Free Brunson
- Thread starter BedellBrave
- Start date
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
I am afraid that this man (with whom I've had dealings) will be a pawn in Erdogan's attempt to get Gulen from us.
Trump wants to work with him so we'll see
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
There are some interesting connections in all this - I'm just praying that this unjustly imprisoned brother is released.
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
Maybe he should pray harder. We need to free the Brunson's in our own country before we start worrying about other countries legal system.
Oklahomahawk
Boras' Client
I hope everything turns out well Beds. It appears as if "the religion of peace" is at it again.
Oklahomahawk
Boras' Client
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
I'm concerned about a dear friend of dear friends and the son of a friend. How about that? That okay cajun?
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
Thanks guys - really, thank you.
Turkey has been and still is such a frustrating place. It's beautiful - places breathtakingly so. It's people can be some of the most hospitable of people. The charms of Istanbul are amazing. Yet, and I can understand from it's fallen empire past to the intrigues of German, Soviet/Russian, French, English, and United States concerning it over the past several decades, to it's own atrocities committed against Armenians and Kurds, it is just a paranoid place.
The dear friends I've known who have lived and worked there have always been looking over their shoulders. They've known they've had spies and informants coming among them. For years it was mainly in the east though, where the government's sensitivity meter is pretty much pegged out. They don't want foreigners (particularly Western ones) seeing their "relations" among the Kurds. Yet, that's where some of my friends have labored - particularly to refugees.
But then that paranoia has become more and more evident in the western part of Turkey, including Izmir. And this parallels Erdogan's purge of the high ranks of the military (the protectors of a secular and patriotic Turkey) and the judiciary. No future rival was ignored and over the past several years such potential threats have gone missing, have been killed, or have landed in prison. And listening ears and watching eyes upon foreigners have been multiplying.
If you've read other accounts of Brunson's story, you'll know that there had been no word on their most recent request for a residency extension. On hindsight that should have told them something was afoul - and in the works - and it wasn't a mere bureaucratic oversight.
Anyway, the Brunsons are the last of my western contacts still remaining in a country that I have much affection for....
Turkey has been and still is such a frustrating place. It's beautiful - places breathtakingly so. It's people can be some of the most hospitable of people. The charms of Istanbul are amazing. Yet, and I can understand from it's fallen empire past to the intrigues of German, Soviet/Russian, French, English, and United States concerning it over the past several decades, to it's own atrocities committed against Armenians and Kurds, it is just a paranoid place.
The dear friends I've known who have lived and worked there have always been looking over their shoulders. They've known they've had spies and informants coming among them. For years it was mainly in the east though, where the government's sensitivity meter is pretty much pegged out. They don't want foreigners (particularly Western ones) seeing their "relations" among the Kurds. Yet, that's where some of my friends have labored - particularly to refugees.
But then that paranoia has become more and more evident in the western part of Turkey, including Izmir. And this parallels Erdogan's purge of the high ranks of the military (the protectors of a secular and patriotic Turkey) and the judiciary. No future rival was ignored and over the past several years such potential threats have gone missing, have been killed, or have landed in prison. And listening ears and watching eyes upon foreigners have been multiplying.
If you've read other accounts of Brunson's story, you'll know that there had been no word on their most recent request for a residency extension. On hindsight that should have told them something was afoul - and in the works - and it wasn't a mere bureaucratic oversight.
Anyway, the Brunsons are the last of my western contacts still remaining in a country that I have much affection for....
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
Latest on Brunson - looks indeed like he's going to be a pawn. Link
"...When asked about Brunson, Yildirim expressed frustration that the United States has not extradited to Turkey exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by the government here of orchestrating the coup attempt. Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, has denied any involvement in the uprising...."
"...When asked about Brunson, Yildirim expressed frustration that the United States has not extradited to Turkey exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by the government here of orchestrating the coup attempt. Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, has denied any involvement in the uprising...."
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
Tillerson and President Twitter can get involved anytime now...
Julio3000
<B>A Chip Off the Old Rock</B>
I must've missed this when you originally posted it. I hope he makes it home, and soon.
I have a couple of close friends from Turkey. They're both young-ish green card holders here, who visit family there and come back looking wistful and a little haunted. One is Christian, one is (nominally) Muslim, but they're both cosmopolitan types who are anti-Erdogan. It's a place that is, as you say, pretty frought right now.
It doesn't look like Tillerson's going to have staff and enough budget to make an overseas phone call, so good luck asking him for help.
I have a couple of close friends from Turkey. They're both young-ish green card holders here, who visit family there and come back looking wistful and a little haunted. One is Christian, one is (nominally) Muslim, but they're both cosmopolitan types who are anti-Erdogan. It's a place that is, as you say, pretty frought right now.
It doesn't look like Tillerson's going to have staff and enough budget to make an overseas phone call, so good luck asking him for help.
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
President Trump has had a phone conversation with Erdogan but there's no indication that he said anything about Brunson. There's no indication that he even knows. Press doesn't give much of a darn about the matter either. When you have to try to do one of those stupid online petitions for the news to even get the news to him, it stinks.
Runnin
Well-known member
Has Brunson lived in Turkey for 23 years? If so, perhaps he considers he's home already.
Just wondering, but are there any Muslim missionaries in America? Would we consider them 'peaceful'?
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
I doubt Andrew would consider being in a jail cell being home - though for a Christian there is a ring of truth to that. Yes, Andrew would consider Izmir as home - as I do where I presently live, though I still call GA home too. Home, as I take Julio's meaning, is to be free with his family, which if freed would likely be booted out of Turkey.
Sure there are and I don't think we ought to lock them up unjustly either.
Yes, I would, if they didn't incite or participate in violent actions.
You know guys, this really isn't hard.
BedellBrave
It's OVER 5,000!
Andrew had hoped to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle and see her graduate from Chapel Hill.