People across Turkey are accusing the United States of aiding the failed coup which took place earlier this month. One Turkish news outlet asserted that US forces tried to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. That same newspaper suggested that the conspiracy to overthrow the government was manufactured by a former State Department official who was staying in a hotel near Istanbul.
Theories attributing support for the coup to United States military forces are not coming merely from pro-government news outlets. Islamic and secular citizens alike seem to be in agreement that the United States had some hand in the failed coup. This results, perhaps, in large part due to the fact that Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is presently suspected to have led the conspiracy, resides in Pennsylvania.
Gulen has vehemently denied any involvement in the plot against the Turkish government. His accusers point to the fact that a former American ambassador to Turkey had helped secure him his green card to live in the US, pointing to the reasonable conclusion that Mr. Gulen is indeed an agent for the United States of America.
Government officials in Turkey have demanded that Gulen be extradited back to Turkey to stand trial and have even sent a dossier of evidence to the White House. As of yet, though, no formal legal request has been made. Analysts in the United States are dubious that any of the evidence provided would be enough to hold in the American court system. Still, it puts the American government in a precarious position, since to refuse his extradition will only reinforce the sentiment that the US had a role in the coup.
Bekir Karabulut, a Turkish software developer, said of the accusations: “I know there isn’t any real evidence yet, but I think it would be naïve to say that the U.S. has no involvement in the coup attempt.” He went on to say: “The U.S. likes to meddle in our business, and the C.I.A. has supported Gulen for years. They helped him flee from Turkey.”
Osman Arsan, a waiter in Istanbul, spoke frankly when asked about how Turkey would respond to a refusal by the American government to extradite Gulen: “They must show their true colors. If not, they should prepare themselves for the response of the Turkish people. We are all united for this cause. We will not forgive them.
