The Hollywood Liberal

Beck Calls NATO Ally Turkey A “Dictator We’ve Made Friends With”

Glenn Beck displayed a symbol on a map of Turkey that, as Beck explained, indicated it is a “frenemy” and “a dictator that we’ve made friends with.” In reality, Turkey’s government is a republic, and Turkey has been a NATO ally since 1952.

Beck Graphic Indicates Turkey Is One Of The “Dictators” The U.S. “Made Friends With”

Beck: “The Little Blue Faces Are The — Are Really The Dictators That We’ve Made Friends With.” From Glenn Beck:

BECK: The little blue faces are the — are really the dictators that we’ve made friends with. We said — they’re frenemies, really. There’s 125 dead in Egypt in over a week. Egypt is a frenemy.

OK, let’s look at the map, at our friends, our frenemies, and our enemies. Do you see very many friends, the little yellow ones? [Glenn Beck, 1/31/11]

Beck Map Displays “Frenemy” Symbol On Top Of Turkey. From Glenn Beck:

Reality: Turkey Is A Republic And Has Been A NATO Ally Since 1952

State Department Lists Turkey As A Republic. From the State Department’s “Background Notes: Turkey”:

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: October 29, 1923.
Constitution: November 7, 1982. Amended in 1987, 1995, 2001, 2007, and 2010.
Branches: Executive–president (chief of state), prime minister (head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet–appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister). Legislative–Grand National Assembly (550 members) chosen by national elections at least every 4 years. Judicial–Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Council of State, and other courts.
Political parties with representatives in Parliament: Justice and Development Party (AKP) (336 seats), Republican People’s Party (CHP) (101 seats), Nationalist Action Party (MHP) (70 seats), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) (20 seats), Democratic Left Party (DSP) (6 seats), Democrat Party (DP) (1 seat), Turkey Party (TP) (1 seat), seven independents, and eight vacant seats.
Suffrage: Universal, 18 and older.
National holiday: Republic Day, October 28-29. [State.gov, accessed 1/31/11]

State Department: “Turkey’s Primary Political, Economic, And Security Ties Are With The West” And “Has Made Important Contributions To The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) In Afghanistan.” From the State Department’s “Background Notes: Turkey”:

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Turkey’s primary political, economic, and security ties are with the West, but the AKP government has also sought to strengthen relations with its Middle Eastern neighbors and Central Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

Turkey entered NATO in 1952 and serves as the organization’s vital eastern anchor, as it controls the straits leading from the Black Sea to the Aegean and shares a border with Syria, Iraq, and Iran. NATO’s Air Component Command Headquarters is located in Izmir and NATO’s Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey is headquartered in Istanbul. Turkey has made important contributions to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, commanding ISAF four times (2002, 2005, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011). Turkey currently commands Regional Command Capital and has set up two Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Wardak and Jowzjan Provinces, with approximately 1,700 troops stationed in Afghanistan. [State.gov, accessed 1/31/11]

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