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Middle East Eye
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
US envoy Tom Barrack accused of plotting Turkey's partition
When billionaire-turned-diplomat Tom Barrack arrived in Ankara in May as US President Donald Trump's ambassador to Turkey, he delivered an unexpectedly emotional speech. 'I think it's a really monumental day for me, feeling the echo of this land from which my ancestors came,' he said. 'But I come with a really simple message from President Trump: his desire to raise the level of the alliance between Turkey and the United States to where it rightfully belongs.' Two months later, Turkish officials are convinced that Barrack is among the most influential US ambassadors ever to serve in the country. His ever-expanding portfolio, now encompassing both Syria and Lebanon, aligns with Ankara's priorities, such as preserving a unified Syrian state under President Ahmed al-Sharaa with a single military. Both Ankara and Barrack seek a stable region. Turkish officials hope that Barrack, who has a direct line to Trump, could help resolve longstanding issues, from the stalled purchase of F-35 fighter jets to the removal of sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of Russia's S-400 missile system. Barrack also made several remarks expressing his admiration of Turkey and its history. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters However, Turkish public opinion paints a starkly different picture. Newspapers and political influencers have launched a campaign against the US envoy, accusing him of attempting to break up the country. Despite Turkey's longstanding history of anti-American sentiment, rooted in the US partnership with Syrian Kurdish groups and its harbouring of the late Fethullah Gulen and his supporters, for the first time in years, an American ambassador is under attack not from government media, but from the opposition, over his conduct. Misquoted The controversy began with Barrack's interview with Turkey's public Anadolu news agency in late June, where he referenced the Ottoman Empire's millet system, which oversaw religious communities from Christians to Jews. Barrack explained that the millet system, which granted religious communities limited autonomy over their own affairs, ensured the survival of diverse groups in the region. He added that a new dialogue between states and cultures was needed today. 'To me, Izmir is the example of how you blend all these communities - Jews, Muslims and Christians living side by side,' he said. 'I see this as the model of what needs to happen in the Middle East and the world. And I think Turkey can be the centre point of it all.' Why Turkey abruptly cancelled an Iraqi oil pipeline agreement Read More » Within days, a flurry of social media posts and newspaper articles misquoted him, claiming that he had advocated for the millet system as the ideal order for modern Turkey, a statement he never made. For many Turkish citizens, the millet system evokes painful memories of a weakened Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, teetering on the brink of partition along ethnic and nationalist lines. 'US Ambassador Tom Barrack showered praise on the Ottoman's religion-based millet system!' wrote Arslan Bulut, a journalist for the nationalist opposition newspaper Yeni Cag, earlier this month. 'For this, Turkey must be stripped of its nation-state status!' Husnu Bozkurt, a former parliamentarian from the Republican People's Party (CHP), took it further: 'For years, we've warned that imperialist America seeks to divide the secular Republic of Turkey by transforming it into a religiously-governed state under its control, destroying the unitary nation-state structure, turning it into a federation, and eliminating linguistic unity by splitting the nation along sectarian and ethnic lines - the ultimate goal of the Greater Middle East Project (BOP).' Barrack is viewed as unconventional among western ambassadors in Turkey, spending much of his time in the region and in Istanbul. His candid interviews with various publications are often taken out of context, as he speaks without reservation. PKK peace talks As Barrack grapples with these reactions, Turkey is engaged in peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan, after more than 40 years of conflict. Earlier this year, the PKK announced an end to its armed struggle and, in a symbolic ceremony this month, burned its weapons, a development that has left many Turks uneasy about the country's future. Retired Colonel Unal Atabay argued that Barrack's alleged suggestion to revive the Ottoman religion-based millet system would undermine Turkey's status as a nation-state. Syrian Kurds face 30-day ultimatum from US and Turkey Read More » 'Isn't it interesting… This is exactly what Ocalan refers to as Middle Eastern unity,' he said. 'It's about ensuring the formation of a separatist Kurdish region while transforming Turkey into an Ottoman-like state.' Barrack's recent interview with the Associated Press about Israeli strikes on Damascus and Sweida in Syria over the weekend did little to help his case. He suggested that Israel would rather see Syria fragmented and divided than governed by a strong central state. 'Strong nation-states are a threat - especially Arab states are viewed as a threat to Israel,' he said. But in Syria, he noted, 'I think all the minority communities are smart enough to say, 'We're better off together, centralised.'' Turkish media and commentators interpreted Barrack's criticism of Israel as indirect approval of US efforts to partition strong nation-states in the region. At the same time, Devlet Bahceli, a Turkish nationalist leader within President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling coalition, proposed that Turkey could, in the future, appoint two vice presidents, one Kurdish and the other Alevi, a minority religious group that has sometimes reported persecution. Mehmet Ali Guler, a columnist for the opposition Cumhuriyet daily, argued that Bahceli's proposal and Barrack's comments on the Ottoman millet system all serve the same purpose: 'The Lebanonisation of Turkey'. Bahceli in a statement strongly rebuked the allegations, calling them 'distortions'. The US Embassy in Ankara has remained silent in the face of these accusations.
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Over 100 aid organisations warn of mass starvation in Gaza
More than 100 aid organisations have warned that 'mass starvation' is spreading across Gaza as Israeli forces continue to gun down Palestinians attempting to reach food aid. The UN have said that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel while trying to access aid since the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operations in late May, effectively sidelining the existing UN-led system, with repeated onslaughts continuing. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels with more than two million people facing severe shortages of food and other essentials. Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel while trying to access aid. Pic: AFP via Getty Images A statement with 111 signatories, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that 'our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away'. The large group of NGOs are calling for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of all land crossings and the free flow of aid through UN-led mechanisms. The statement came a day after the United States said its envoy Steve Witkoff will head to Europe this week for talks on Gaza and may then visit the Middle East. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters that he comes with 'a strong hope that we will come forward with another ceasefire as well as a humanitarian corridor for aid to flow, that both sides have in fact agreed to'. The large group of NGOs are calling for an immediate ceasefire. Pic: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu via Getty Images In their statement, the aid organisations said that warehouses with tonnes of supplies were sitting untouched just outside Gaza, and even inside, as they were blocked from accessing or delivering the goods. They stated: 'Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions. 'It is not just physical torment, but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage. 'The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to deliver access.' 21 children have died due to malnutrition and starvation in Gaza in the last few days, according to the head of their largest hospital. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, told reporters that new cases of malnutrition and starvation were arriving at Gaza's remaining functioning hospitals 'every moment'. He added: 'We are heading towards alarming numbers of deaths due to the starvation inflicted on the people of Gaza.' Israeli attack destroys UN-run School in Central Gaza. Pic: by Moiz Salhi/Anadolu via Getty Images The Secretary-General of the United Nations also warned that the 'last lifelines' keeping people alive in Gaza are collapsing and that the 'horror' the Israeli military has inflicted upon Palestinians was unprecedented in recent years. In a strongly worded statement, António Guterres condemned the 'accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions' in Gaza and the repeated slaughter of people trying to reach vital aid. At least 67 people waiting for UN aid lorries in Gaza were killed by the Israeli military on Sunday alone. Guterres said: 'Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted. 'The population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.' He added that Israel has an 'obligation' to allow humanitarian relief to be given to people who are suffering and that the current system is being 'undermined'. Guterres' comments came just after 25 countries, including Ireland, called for an immediate end to the war while saying suffering in Gaza had 'reached new depths'. The letter was signed by the foreign ministers of more than two dozen countries, including Britain, France, Australia and Canada. Israel rejected the letter, describing it as being 'disconnected from reality'. Israeli forces have killed 59,106 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7, 2023, most of which were civilians, according to health officials.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
The UK is training Ukrainian soldiers to make 'every shot count'. They don't have ammo to waste.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Western training for Ukrainian soldiers includes trying to make them as "lethal as possible" while also preserving ammunition, as they lack the deep ammo stores of their Russian foes. Col. Boardman, the commanding officer of the UK-led training program Operation Interflex, told Business Insider that the training is designed to ensure that Ukraine's soldiers use every shot that they have as effectively as possible. "The Ukrainians don't have the luxury of a huge amount of ammunition in the way the Russians do," he said. It means Ukraine needs to "make best use of the ammunition they've got." Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a grinding fight that has consumed mountains of ammunition. With a much smaller arsenal, Ukraine has often found itself at a disadvantage and grappling with critical shortages. A Ukrainian soldier in the back of a vehicle. Fermin Torrano/Anadolu via Getty Images Fighting effectively while at that disadvantage has been baked into the training, which has been provided by the UK and 13 other allied nations to more than 56,000 Ukrainians. "We are focusing on making sure the soldiers that we train are as lethal as possible," Boardman said of the efforts to train them on small arms like rifles "Making every shot count in a literal sense is really important for the Ukrainians," he said. "So we spend quite a lot of time on the range coaching the marksmanship of the guys we're training to make sure that they do make every shot count when they get to the front." He explained that they're "trying to make the soldiers not only able to survive in the environment but also be as lethal, be as effective as they can be." Ukraine has a booming defense industry, but it still gets much of its weaponry and ammunition from Western partners. It's faced shortages as partner stockpiles are strained and as the US, previously a major supplier of war aid, sometimes pauses support amid political drama. Ukrainian soldiers take part in Operation Interflex in England. Alastair Grant / POOL / AFP Those shortages have, at times, meant that Ukraine's soldiers have to ration ammunition, leaving them unable to prosecute targets in their sights, Western soldiers who have fought for Ukraine in this war have told Business Insider. Related stories Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Big wars eat up a lot of ammunition Ukraine's ammunition struggles have been a serious wake-up call for Western militaries, which are closely watching the war to see what sort of weapons and tactics are needed for modern war against a great power adversary. Western countries are sounding the alarm over not having enough ammunition. The West is behind in solving that problem. Last month, the head of the NATO alliance warned that Russia produces as much ammunition in three months as NATO does in a year and called for a "quantum leap" in how Europe defends itself. Both large defense companies and startups are trying to solve this issue, but there's a huge gap to bridge. The shortage is just one indication of how this war is different from those the West has experienced in the last few decades. Those have been fights like counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations against adversaries that Western militaries had outgunned. Russia, by contrast, has one of the world's largest militaries, and the war is one marked by the resurgence of old methods, like trench warfare, along with advanced technology like drones. It is a long and grinding fight with hundreds of thousands of war dead. Drones have played a huge role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Ukraine's fightback. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova Ukraine is experiencing a fight unlike any the West has seen recently and passing lessons to Western partners that are not directly involved. That unusual dynamic is reflected in the Western trainings of Ukrainian soldiers, Boardman said. Some of the soldiers trained already have front-line experience. So, for example, when they are being taught trench clearance, they "know very well how to clear a trench because they were doing it a few weeks ago." They sometimes push back on what the instructors tell them to do, saying it won't work in this conflict. Boardman said that feedback is welcome. What happens, he said, is that NATO best practices and the Ukrainians' direct combat experience get combined. There is a "really rich mutual understanding going on," and the training ultimately "ends up with the sum being much greater than the parts, which is really valuable for us." Boardman said that even though the UK has "spent 20 or so years in the counterinsurgency focus," the training for Ukrainians is largely similar to what is given to the UK's own basic recruits, just with some specific focuses tailored to their war, like mines, drone warfare, and electronic warfare. "We probably teach them more than we would teach our British Army recruits because our British Army recruits don't go straight to war off the back of their basic training," he said. Boardman said the UK and its allies benefit from training Ukrainians too, getting direct feedback about how to fight Russia for their soldiers. He said trainers are "learning a lot from the Ukrainians," and "we are also feeding all that knowledge into the British Army." The UK hosts trainings for Ukrainian troops under its Operation Interflex program. HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images Boardman praised Ukraine's soldiers, saying its new recruits pick up on "how to operate a weapon incredibly quickly." He said that Ukraine's military focuses on the quality of its soldiers, choosing that as its strategy because it "hasn't got the size, the sheer mass of the Russian military." He said Ukraine decided to increase the length of Interflex training from 35 days to almost 50. "I'm really impressed, frankly, that they've done that because they could easily have said, 'We need recruits quickly. We just need numbers. Can we shorten the course a bit? Can you get through to us faster?' But they've done the opposite," Boardman said.
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
Iceland engulfed by volcanic cloud
Iceland Civil Protection/Anadolu via Getty Images Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Show Comments ()
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- Otago Daily Times
Death toll from Vietnam boat accident climbs to 38
Emergency services attend to a capsized tourist boat, which was believed to be carrying more than 50 passengers, in Halong Bay, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, on July 19, 2025. Photo: Vietnam's Traffic Police Department/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images The death toll from a tourist boat accident in Vietnam's Halong Bay climbed to at least 38 with several people still missing, the government said, as rescuers continued to search for survivors while bracing for the approach of Typhoon Wipha. The vessel capsized on Saturday afternoon carrying 48 tourists and five crew members in one of the worst boating accidents in recent years in the popular tourist area. "At least 38 of those on board have been confirmed dead and 10 rescued," the government said in a statement. The official Vietnam News Agency reported that all the tourists were Vietnamese, including several children. Dozens of rescuers, including border guards, navy personnel, police and professional divers, have been deployed. Although the sea had calmed, weather conditions limited visibility, making rescue operations difficult. Rescuers managed to retrieve the sunken boat, the government said. The accident took place around 2pm local time (0700 GMT) on Saturday, soon after Typhoon Wipha entered the South China Sea. Authorities reported strong winds, heavy rainfall and lightning in the area at the time of the incident, adding that these conditions were not yet influenced by the approaching typhoon but were due to wind patterns over the northern region. Halong Bay, about 200km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. Boat tours are particularly popular. In 2011, the sinking of a tour boat in Halong Bay killed 12 people, including foreign tourists. Typhoon Wipha, the third to hit the South China Sea this year, is projected to make landfall along Vietnam's northern coast early next week.
