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2017-05-29 The Grand Turk

Turkish intelligence agency report describes massive global Gulenist organization

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Posted by Fred 2017-05-29 00:00|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top
File under: Sublime Porte

#1 If you cant find an enemy with which to cow the people into obedience, create one and blow it out of proportion -- Adolph Hitler said it on Facebook. Or was that Noam Chomsky, or perhaps Arlo Guthrie?

Better than a chicken in every pot, its a bogeyman behind every tree, and secret police to chase them.

Posted by Injun Bucket8891 2017-05-29 00:16|| 2017-05-29 00:16|| Front Page Top

#2 Been looking into the Gulenist movement for awhile and must admit I'm confused by it. On the one hand, Erdogan hates it so it must be good. On the other hand, it's Islamic (Sufi moderate?) so I mistrust it. Strikes me as a sort of Muslim Brotherhood, Ottoman style. One thing's for sure: like the Wahhabis, they seem to be pursuing a 'hide in plain sight' strategy, via >150 U.S. charter schools and other seemingly innocuous outposts. Haven't found the apocalyptic, submit-to-the-sword language I've always suspected lurked beneath the covers, but maybe I haven't looked in the right places. Anyway, insights from those in the know appreciated.

Posted by Whitch Turkeyneck3879 2017-05-29 10:43|| 2017-05-29 10:43|| Front Page Top

#3 On the one hand, Erdogan hates it so it must be good.

I'm not exactly in the know, Whitch Turkeyneck3879, but here's what I've learnt from what others have said and posted here at Rantburg over the years:

Sultan Erdogan I (the much beloved) and Fethullen Gulen were best buddies until recently. Erdogan slowly made his nominally center right AKP party ascendant -- he founded the AKP in 2001 -- and even more slowly made it more religious, while his BFF handled the dawa (outreach) side of things through his excellent schools with their quiet emphasis on Islamicizing the students, then sending the alums out into the world to excel, support one another's efforts, tithe to expand the work -- much like a cult, in fact -- and vote for the AKP.

Erdogan spoke openly about riding democracy like a train until it got to his station, then getting off. Gulen was working on a generations-long, nonviolent march through all the institutions, within and without Turkey. Erdogan has been described as neo-Ottoman, seeing himself as the sultan of a restored empire including the Turkmen beyond Turkey's borders, which is why there are ISIS-linked Uzbeks in Istanbul to boost the population. Gulen, I think, does not care about the political organization of the thing, just that it be run from top to bottom by his pious Muslims.

Sufi mysticism is not necessarily otherworldly, though at first glance it's hard to see how whirling dervishes could be dangerous. ;-) My favourite article on Sufi jihadism is here.

Posted by trailing wife 2017-05-29 11:31|| 2017-05-29 11:31|| Front Page Top

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