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]