İbrahim Karagül, former editor in chief of the Yeni Şafak daily, which is a mouthpiece of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling AKP, wrote a September 30, 2021 column titled "Were You Ordered To 'Topple Erdoğan,' Mr. Flake? Are You Coming To Implement Plans Of Internal Chaos For 2023? The Global Colonial Order Is Over, You Fool! Just As You Came, So You Shall Leave!"[1]
After listing some of the things that Jeff Lane Flake, whom U.S. President Joe Biden announced as his nominee for the role of ambassador to Turkey on July 13, has reportedly said about Turkey, Karagül wrote:[2] "Will they be sending you here as a 'colony governor'?... Did they say, 'Go and topple President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; become a hero'?" Commenting on the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Karagül wrote: "Not only did the U.S. fail to hold elections properly, but its Capitol was also raided, and yet, it has the audacity to talk to us about democracy?"
Commenting on U.S. policy toward Turkey more broadly, he wrote: "Everything you disapprove of becomes 'oppression,' does it not? When people take their country's interests into account, it becomes a threat, right? The fact that you are no longer able to twirl this country around your little finger is a danger, is it not?... The colonial period is over, you fool!... Why did you flee Afghanistan? Why are you being kicked out of Africa and the Middle East, from South and Central Asia? Think carefully."
Karagül with Turkish President Erdogan (Source: Sendika62.org)
After being editor in chief of Yeni Şafak for eight years, Karagül resigned from the position in December 2020. Hüseyin Likoğlu is now editor in chief for the daily, while Karagül continues to write a column for it.[3]
Following is Yeni Şafak's translation of Karagül's column:
"The new U.S. nominee for ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake, has started threatening Turkey before even setting foot here.
"He used terms like, 'The Erdoğan regime.' He said, 'oppression' and 'democratic backsliding,' adding, 'Our relations with Turkey are facing deep challenges.'
"He warned Ankara, saying, 'Any purchase of additional Russian weapons will result in additional sanctions. We will hold Turkey responsible.'
"Furthermore, he signaled the opposition in Turkey. He gave hope to terrorist partners. He spread fear and brewed up a storm by talking nonsense, and putting on a show in Washington.
"Were You Ordered To 'Topple Erdoğan'? Are You A Colony Governor?!
"Will they be sending you here as a 'colony governor'? Is that what they whispered to you? Did they say, 'Go and topple President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; become a hero'?
"Did they say, 'Join forces with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization [FETÖ], the Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK], and the alliance we built in the country and finish this by 2023'?
"Did they say, 'Have a coup conducted, cause a civil war, network anti-Erdoğan groups'?
"Did they say, 'Bring Turkey under control again, turn it into Syria'? Did they say, 'Stop Turkey, and if you cannot stop it, suffocate it through terrorism'?
"So, Mr. Flake, is the 'coup process,' which U.S. President Joe Biden refers to by saying, 'We will back the opposition and oust Erdoğan' be relaunched with you?
"Do we not know that this does not end at the 'opposition,' that this is not how this partnership works, and what those dirty, dark, and bloody interventions are? Do you think we are unable to read into the plans behind these statements?
"Will You Be Setting Off Bombs In Our Cities Again!
"Not only did the U.S. fail to hold elections properly, but its Capitol was also raided, and yet, it has the audacity to talk to us about democracy?
"You should have thought about that democracy while shedding the blood of more than a million people in this region.
"You should have thought about that very concept of democracy when conducting a coup in this country, when networking with terrorist organizations, and setting off bombs on our streets!
"Everything you disapprove of becomes 'oppression,' does it not? When people take their country's interests into account, it becomes a threat, right? The fact that you are no longer able to twirl this country around your little finger is a danger, is it not?
"We Get It, You Are Coming To Implement 2023 Internal Conflict Plans. But, The Global Colonial Era Is Over, Fool!
"We get it, you are coming to this country on a 'special mission.' You are coming to implement the internal conflict theories for the year 2023. You are coming to plot a coup, and bring together those within.
"You are coming to this country armed with hostility and evil. You are coming to implement a plan veiled by the discourse of democracy.
"The colonial period is over, you fool!
"The 'state governor' mission will serve nothing other than to fool yourself.
"Pay close attention to history, the world, countries, and the global power shift. The world is mocking the games being played in Washington, and watching your own internal tensions and weaknesses, you fool.
"Why did you flee Afghanistan? Why are you being kicked out of Africa and the Middle East, from South and Central Asia? Think carefully.
"What Happened To That Map You Designed? Your Aegean Map Will Fail As Well
"Mr. Flake, do you think we are not aware that you are building an anti-Turkey front both within and outside Turkey! Do we not know the purpose behind your military bases in the East Mediterranean and the Aegean?
"Do we not understand why you are arming the Aegean islands, or why you built a base even in Alexandropouli (Dedeağaç)? Do you think we do not comprehend that your map operations spanning the Iranian border and the Mediterranean was a plan to siege Turkey?
"Do we not see you uniting all the enemies inside Turkey, in the West, and in the region to stop Turkey? Do you think we cannot comprehend that the issue is not Erdoğan alone, but that it is to stop Turkey, which made a great awakening in the 21st century?
"Remember Edelman – He Didn't Last Either...
"Let me remind you of Eric Edelman, Mr. Flake.
"Ahmet Necdet Sezer had visited Syrian capital Damascus in 2005 as the president of the Republic of Turkey. Like you, Edelman had also bragged and boasted, and dared to 'warn,' to 'threaten' this country's president.
"He berated Turkey. He strutted around like a colony governor. He lambasted Turkey's president. He was saying, 'How dare you conduct this visit without our permission.'
"Back then, the U.S. still had authority. Its word was law. The U.S. storm blew across the entire region; it would berate any country it wanted and bring it into line.
"Despite this, he received a befitting strong response. He drew ire. Because regardless of whom they may be, nobody could threaten this country, this country's president, or a single citizen.
"He didn't last, and so he got the hell away.
"You're Coming Arms In Hand – You Will Leave Just As You Came, Mr. Flake
"You showed greater disrespect than Edelman, even before you set foot in this country. In fact, you disrespected the whole country.
"We get it; you're coming on a 'special mission.' We know what these tasks are by considering what happened in the past, and the 'signals' coming from you. You are launching the '2023 front.' We will wait and see whether there will be a coup attempt, an internal conflict attempt, or a terror blast.
"You are being sent arms in hand.
"Bring it on.
"Let us remind you, Mr. Flake:
"Just as you came, so you will leave."
[1] Yenisafak.com/en/columns/ibrahimkaragul/were-you-ordered-to-topple-erdogan-mr-flake-are-you-coming-to-implement-plans-of-internal-chaos-for-2023-the-global-colonial-order-is-over-you-fool-just-as-you-came-so-you-shall-leave-3581287, September 30, 2021.
[2] Whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/13/president-biden-announces-11-key-nominations, July 13, 2021.
[3] Yenisafak.com/hayat/yeni-safakin-yeni-genel-yayin-yonetmeni-huseyin-likoglu-3592133, December 30, 2020.
