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Right-Wing Media Outraged That Obama Hugged Leader Of NATO Ally

November 04, 2011 1:15 pm ET — 18 Comments

Right-wing media have expressed outrage over President Obama hugging Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the G-20 summit, claiming that Obama is "hugging enemies [and] abandoning allies." In fact, Turkey is an ally of the United States via its membership in NATO; moreover, this is just the latest example of the right-wing media's obsession with how Obama greets leaders.

Right-Wing Media Claim Obama Is "Hugging Enemies, Abandoning Allies"

Weekly Standard: "The Europeans Get A Handshake And The Islamist Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Gets A Hug." In a November 3 post on The Weekly Standard's website, Daniel Halper analyzed Obama's hugging of Erdogan and claimed: "The Europeans get a handshake and the Islamist Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gets a hug. And all the president seems to have in mind is campaign politics and his reelection effort." [The Weekly Standard, 11/3/11]

Geller: Obama "Is In Europe Insulting Allies And Hugging Islamic Imperialists." In a November 3 post on Atlas Shrugs titled, "Love Among The Ruins: Obama Hugs Islamic Supremacist PM Erdogan," Pam Geller claimed that Obama "is in Europe insulting allies and hugging Islamic Imperialists." [Atlas Shrugs, 11/3/11]

Big Peace: "Obama (Literally) Embraces Anti-Israel, Pro-Iran Islamist On The World Stage." In a November 3 post on Andrew Breitbart's Big Peace, titled "Obama (Literally) Embraces Anti-Israel, Pro-Iran Islamist on the World Stage," Joel Pollak wrote: "Our European allies, by contrast, received simple handshakes. Never mind the apparent breach of protocol-what does this demonstrate about Barack Obama's worldview?" [Big Peace, 11/3/11]

Goldfarb: Obama "Hugging Enemies, Abandoning Allies." In a November 3 tweet, former Weekly Standard writer Michael Goldfarb wrote:

[Twitter, 11/3/11]

In Fact, Turkey Is A NATO Ally Of The United States

U.S. State Department: Turkey Supports Operations Iraqi Freedom And Operation Enduring Freedom. The United States Department of State's website on Turkey provides a history of U.S.-Turkey relations. According to the State Department website, "Turkey allows the use of Incirlik Air Base for the transport of non-lethal cargo in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom." [U.S. State Department, accessed 11/4/11]

NATO: Turkey's Current Troop Contribution In Afghanistan Is 1,840. According to the Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) website, Turkey currently has 1,840 troops active in the NATO effort in Afghanistan. [ISAF, accessed 11/4/11]

NY Times: "U.S. Hails Deal With Turkey On Missile Shield." The New York Times reported on September 15 that the U.S. and Turkey had reached an agreement that allows for the U.S. to install a "sophisticated American radar system" in Turkey as part of the NATO missile defense shield designed to protect "Europe against a potential Iranian missile attack." The Times quoted a senior White House official who said, "This is probably the biggest strategic decision between the United States and Turkey in the past 15 or 20 years." [The New York Times, 9/15/11]

Right-Wing Media Have Previously Attacked Obama's Greetings Of Leaders

Right-Wing Media Have Previously Obsessed Over Obama's Greeting Of Leaders. Right-wing media have previously obsessed over Obama's greeting of domestic leaders and heads of state, attacking Obama for his greetings of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Saudi King Abdullah, and Japanese Emperor Akihito. [Media Matters, 2/1/10, 4/13/10]

— R.A.S
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    • Author by dkylep (November 04, 2011 1:24 pm ET)
      6  
      How DARE you claim that Turkey is an ally of the glorious United States!? Do you not know that it is FULL of scary brown skinned people that speak in a funny gibberish language and want to destroy America because of the freedoms that it has!? All that stuff that Turkey is doing to support various American actions is really proof of just how dastardly they actually are! They're lulling the libtards into thinking that they're not a threat, and then they'll sweep into America with Sharia law and burn the shrine of Ronald Regan and The Duke! How could want this to happen MMFA!?

      How could MMFA be so blatantly Anti-American as to claim such a state as an ally based on nothing but facts and reality!?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by dkylep (November 04, 2011 1:31 pm ET)
        3  
        Sigh.
        *shrines
        *How could you want this to happen MMFA!?

        I guess that puts the screws to my ruse. No right-wing nuttybook would care about correcting any grammar or spelling mistakes. My bad for blowing the cover. Well, any real right-wing nut would probably have known that I was faking it anyway, since I wasn't nearly incoherent enough or racist enough for their standards I'm sure. Nor was there enough flag waving.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by teh.stoopid.lib (November 04, 2011 1:32 pm ET)
      5  
      Buncha morans.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by armendale (November 04, 2011 1:33 pm ET)
      4  
      Anything to distract from the Cain sex scandal GOP implosion.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by hoopvillain (November 04, 2011 1:37 pm ET)
      6  
      "The Europeans get a handshake and the Islamist Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gets a hug. And all the president seems to have in mind is campaign politics and his reelection effort."
      Would anyone repubtard explain to me how hugging the Turkish leader, who happens to be Muslim and a NATO ally is helping his reelection effort. These repubtards are stupid, petty and pathetic.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by galmud (November 04, 2011 3:17 pm ET)
        2  
        I think in exchange for this hug Erdogan will sneak into the United States in 2012. With the help of secret ACORN agents he will register to vote under the false name Jay Hadsharia and cast his vote for Obama
        Report Abuse
    • Author by David2012 (November 04, 2011 1:38 pm ET)
      8  
      Sometimes I think these folks have literally gone insane.

      It has to be hard way to live, going from from one state of outrage to another, in perpetual apoplexy.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (November 04, 2011 1:45 pm ET)
      5  
      Like I said, these lying jackasses are pandering to an audience of ignoramuses who know little about science, and even less about history.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by okiepoli (November 04, 2011 2:24 pm ET)
      4  
      That Obama's got some nerve - doesn't he know you not only hug but KISS a same-sex foreign leader - just like Dubya did!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by foole (November 04, 2011 2:26 pm ET)
      4  
      Would anyone have even noticed this if the wingnuts hadn't had a faux freakout over it? I get so tired of these devious buggers doing everything they can to try and control the headlines. I mean seriously, come on man! This is some weak sauce.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by whatIthink (November 04, 2011 2:33 pm ET)
      3  
      Maybe if Obama had given a shoulder rub, a la Bush and Merkel, the right wing wouldn't be so offended.

      Report Abuse
    • Author by mathazar (November 04, 2011 3:18 pm ET)
      1  
      I'll bet there was a collective 'gasp' from all the other NATO allies.
      Report Abuse
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