International Politics

The Turkish Coup: The Last Great Failure

Mitchell Harris | Sault Ste. Marie, ON. | July 21, 2016

Friday evening, Ankara. As the curtain closes at a play in Kizilay, the rumble of rogue tanks moving in on the square overpowers the audience's applause. The beginning of the coup d'etat against Erdogan's government has begun. Suha, a banker, lives in the upper-class neighbourhoods in Kizilay and was at the theatre as the tanks rolled in.

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It's a War!

Mitchell Harris | Ankara, Turkey | May 6, 2016

A Turkish family sits down at the dinner table with Fox Haberler (Fox News) on the television. Fatih Portakal, the famous anchor of the evening news block, recounts the day's news - a car crash in Thrace; new agreements on the new Turkish constitution; more football protests. The norm - at least, the Turkish norm.

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Letting the Enemy Win

Mitchell Harris | Ankara, Turkey | March 23, 2016

With the recent terrorist attacks in Mali, Paris, and Ankara, people around the globe are anticipating more activity from groups like Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and the infamous Islamic State. Governments in countries like Belgium have issued statements warning its citizens to avoid large crowds, suspicious bags and popular destinations such as restaurants, shopping centres and tourist attractions. France has invoked martial law, which establishes a nation-wide curfew, and allows officers to search citizens without warrant and detain suspects for extended periods of time. The government of Canada has ramped up its fight against terrorism with the controversial Bill C-51, giving police agencies greater powers in wire-tapping, detention and surveillance, while candidates for the leadership of the GOP in the United States have come out in favour of surveillance measures targeting Muslims and people of Arabic descent.

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The views and opinions expressed in all articles are those of the author alone. They do not reflect the positions of the author's current or previous employers, any organization to which the author belongs, or The Young Canadian Media.