Who is Fethullah Gulen, and was he the mastermind behind the failed Turkish coup? (Erdogan wants to put Gulen in prison & has arrested, fired or suspended 60,000 Turks believed to be Gulen’s supporters. Here’s the latest.)

joelcrosenberg posted: " Who is Fethullah Gulen, and why is the leader of Turkey on a rampage to arrest him and tens of thousands of his followers? Gulen, now 75, is a Turkish citizen, an Islamic cleric, and a long-time rival of Turkish President Recip Erdogan. He is currently" New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog Who is Fethullah Gulen, and was he the mastermind behind the failed Turkish coup? (Erdogan wants to put Gulen in prison & has arrested, fired or suspended 60,000 Turks believed to be Gulen's supporters. Here's the latest.) by joelcrosenberg Who is Fethullah Gulen, and why is the leader of Turkey on a rampage to arrest him and tens of thousands of his followers? Gulen, now 75, is a Turkish citizen, an Islamic cleric, and a long-time rival of Turkish President Recip Erdogan. He is currently living in exile in Pennsylvania. In 2013, Time magazine named him one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People." Describing him "the most potent advocate of moderation in the Muslim world," Time said Gulen "preaches a message of tolerance that has won him admirers around the world." Others describe Gulen as a "cult leader." Erdogan says Gulen is the "mastermind" behind last Friday's coup attempt. He is demanding the U.S. government extradite Gulen back to Turkey immediately. Gulen strongly opposes Erdogan, but denies any involvement in last week's violence and political intrigue. Gulen "went into self-imposed exile when he moved from Turkey to the United States in 1999 and settled in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania," reports CNN. Gulen leads a movement called "Hizmet," described by the New York Times as "a moderate, pro-Western brand of Sunni Islam that appeals to many well-educated and professional Turks." Followers of the movement -- which number in the millions -- are called "Gulenists." Some reports suggest that upwards of 10% of the Turkish population of 80 million support Gulen and Hizmet, reports the UK Guardian newspaper. Was Gulen truly the man behind the plot to bring Erdogan down? That remains to be seen. But it is an interesting question. Unable -- so far -- to persuade the Obama administration to arrest and deport Gulen, Erdogan and his regime are conducting a massive purge of Turkish society. In less than a week, they have has arrested, fired or suspended nearly 60,000 citizens this week for being part of what Erdogan calls a "cancer virus" of opposition to his rule that he says must be eradicated, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Many are believed by the government of being Gulenists in highly influential positions, though Erdogan appears to be purging almost anyone who has expressed dissent against him, even if they are not part of the Hizmet movement. Erdogan has also just "announced a three-month state of emergency starting July 21 to augment the government's power to avenge last week's bloody coup attempt," noted RFE/RL. This gives him even more draconian power to crackdown on political, religious, military, academic and media opponents. Among those arrested, fired or suspended (according to RFE/RL): 21,000 teachers 15,200 Education Ministry officials 8,000 police officers 7,500 soldiers 3,000 members of the judiciary 1,577 university deans 492 Muslim preachers and scholars 1/3 of the 360 active generals serving in the Turkish military Please keep praying for the people of Turkey as they undergo this authoritarian nightmare. Please pray for the Christians in Turkey to be lights in the darkness, and that they would have the courage to boldly proclaim the Gospel and make disciples despite the sweeping crackdown by an Islamist dictator. —————————– Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg   joelcrosenberg | July 21, 2016 at 8:38 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5iv Like Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/21/who-is-fethullah-gulen-and-was-he-the-mastermind-behind-the-failed-turkish-coup-erdogan-wants-to-put-gulen-in-prison-has-arrested-fired-or-suspended-60000-turks-believed-to-be-gulens-supp/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

Elie Wiesel understood the terrible power of silence, the danger of not speaking out against evil, notes Natan Sharansky.

joelcrosenberg posted: " We continue to mourn the recent death of Elie Wiesel, the courageous survivor of Auschwitz, author of tremendous books about the Holocaust, and the long-time advocate of human rights around the globe. Along these lines, let me commend to your attention " New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog Elie Wiesel understood the terrible power of silence, the danger of not speaking out against evil, notes Natan Sharansky. by joelcrosenberg We continue to mourn the recent death of Elie Wiesel, the courageous survivor of Auschwitz, author of tremendous books about the Holocaust, and the long-time advocate of human rights around the globe. Along these lines, let me commend to your attention an excellent column by Natan Sharansky, the former political prisoner in the Soviet Union, current chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and friend of Wiesel. Elie Wiesel's great mission on behalf of Soviet Jews By Natan Sharansky, op-ed in the Washington Post on July 4 Perhaps better than anyone else of our age, Elie Wiesel grasped the terrible power of silence. He understood that the failure to speak out, about both the horrors of the past and the evils of the present, is one of the most effective ways there is to perpetuate suffering and empower those who inflict it. Wiesel therefore made it his life's mission to ensure that silence would not prevail. First, he took the courageous and painful step of recounting the Holocaust, bringing it to public attention in a way that no one else before him had done. His harrowing chronicle "Night," originally titled "And the World Remained Silent," forced readers to confront that most awful of human events — to remember it, to talk about it, to make it part of their daily lives. Then, as if that weren't enough, he turned his attention to the present, giving voice to the millions of Jews living behind the Iron Curtain. Although he is rightly hailed for the first of these two achievements, it was the second, he told me on several occasions, for which he most hoped to be remembered. Wiesel first traveled to the Soviet Union in 1965 as a journalist from Haaretz, on a mission to meet with Jews there, and was shocked by what he saw. Those with whom he spoke were too afraid to recount Soviet persecution, terrified of reprisals from the regime, but their eyes implored him to tell the world about their plight. The book that resulted, "The Jews of Silence," was an impassioned plea to Jews around the world to shed their indifference and speak out for those who could not. "For the second time in a single generation, we are committing the error of silence," Wiesel warned — a phenomenon even more troubling to him than the voiceless suffering of Soviet Jews themselves. This was a watershed moment in Soviet Jewry's struggle. While the major American Jewish organizations felt a responsibility to stick to quiet diplomacy, wary of ruffling Soviet feathers and alienating non-Jews in the United States, Wiesel's book became the banner of activists, students and others who would not stay quiet. He had realized that the Soviet regime wanted above all for its subjects to feel cut off from one another and abandoned by the world. Indeed, I can attest that even 15 years later, Soviet authorities were still doing their utmost to convince us — both those of us in prison and those outside — that we were alone, that no one would save us and that the only way to survive was to accept their dictates.... [To read the rest of this column, please click here] —————————– Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | July 13, 2016 at 10:02 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5ez Like Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/elie-wiesel-understood-the-terrible-power-of-silence-the-danger-of-not-speaking-out-against-evil-notes-natan-sharanksy/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

FAILED COUP: Turkey’s increasingly dangerous Islamist President Erdogan returns to power.

joelcrosenberg posted: " In a stunning night of violence, conspiracy and dramatic reversals, an attempted coup by a faction of Turkish military officers and soldiers determined to bring down the increasingly authoritarian and dangerous Islamist regime of President Recep Erdogan " New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog FAILED COUP: Turkey's increasingly dangerous Islamist President Erdogan returns to power. by joelcrosenberg In a stunning night of violence, conspiracy and dramatic reversals, an attempted coup by a faction of Turkish military officers and soldiers determined to bring down the increasingly authoritarian and dangerous Islamist regime of President Recep Erdogan has failed. Now what? What does the future hold for the nearly 80 million Muslims of Turkey? Erdogan (pronounced "Air-do-wan") was out of the country when the coup began late Friday night. But he was in contact with top generals who were loyal to him. By the wee hours of the morning, his plane landed in Istanbul and he announced that he was firmly back in control. Calling the coup plotters "terrorists" engaged in "treason," he ordered the arrest of more than 700 military officers and soldiers so far, saying "the army must be cleansed" of anyone disloyal to him. Here's the latest on the coup from the BBC: Sixty people died during overnight clashes, many of them civilians 754 soldiers were arrested, officials said. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the situation was largely under control. He has ordered the military to shoot down aircraft being used by coup plotters. Earlier, one of the helicopters being flown by forces involved in the coup attempt was shot down over the capital Ankara. In a statement, the Turkish foreign ministry said the coup attempt "was foiled by the Turkish people in unity and solidarity. Our president and government are in charge," reported the BBC. "Turkish Armed Forces was not involved in the coup attempt in its entirety. It was conducted by a clique within the armed forces and received a well-deserved response from our nation." Few Westerners have paid much attention to Erdogan's rise in recent years, but as I've noted on this blog, he is an increasingly dangerous figure who is going to pose a serious challenge for NATO leaders and particularly for the next President of the United States. Consider just a few quick facts for now: Since becoming Turkey's President in 2014, Erdogan has built a 1,150 room palace — for himself. Over the last few years, Erdogan fired or arrested more than 400 Turkish military generals as he tried to consolidate total control. In April of 2016, Turkish military leaders had to deny rumors they were preparing for a coup. In May 2016, Erdogan sacked Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in order to seize more power and control for himself. Dangerous and dictatorial before the coup, Erdogan will now likely become far more so. I would expect a deep and extensive purge of the military, with far more arrests. I would also expect an even tougher crackdown on free speech, freedom to associate, and freedom of religion. As darkness falls on this Biblical nation -- where the Apostle Paul and his team repeatedly risked their lives to preach the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches -- please be praying for the people of Turkey, for her leaders, and her future. Developing.... —————————– Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | July 16, 2016 at 7:21 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5hD Like Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:  https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/16/failed-coup-turkeys-increasingly-dangerous-islamist-president-erdogan-returns-to-power/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

BREAKING NEWS: Military coup underway in Turkey. Apparently seeking to bring down Islamist government led by Erdogan. Here’s what we know at this hour.

joelcrosenberg posted: " "Keep your eyes on Turkey — it's rapidly emerging as anti-American, anti-Western, anti-Israel Islamist dictatorship." Readers of this blog may recall that line from a May 12, 2016 column. Tonight, all eyes are in fact on this Middle Eastern country a" New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog BREAKING NEWS: Military coup underway in Turkey. Apparently seeking to bring down Islamist government led by Erdogan. Here's what we know at this hour. by joelcrosenberg "Keep your eyes on Turkey — it's rapidly emerging as anti-American, anti-Western, anti-Israel Islamist dictatorship." Readers of this blog may recall that line from a May 12, 2016 column. Tonight, all eyes are in fact on this Middle Eastern country as dramatic developments unfold. Reports are coming in fast and furious in the last hour that a military coup is underway, apparently to bring down the increasingly dangerous Islamist government. Troops and tanks are moving to seize control of the capital city of Ankara, as well as the commercial and tourism capital of Istanbul. Fighter jets are reportedly in the air. Military officials say they are moving quickly to wrest control the entire country. And many questions are being raised. Where exactly is Turkish President Recip Erdogan at this hour? Has Erdogan -- who had been emerging as a power-hungry Sultan apparently trying to rebuild the glory of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire -- truly been removed from power? If so, by whom? Who exactly is behind the coup? What precisely do they want? It's a fast-moving story. These are just a few of the many unanswered questions at the moment. But here's what we know as of midnight local time here in the region: "Turkey's army says it seized power in the country as warplanes flew over the capital and tanks blocked roads in Istanbul," reports Bloomberg News. "Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his government is still in control and will resist. The army said in an e-mailed statement that it took power to restore freedom and democracy. It said all international agreements will be honored." "The coup effort won't be permitted to succeed, Yildirim told NTV television," according to Bloomberg. "He said army units have besieged 'some institutions,' and he said police -- traditionally closer to his government than the army -- have been ordered to use arms if necessary. He said the elected government remains in power. It wasn't immediately clear how much of the country is now under military control." "Since 1960, the NATO member has experienced at least three takeovers by the secular-minded army," Bloomberg noted. "But since the Islamist-rooted Ak Party government came to power in 2002, the political influence of the military has been trimmed." "The prime minister of Turkey said on Friday night that factions of the military had attempted a coup," reports the New York Times. "Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in comments broadcast on NTV, a private television channel. "The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so." The Times cited Reuters which reported in a short series of bulletins that the military had issued a statement saying it had "taken over" for "democratic order" and that "all existing foreign relations will continue." "The whereabouts of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has dominated politics in Turkey for many years and has sought to establish a firm control over the military, was not immediately clear," the Times added. "Military forces shut two bridges over the Bosporus in Istanbul, and fighter jets were seen flying over Istanbul and Ankara, the capital. The main airport in Istanbul was reported to have halted flights." —————————– Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | July 15, 2016 at 9:23 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5gD Like Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/breaking-news-military-coup-underway-in-turkey-apparently-seeking-to-bring-down-islamist-government-led-by-erdogan-heres-what-we-know-at-this-hour/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

What do we know about the terrorist who killed 84 in Nice, France? Here’s the latest — including an ISIS call for Muslims to plow over people in cars.

joelcrosenberg posted: "The man who killed 84 people -- including at least two Americans -- in Nice, France, last night was a 31-year old French resident of North African origin named Lahouaiej Bouhlel. Born in Tunisia, Bouhel used a large commercial truck to drive over crowds " New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog What do we know about the terrorist who killed 84 in Nice, France? Here's the latest — including an ISIS call for Muslims to plow over people in cars. by joelcrosenberg The man who killed 84 people -- including at least two Americans -- in Nice, France, last night was a 31-year old French resident of North African origin named Lahouaiej Bouhlel. Born in Tunisia, Bouhel used a large commercial truck to drive over crowds of pedestrians and tourists, often accelerating along his two kilometers killing spree, before being stopped, shot and killed by French police. Inside the truck, authorities found "a pistol, a larger gun, and a number of fake weapons and grenades." French President Francois Hollande called the event a "terrorist" attack even thought no terror organization has yet claimed responsibility. Still, the Islamic State has called for Muslims to killed Americans and Frenchmen in any way possible, including plowing into them with cars. "If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman or any of their allies," said ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani in one of his first speeches, according to a translation from the SITE Intelligence Group. "Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car." A French newspaper reports: "We can confirm the identity of the driver of the truck that drove into the crowds Tuesday night, according to our information.  It is the owner of the identity card that was found in the truck by police. He is from Nice and is of Tunisian origin, aged 31, called Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel. Police raided his apartment in the Nice Nord district this morning. He works as a delivery driver and is known for criminal acts, including violence, but any radicalisation has gone unnoticed. His act seems yet to have been premeditated. He may have hired the truck on Wednesday in a neighboring town of Nice. The investigators are still is looking for possible accomplices." "A Bastille Day fireworks celebration was shattered by death and mayhem on Thursday night in the southern French city of Nice when a large truck barreled for more than a mile through an enormous crowd of spectators, crushing and maiming dozens in what France's president called a terrorist assault," reported the New York Times. "It came eight months after the Paris attacks that traumatized the nation and all of Europe." "Officials and witnesses in Nice said at least 84 people, including children, were killed by the driver of the rampaging truck, who mowed them down on the sidewalk," the Times added. "He was shot to death by the police as officers scrambled to respond on what is France's most important annual holiday. Graphic television and video images showed the truck accelerating and tearing through the crowd, dozens of victims sprawled in its path, and the bullet-riddled windshield of the vehicle. Municipal officials and police officers described the truck as full of weapons and grenades." "The horror, the horror has, once again, hit France," President François Hollande said in a nationally televised address early Friday. He said the "terrorist character" of the assault was undeniable, and he described the use of a large truck to deliberately kill people as "a monstrosity." —————————– Order The First Hostage today — the new political thriller about ISIS plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. ———————-—- Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this new series — now out in paperback — the New York Times best-selling novel about ISIS capturing chemical weapons in Syria and plotting genocidal attacks on the U.S. and our Mideast allies. Make an investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net), our non-profit organization to help Christians care for Syrian refugees, educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. Read our latest Donor Report, and prayerfully consider making a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. Thanks so much! Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg joelcrosenberg | July 15, 2016 at 11:26 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5fM Like Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/what-do-we-know-about-the-terrorist-who-killed-84-in-nice-france-heres-the-latest-including-an-isis-call-for-muslims-to-plow-over-people-in-cars/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com