Soon Sultan Mehmed Shall Conquer Congress.

I am aware that it has been several days since I have tackled the conflict in Syria directly. The mountain of paper piling up in my in-tray is a bit of a clue.

However on Monday (15/10/18) the demilitarised zone (DMZ) around the Sudetenland area of Syria went into effect. As a result some of the main players in the Sudetenland have shifted their battles onto a more meta level.

The main part of this has been Turkish claims that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi Arabia. In the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2nd (2/10/18).

I covered this in detail here; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2018/10/does-anyone-remember-manchester-bombing.html

At so much length that even to the person writing it by the end words had started to lose all meaning.

The central motivation behind Turkey's claims is regional split between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

In June 2017 Saudi Arabia imposed a total blockade on Qatar. This involved not only the complete breaking off of political and economic ties Saudi Arabia also completely sealed Qatar's borders and expelled its citizens.

One of the main reason for this split was Qatar and Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood. A terrorist group which is very active in Syria. Particularly through the Army of Islam/Jaish al-Islam (JAI) and the United Turkmen Army (UTA) who are very active in the Sudetenland.

As soon as the Saudi blockade began Turkey stepped in to support Qatar. The two nations are allied through their support for the Muslim Brotherhood. In terms of critical food imports, and particularly milk,  the Saudi blockade left Turkey as really Qatar's sole trading partner.

In August 2018 the Turkish economy collapsed. This forced Qatar to support Turkey by bailing it out to the tune of US$15bn.

That situation is completely unsustainable. While Qatar has deep pockets they're not deep enough to withstand the Saudi blockade while at the same time propping up the Turkish economy. Turkey being a nation of around 80m people compared to Qatar's 2.5m people.

The unsustainability of this situation has made sure that both Qatar and Turkey are now absolutely desperate to enlist international support against Saudi Arabia. In order to force the lifting of the blockade.

While Qatar's hand has been forced it is a particularly good time for Turkey to try and enlist international support.

On November 6th 2018 (6/11/18) the US will be holding its mid-term elections for control of both houses of Congress. The US legislative branch.

Under Democrat President Barack Obama the US was extremely supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood. Under Republican President Donald Trump the US has been far less supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood.

So Turkish President/Prime Minister/Emperor Recep Tayyip Erdogan is absolutely desperate for the Democrats to take control of Congress in the mid-terms. Not least because he hopes it will see the lifting the block the Republican controlled Senate has placed on sale of the F-35 jets to Turkey.

Already US Democrats have responded to Turkey's claims by focusing on President Trump's supposed links to Saudi Arabia. Particularly though his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

This is something they've been conditioned to do. From the moment of his appointment Qatar has been briefing Special Prosecutor Robert Muller on Kushner's supposed ties to Saudi Arabia.

Apparently now it's not just Russia that rigged the 2016 US Presidential Election. It's an elaborate conspiracy involving Russia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) all working together. It seems US voters didn't have a say in the matter at all.

The claims by Qatari intelligence are being laundered through Mueller's team by a network of new outlets. Including the Washington Post which Khashoggi wrote for, the New York Times and CNN. CNN in particular is pushing the Khashoggi claims really hard. 

In March 2018 the Erdogan regime forced the sale of the Dogan Holding Group by demanding billions of dollars in dubious back taxes. It was sold for US$890m to the Demiroren Holding Group which is closely allied to the Erdogan family.

Amongst its many holdings Demiroren Holding Group's media outlets include CNN Turk. A franchise of CNN. We are all still waiting for CNN to confirm exactly how much money the Erdogan regime pays it each year.

Turkey's allegations regarding Khashoggi follow almost exactly the same tactics US Democrats used in their ultimately failed effort to block the appointment of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).

The allegation is intentionally so vague that it is impossible to disprove. This leaves the accused desperately trying to prove that they have not done something which has not happened.

Even the friends of Judge Kavanaugh's accuser not only failed to corroborate her claims but openly contradicted them. However Democrats and their friends in the media seem to have adopted the policy of not just; "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" but; "Still Guilty, Even Once Proven Innocent."

What makes it so particularly difficult for Saudi Arabia to disprove Turkey's claim is the day Turkey chose to claim the murder happened. This was the day that Saudi Arabia had brought in a specialist team to upgrade security at their Consulate. Work that included taking the buildings electronic systems, including CCTV offline.

The reason why Saudi Arabia has been forced to upgrade security at its Consulate is that under Erdogan Turkey has come to believe that the rules of the 1961 Vienna Convention of the Status of Diplomatic Relations no longer apply to them.

This has lead to a massive increase in violence and threats towards diplomatic persons and missions across Turkey.

In the summer of 2016 Turkey laid military siege to United States Air Force (USAF) base Incilik. Former President Obama's refusal to punish Turkey for that is a big part of the reason why Erdogan is desperate to see the Democrats back in power in the US.

Turkey is currently holding three US diplomatic staff hostage in prison. In complete violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention.

In total Turkey is currently holding 19 US citizens hostage. Including NASA scientist Serkan Golge.

Only on October 12th (12/10/18) were the US able to free Andrew Brunson. The twentieth US citizen being held hostage by Turkey.

Despite President Trump's claims Brunson was only freed because the US did a deal with Erdogan. In return for Brunson's release Trump agreed to get Israel to release Turkish spy Ebru Ozkan. 

Ebru Ozkan was released on July 16th (16/7/18). In return Brunson was supposed to be released on August 20th (20/8/18). The date of his next scheduled Court appearance. At that Court appearance Turkey reneged on the deal and simply refused to release Brunson.

To emphasise the, frankly, big "F*ck You!" to America that night Turkey conducted a drive-by shooting on the US Embassy in Ankara.

In his efforts to influence the US mid-term elections Erdogan doesn't mind this story being told in full.

The fact the US not only did do a deal to see Brunson released but also get ripped off on the deal makes President Trump look bad. US Democrats will certainly leap upon the fact that President Trump has lied about not doing a deal.

To a certain audience getting Ozkan released certainly doesn't make Erdogan look bad. Ozkan's mission in Jerusalem was to coordinate violence in response to President Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

That decision by President Trump has I think been condemned by all quarters. Particularly US Democrats. 

So you would think that Erdogan claiming responsibility for resisting President Trump would make him popular with those US Democrats. You would certainly think it would make him popular with Palestinians and Arabs.

I though have been at this long enough to know that Erdogan doesn't give a damn about the Palestinians or the Arabs he's been killing by the hundreds of thousands. All Erdogan cares about is building his new Ottoman Empire.

I'm sure people also appreciate that it is possible to object to the way that Erdogan is attempting to exploit an situation without supporting the situation itself.

Erdogan seems so confident that the story of the Brunson deal and the attack on the US Embassy will mobilise Democrats to vote at the mid-terms he's doubled down on the idea. And then some.

On Monday (15/10/18) Turkish security forces informed Iran of a plan to attack the Iranian Embassy in Ankara with a suicide bomber. This forced the evacuation of the Iranian Ambassador to Turkey along with the evacuation and closure of the building.

One of the key issues in the split between Saudi Arabia and Qatar is over Iran. Saudi Arabia absolutely despises them while Qatar are nominally allied with them.

Former President Obama likes to claim that one of his big achievements was the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Which is more commonly known as the; "Iran Nuclear Deal." 

President Trump has taken great pride in scrapping the Iran nuclear deal. 

By rolling back what they see as a key part of Obama's legacy this has infuriated US Democrats. Despite the fact the JCPOA only scrapped the global sanctions Obama was stupid enough to impose on Iran in the first place.

Through the war in Syria and Iraq I've actually worked quite closely with Iran over the past four years. So I am probably more friendly with Iran than anyone else in the western world. 

The fact I am defending Saudi Arabia from what I think are entirely false allegations is really giving me and others a lot of headaches.

President Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton is famously an absolute lunatic. 

Since his appointment the US has lurched ever further towards insane hostility towards Iran. Including by providing ISIL with US military protection as they occupy the Ruqban IDP camp in Syria.

US Democrats are almost as enraged by Bolton's lunatic stance on Iran as they are by the rolling back of former President Obama's tawdry legacy.

So you would think that by highlighting Qatar any Turkey's nominal and self-serving support for Iran against Saudi Arabia would make Erdogan a hero of the US Democrats, mobilising them to rush to the polls at the mid-terms. 

At around 17:45 on 17/10/18 (UK date) I'll tidy and pick this up after dinner.

Edited at around 18:55 on 17/10/18 (UK date) to add;

Yesterday (16/10/18) it was the Israeli Embassy in Ankara which came under attack.

A 45 year old farmer was shot in the legs after driving over multiple cars with a tractor. He was en route to the Israeli Embassy where he presumably intended to smash the vehicle into the building.

Again it is good for Erdogan to present himself as an enemy of Israel. I don't know how US Jews feel about it but Erdogan certainly considers the Democrats to be an extremely anti-Semitic party. 

The fact a tractor was used highlights Turkey's role as Qatar's really sole supplier of agricultural goods. Also, let's just say that the moment anyone pushes back against Turkey's Khashoggi claims with even slightest pressure. Well, it really starts to wobble.

Today (17/10/18) it was a school in the Russian region of Crimea that was attacked.

Here a gunman set of an explosive device before opening fire. Killing at least 19 people.

A very important figure within Ottoman Turkish history is Sultan Mehmed II. He is so important that one of the key brigades of the UTA is named the Sultan Mehmed Brigade.

Sultan Mehmed II is often called; "Mehmed the Conquerer." With a name like that I hope I don't have to explain to you what he is famous for. 

One of the places that Mehmed the Conquerer conquered was Crimea and parts of what is modern day Ukraine. This sits to the north of modern day Turkey, just across the Black Sea.

One of the biggest thing former President Obama did in support of the Muslim Brotherhood was done in Ukraine. The US backed Nazis to overthrow the Ukrainian government. 

Once the government had been overthrown those Nazis set about trying to exterminate Ukraine's ethnically Russian population. Plunging the country into civil war.

The people of Crimea took one look at this and voted to rejoin Russia.

Former President Obama however used it to impose sanctions against Russia in support of the Muslim Brotherhood. After all no US President could just say that they're imposing sanctions to support Al Qaeda and ISIL. What with it being high treason.

The Ottoman conquest means that there is still a large ethnically Turkish population within Ukraine and particularly Crimea. Since certainly 2014 the Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MIT) has worked with these Tartars to conduct terror attacks against Russia. Most notably the 2014 attack on Crimea's power grid.

US Democrats believe that the 2016 Presidential Election was stolen from them and Hillary Clinton by a vast Russian conspiracy. After all its much easier on the soul to tell yourself story than accept that people just don't like you.

So you would think that by presenting himself as an enemy of Russia Erdogan would become a hero of US Democrats. Motivating them to flock to the polls at the mid-term election.

However there is also a section of the US Republican Party that is extremely anti-Russian. It is no coincidence that this group is also extremely supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood. On more than one occasion visiting their troops in the Sudetenland and calling for the US to support them.

This section of the US Republican used to be lead by Senator John McCain. However following his death it has been led by Senator Lindsey Graham. McCain's long-term friend and deputy.

On Tuesday (16/10/18) Senator Graham gave a very bizarre interview with Fox News. 

The majority of it was spent with Graham pledging to take a DNA test on live TV to prove that he's not part-Iranian. Apparently being part-Iranian is the most disgusting thing Senator Graham can think of.

However Senator Graham was asked about the Khashoggi case. He declared that Turkey's claims were entirely true and Saudi Arabia had murdered Khashoggi. He went on to declare Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) to be a wrecking ball and demand that the US overthrew him.

I assume Senator Graham is furious that MBS jailed Prince Bandar bin Sultan. The head of Saudi intelligence who was linked to the 9/11 attacks. 

The same head of Saudi intelligence who threatened to attack the 2014 Winter Olympics and did indeed bomb the Russian city of Volgograd. Twice.

So presenting himself as an enemy of Russia you would think that Erdogan would become a hero of the Lindsey Graham wing of the Republican Party. Motivating them to heap further pressure on President Trump. Bringing the Republicans crashing down at the mid-terms.

The gunman in the Crimea school attack has been identified as Vladislav Roslyakov. An 18 year old former student of the school who died at the scene.

A profile that is remarkably similar to Nikolas Cruz. The 19 year old former student awaiting trial over the so-called Parkland Shooting on February 14th 2018 (14/2/18).

The Parkland Shooting occurred on the eve of then US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Turkey. The purpose of this visit was to force Erdogan to withdraw his occupation forces from first the Afrin Canton and then the Garvaghy Road areas of Syria.

With its focus on the Armalite Rifle the purpose of the Parkland Shooting was to ambush Tillerson. Completely undermining him at the meeting with Erdogan. 

This worked so well that Tillerson ended up refusing to bring an American translator into the meeting. The implication being that elements of the US civil service simply can't be trusted when it comes to Erdogan and the Muslim Brotherhood.

As a result Erdogan did not pull his occupation forces out of either Afrin Canton or Garvaghy Road. 

In fact Erdogan went on to declare victory in Afrin Canton in March 18th (18/3/18). On the first non-working day (24/3/18) US Democrats held a huge victory rally for Erdogan in Washington D.C. Under the banner; "March for Our Lives." Inspired by the Parkland Shooting.

Today (17/1018) current US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been visiting Erdogan in Turkey. The purpose of this visit has been for Turkey to either put up or shut up regarding their Khashoggi claims.

Reminding Secretary Pompeo of the Parkland Shooting and Rex Tillerson's visit back in March is a big power play by Erdogan. While CNN are pushing Erdogan's Khashoggi claims Erdogan is positioning his forces in Syria to attack Shangri-La. Including the US troops stationed there.

The tall tales of Crimea's Tartars are well known to fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. The 2016 Song Contest was won by Jamela with her ditty about Joesph Stalin's - a Georgian - purges of 1944.

The main theme of the 2018 Song Contest was; "How did we all manage to get that so horribly wrong."

Hungary's entry played about with the moral panic that America experienced following the Columbine School Shooting. It compared it to the moral panic Russia currently experiences regarding gay rights.

Ironically Russia's moral panic has moved onto actual school shootings. A so-called; "Columbine Culture." That's what CNN are going to be blaming today's shooting on.

You would think that by presenting himself as an enemy of Russia in this way Erdogan would be able to enlist the support of the; "Gay Rights For Gays!" mob which seem to be so vocal at the Eurovision Song Contest. 

In much the same way US Democrats enlisted the support of the same Gay Rights For Gays mob in 2014 and hope to do so again at the mid-terms.

After all its not like we've all forgotten the last time Erdogan allowed a Gay Rights event to be held in Turkey.

So sadly I'm not joking here.

I seriously think we need to go through the US Democrats mid-term election platform line-by-line. 

And double security at any and all locations which might be of symbolic value to them. 

20:30 on 17/10/18 (UK date).