from the news reports it is now a thugocracy as opposed to a theocracy

Reuters (from 5/20):

A gang leader's video allegations of corruption among top officials has gripped millions of Turks, threatening to tarnish the image of a government already struggling with economic woes and the COVID-19 outbreak.

Convicted criminal gang leader Sedat Peker, who has a large following on social media, on Thursday released the sixth of a series of videos on YouTube which have evolved into a bitter dispute with Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

"Clean Suleyman, lion Suleyman. He sent a tweet about me calling me 'dirty mafia'... I will tell you today about 'clean Suleyman'," Peker said in one of the videos, before launching into his accusations.

Peker has served several jail sentences in Turkey and said last week he is now in Dubai.

In often rambling monologues addressed to the camera from behind a desk, Peker has made uncorroborated allegations regarding suspicious deaths, rape and drug dealing, alleging links to officials close to President Tayyip Erdogan. The six videos have been viewed as many as 30 million times in total.

As I commented elsewhere, I wouldn't be surprised if Erdogan tries to arrest everyone who has viewed the videos...

:-/

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #439,248 by boxley 6/8/21 2:16:39 PM 6/8/21 2:16:39 PM Reply	from the news reports it is now a thugocracy as opposed to a theocracy if the reports of criminal access to the top of the government is to be believed "Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" – Richard Feynman
Post #439,249 by CRConrad 6/9/21 5:50:23 AM 6/9/21 5:50:23 AM Reply	I'm with BOx, except one small edit: A thugocracy albeit (rather flimsily) disguised as theocracy.
Post #439,250 by drook 6/9/21 9:17:56 AM 6/9/21 9:17:56 AM Reply	Hasn't that been true of most of them? -- Drew
Post #439,253 by Another Scott 6/9/21 12:29:13 PM 6/9/21 12:29:13 PM Reply	Whenever Turkey is in the news, it's always worse than we thought. Reuters (from 5/20): A gang leader's video allegations of corruption among top officials has gripped millions of Turks, threatening to tarnish the image of a government already struggling with economic woes and the COVID-19 outbreak. Convicted criminal gang leader Sedat Peker, who has a large following on social media, on Thursday released the sixth of a series of videos on YouTube which have evolved into a bitter dispute with Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. "Clean Suleyman, lion Suleyman. He sent a tweet about me calling me 'dirty mafia'... I will tell you today about 'clean Suleyman'," Peker said in one of the videos, before launching into his accusations. Peker has served several jail sentences in Turkey and said last week he is now in Dubai. In often rambling monologues addressed to the camera from behind a desk, Peker has made uncorroborated allegations regarding suspicious deaths, rape and drug dealing, alleging links to officials close to President Tayyip Erdogan. The six videos have been viewed as many as 30 million times in total. As I commented elsewhere, I wouldn't be surprised if Erdogan tries to arrest everyone who has viewed the videos... :-/ Cheers, Scott.
Post #439,259 by a6l6e6x 6/9/21 11:08:00 PM 6/9/21 11:08:00 PM Reply	Re: You have a point. :) They are only claiming a theocratic orientation. Alex "There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." -- Isaac Asimov

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