we've made friends with. We said -- they're frenemies, really. There's 125 dead in Egypt in over a week. Egypt is a frenemy.

OK, let's look at the map, at our friends, our frenemies, and our enemies. Do you see very many friends, the little yellow ones? [Glenn Beck, 1/31/11]

Beck Map Displays "Frenemy" Symbol On Top Of Turkey. From Glenn Beck:

Chalk board map screen grab

Reality: Turkey Is A Republic And Has Been A NATO Ally Since 1952

State Department Lists Turkey As A Republic. From the State Department's "Background Notes: Turkey":

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: October 29, 1923.
Constitution: November 7, 1982. Amended in 1987, 1995, 2001, 2007, and 2010.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), prime minister (head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet--appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister). Legislative--Grand National Assembly (550 members) chosen by national elections at least every 4 years. Judicial--Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Council of State, and other courts.
Political parties with representatives in Parliament: Justice and Development Party (AKP) (336 seats), Republican People's Party (CHP) (101 seats), Nationalist Action Party (MHP) (70 seats), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) (20 seats), Democratic Left Party (DSP) (6 seats), Democrat Party (DP) (1 seat), Turkey Party (TP) (1 seat), seven independents, and eight vacant seats.
Suffrage: Universal, 18 and older.
National holiday: Republic Day, October 28-29. [State.gov, accessed 1/31/11]

State Department: "Turkey's Primary Political, Economic, And Security Ties Are With The West" And "Has Made Important Contributions To The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) In Afghanistan." From the State Department's "Background Notes: Turkey":

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Turkey's primary political, economic, and security ties are with the West, but the AKP government has also sought to strengthen relations with its Middle Eastern neighbors and Central Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

Turkey entered NATO in 1952 and serves as the organization's vital eastern anchor, as it controls the straits leading from the Black Sea to the Aegean and shares a border with Syria, Iraq, and Iran. NATO's Air Component Command Headquarters is located in Izmir and NATO's Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey is headquartered in Istanbul. Turkey has made important contributions to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, commanding ISAF four times (2002, 2005, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011). Turkey currently commands Regional Command Capital and has set up two Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Wardak and Jowzjan Provinces, with approximately 1,700 troops stationed in Afghanistan. [State.gov, accessed 1/31/11]

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    • Author by Jeremy Danials (January 31, 2011 11:13 pm ET)
      15  
      To Beck, Middle-East equals dictatorship. He really is an uneducated Schwanzlutscher.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by aBeck in 10-O-C (February 01, 2011 4:40 am ET)
        7  
        Schwanzlutscher.

        Well that is one clever way to slip one past the profanity filter ;-)
        Report Abuse
        • Author by epkklk851 (February 01, 2011 7:05 am ET)
          3  
          That's Keith Olbermann's alternate twitter page: Friends of Keith News Channel. But, it works the other way, too.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by Jeremy Danials (February 02, 2011 3:00 pm ET)
               
            Here's the thing on that. I hadn't checked my Twitter in a few days and got the gottverdammt idea to photoshop my own #FOK avatar. I do that and load onto my Skype, Twitter, MSN Messenger, Gravatar, and HuffPo account. Then, I actually check my twitter, and the freaking genius Olbermann beat me to it!!! I LOL'd my butt off!
            Report Abuse
        • Author by epkklk851 (February 01, 2011 7:07 am ET)
          4  
          Okay, it's before 7:30 and my coffee hasn't kicked in. Schwanzlutcher, that's a new one on me, Lenny Bruce would be proud.
          Report Abuse
      • Author by m.welker (February 01, 2011 8:36 am ET)
        5  
        Come on Jeremy, you are holding Glenn up to a standard he cannot ever achieve. Facts? Analysis? He has no time for these.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by curiousindependent (February 01, 2011 11:02 am ET)
        2  
        Poor roosters.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by stronge (January 31, 2011 11:36 pm ET)
      5  
      It's probably also worth pointing out (before Beck can claim otherwise) that Turkey is a secular state.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Randall Flagg (January 31, 2011 11:37 pm ET)
      8  
      I also heard Bill-O say Democracy and Islam are not compatible and will never work. I immediately thought of Turkey, but I guess no one at Fox-Snooze has heard of that country.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Ratu01 (February 01, 2011 1:08 am ET)
        7  
        Not forgetting Malaysia & Indonesia both democracies. Indonesia has the largest muslim population in the world.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by clearstate (February 01, 2011 1:08 am ET)
      5  
      Didn't someone on Fox tonight say that Democracy = electing Hitler?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by FNC Liberal (February 01, 2011 2:25 am ET)
      6  
      I can't wait for the board to fire him.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by donaldmaddog5642 (February 01, 2011 6:20 am ET)
      5  
      What do you expect? He is an ignorant blow-hard like O'Reilly and the rest. They perfectly compliment the morons that watch his show and believe his idiotic lies. WOW, what has this country come to?
      THIS? No wonder we are the laughing stock of the world. And look at how much WE have to pay attention to this fool. MMFA just uses up valuable time countering this kind of drivel.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by SymphonyofDestruction (February 01, 2011 6:25 am ET)
      6  
      Not only a Republic but one of the most fiercely secular countries I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. Egypt could do a lot worse than following the Turkish model of the army protecting the secularism of the state. Seeing the way the army has been treated by the protesters on the streets it might not be such a stretch to imagine it either.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by MagCynic (February 01, 2011 7:46 am ET)
        8
      Uh, oh. Don't tell Media Matters, but Turkey is run by a secret Jewish cabal intent on eradicating Islam from the country. It's true. I read it on a message board post.

      Looks like Beck just can't seem to shake this anti-Semite label, can he? Darn.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by JimmyCraghorn (February 01, 2011 8:14 am ET)
        7  
        Yep, if its on the internet it must be true
        Report Abuse
      • Author by RKAllen (February 01, 2011 9:08 am ET)
        7  
        Search your feelings, Mag. You can't do this anymore. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by MagCynic (February 01, 2011 9:28 am ET)
            3
          You do realize I was being facetious I hope.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by RKAllen (February 01, 2011 9:32 am ET)
            4  
            Which is why I quoted Star Wars.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by JoeSixpack (February 01, 2011 9:41 am ET)
            4  
            Yep, yet another worthless contribution from you. What on earth could your point have been, linking to that ridiculous blog? If you're trying to demonstrate that there are crackpots on the internet, well, duh. We already knew that, and if anyone should forget, you'll come along and post something stupid to remind them.

            As you may recall, this is Media Matters for America. I don't think they're too concerned with monitoring some 2-bit message board in Turkey. But that's ok, Sparky, you just keep telling yourself that you have a point, and the rest of us just don't get it.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by MagCynic (February 01, 2011 9:55 am ET)
                4
              Why are you so serious? I was joking. I was making fun of the way everything Beck says or does absolutely HAS to mean he's an anti-Semite.

              He ate Cheerios this morning? That definitely means he's an anti-Semite.
              Report Abuse
              • Author by JoeSixpack (February 01, 2011 10:15 am ET)
                3  
                Oh. It wasn't pointless nonsense, it was a joke. Thanks for letting me know, but here's the thing - if you have to tell people it's a joke, that means it's not funny. Which means it's not really a joke. Seriously, what on earth did you find funny about the crackpots on that blog? Why would you even bother to point out their lunacy, when it coinicides so well with your hero's? Did you ever think that maybe it doesn't help Beck's credibility when his stance mirrors theirs? "Hey, these other guys are just as crazy!" isn't much of a defense, Slick.
                Report Abuse
              • Author by southerngal (February 01, 2011 11:45 am ET)
                1  
                Come on Mag, I have never seen anything as nutty as this before. Even from Beck.
                Report Abuse
                • Author by mikehuck1976 (February 01, 2011 3:02 pm ET)
                  2  
                  You are correct, righton. These are the posts that even the Beckers stay away from. They will pretend like this one never happened. As is evidenced by Mag's sad attempt to change the subject. You know when your best attempt at changing the subject is joking about your anti-Semitism, you've got a real problem.
                  Report Abuse
              • Author by Adendrools (February 01, 2011 11:47 am ET)
                   
                Hagcynic wrote: Why are you so serious? I was joking. I was making fun


                And remember kids you can say anything you want if it's funny

                Oh look an ignorant bigot. Drink........
                Report Abuse
                • Author by Adendrools (February 01, 2011 11:49 am ET)
                     
                  Ok that link is ridiculous. Can anyone please tell me how to ensure my link stops at the right spot on a given page?
                  Report Abuse
                  • Author by JoeSixpack (February 01, 2011 12:11 pm ET)
                    1  
                    Get your link by clicking on the time stamp of the post to which you wish to refer. That way, the link will go right to that post, instead of just going to the top of the page. I had the same trouble for a while myself.
                    Report Abuse
              • Author by mikehuck1976 (February 01, 2011 3:00 pm ET)
                1  
                So what is your defense of this statement other than - "Squirrel!"?
                Report Abuse
          • Author by grmce (February 01, 2011 9:01 pm ET)
            1  
            You do realize I was being facetious I hope.


            Maggles,

            I've long been aware that everything you post is facetious - the only question goes to the matter of intent. :-)
            Report Abuse
    • Author by rwmacdonald2091 (February 01, 2011 8:28 am ET)
      4  
      What happened to old Glennie's black board?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by MiniTru (February 01, 2011 9:21 am ET)
        3  
        It's going to the Smithsonian. It will stand next to Archie Bunker's chair, another object associated with a right-wing ass.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by oneleft (February 01, 2011 11:09 am ET)
      3  
      whew! i was THIS close to doing some research on this. but now i don't have to cause glen did it for me.

      all you haters go do some research before you dis glenn. you morans.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by beDecent (February 01, 2011 11:17 am ET)
      2  
      As always, Beck's "lesson" is geared towards elementary students, but in actuality was intended for adults. Pathetic.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Old_Benjamin (February 01, 2011 5:58 pm ET)
        3  
        You mean because of the smiely faces and grouchy faces? I like the flames in Egypt.

        They are also shown in Iraq. Hmmm I wonder what happened there?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by sand11 (February 01, 2011 3:35 pm ET)
      3  
      At least Turkey is shown in the right place on the map.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by JiminVA (February 01, 2011 10:06 pm ET)
      1  
      He's insane. The more I listen, the more he seems unhinged. If someone in my office acted this way, we would gently ease him out...
      Report Abuse
    • Author by czarjak (February 02, 2011 12:40 am ET)
      1  
      Last week Glenn Beck said " God said all men are created equal, and guaranteed the right to life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness" How could a amn with his own university be wrong?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mirreich (February 02, 2011 7:13 am ET)
         
      Glenn Beck is dumb but of course Turkey's founder Atatürk was a dictator and responsible for the Armenian genocide, but that's the good guy's ideology: 'kemalism', the only remaining fascist ideology.

      Modern Turkey is an authoritarian republic. Don't speak about the Armenians and don't demand Kurdish independence.

      So yes, would be better to support the Greek's military. Turkey still occupies Cyprus and recently threatened Israel in the flotilla struggle.
      Report Abuse

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