Turkish Rear Admiral Mustafa Ugurlu has formally requested asylum in the United States, following a Turkish government “detention order” which sought to capture him in the wake of last month’s failed military coup. Turkey has rounded up large numbers of generals and admirals in a broad purge of military leadership since the coup.
Rear Admiral Ugurlu is in a different situation, however, because he was stationed in Virginia at the time of the coup, at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation headquarters in Norfolk. Turkish embassy officials say that on July 22, he left his badges and ID at the base and “disappeared,” refusing to turn himself in for detention.
Though US officials declined to offer any details on the case itself, they did confirm that “an unnamed rear admiral” was now seeking asylum in the United States. This is clearly Ugurlu, as he was the only Turkish officer of that rank within the United States at the time.
The US is already facing an extradition battle with Turkey over cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey accuses of being the mastermind of the coup. The US has so far declined to extradite him, insisting on evidence before doing so, a fact which has fueled condemnations from Turkey and insinuations that the US was in on the coup itself.
The admiral’s case looks to be far dicier, as he’s an active member of an allied military who was deployed to the United States by that military. At the same time, Turkey’s post-coup purge has been roundly criticized internationally, which makes returning him unconditionally a risky move.
Whether the US hands him over or grants his request for asylum, they’re likely to get a considerable backlash, either from the international community in general or from Turkey. Handing Ugurlu over without a hearing would risk accusations the US is kowtowing to Turkey, and doing so after a hearing would suggest the highest ranking Turkish military officer in the US at the time was involved in the coup, which itself would raise more rumors of US complicity.
Turkish officials have been less than understanding about requests for evidence before extraditing Gulen, and are doubtless to be even more adamant that Ugurlu must be returned. In refusing, the US would risk worsening bilateral ties with the key ally even more, and Turkey’s pro-Erdogan media would seize upon it as proof the US is protracting people involved in “their plot.”
Oh what webs we weave when we go about and deceive.
Yankee come home will solve all these idiotic plots for Zionist (in)security.
Don’t confuse “the international community” with the US/NATO/EU.
Turkey is using almost the same language we used on the Taliban following 9/11 and preceding our invasion. In that case the Taliban did exactly what we’re doing now in asking for evidence that will stand up in an extradition hearing in court. It’s just bureaucracy at its finest, isn’t it?
Now if Turkey were stronger than us, we’d be under invasion right now. Without a single doubt. Next would come the occupation (replete with divide and conquer Baptist vs Methodist type BS) and drone wars…
Yeah we really set great examples for the world to follow when we’re no longer top dog.
One difference:
Afghanistan did not have an extradition treaty with the US.
The US does have an extradition treaty with Turkey.
And that treaty includes the following clause:
—–
Extradition shall not be granted:
(a) If the offense for which extradition is requested is regarded by the Requested Party to be of a political character or an offense connected with such an offense; or if the Requested Party concludes that the request for extradition has, in fact, been made to prosecute or punish the person sought for an offense of a political character or on account of his political opinions.
—–
That’s the hook the US will hang its demand for evidence, and its refusal to extradite, on. They will say that unless Turkey provides evidence that Gulen was behind the coup, they regard the extradition request as an attempt to get hold of Gulen to punish him for being a political opponent of Erdogan.
Would you then suggest that the Taliban, had they such a clause, could have avoided confrontation?
I highly doubt that, so my point still stands. If Turkey were stronger, they’d force their way, regardless of what any piece of paper says.
No, the Taliban couldn’t have avoided confrontation. In fact, even if they had turned over bin Laden, they probably couldn’t have avoided being invaded.
All I am pointing out is that the US will offer a facially valid legalistic excuse for not turning over Gulen that the Taliban did not have at their disposal to justify not turning over bin Laden. Don’t try to make more of it than that.
fu*k the treaty, they want gulen, no gulen , then we kiss russia ‘s ass forever, and fu*k the zionist america, you cia, you gulen, your generals, you started this now we will finished this
The open issue of US involvement in the coup ought to cause the US to reject this bid for asylum. Send him on to someone else.
Roundly criticized by who? The CIA and Gulen?