Right-wing Quran burning in Sweden enrages Turkey and throws a new wrench in Nordics’ NATO bid

If this was orchestrated by Russians, and it sounds like it was, then these folks are textbook examples of "useful idiots". Now Turkey might pull the plug on Sweden NATO chances, and all it took was one idiot who was talked into doing something totally braindead, like burn a Quran in front of the Turkish embassy.

Right-wing Quran burning in Sweden enrages Turkey and throws a new wrench in Nordics’ NATO bid
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/24/qur...es-turkey-threatens-nato-membership-path.html
All 30 of NATO’s current states need to approve a new member. And Turkey, a key geopolitical player and home to the alliance’s second-largest military, stands as the primary vocal opponent to the Nordic countries’ membership.

The reasons behind Ankara’s opposition are complex, but center mainly on Sweden’s support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists, and on weapons embargoes that both Sweden and Finland, along with other EU countries, put on Turkey for its targeting of Kurdish militias in Syria.

Sweden and Finland are working to try and turn things around in their relations with Turkey, but events of recent weeks have threatened to dash hopes for progress.

On Saturday, far-right demonstrators burned a Quran and chanted anti-Muslim slogans in front of Turkey’s embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Ankara immediately denounced the act, as well as Sweden’s granting of a permit to the right-wing group to hold the demonstration. Turkey also canceled an upcoming visit from Sweden’s defense chief that would have focused on its NATO membership.

 

Small details....no biggie....Erdogan probably wants more money.....like a Sultan bargaining at a bazaar.

Nothing about Finland.....

 

More Russian conspiracies?

 

More Russian conspiracies?

 

Finland and Sweden are expected to do this together, not separately, so it hurts their chances too.

IF this was orchestrated by the Russkies, then its a pretty nifty move which cost them almost nothing

No, it actually happened.

 

Oh, those Russians.......

Russia-affiliated journalist paid for Quran burning in Sweden
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/inte...d-journalist-paid-for-quran-burning-in-sweden
Swedish media suggest that Moscow was behind the protest aiming to sabotage Sweden's NATO membership bid

Swedish journalist Chang Frick, affiliated with Russian propagandist channel RT, paid for Danish far-right activist Rasmus Paludan to publicly burn the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Sweden.

The protest that took place on Saturday caused backlash in Turkey and led to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying that Sweden shouldn’t expect Ankara’s support for its NATO membership bid. Swedish media suggest that Moscow was behind the Quran burning, using Frick, who has worked as a freelancer for RT and its subsidiary Ruptly.

The timing of the event is particularly significant as it came shortly before the planned visit of Sweden's Defense Minister Pal Jonson to Turkey, which was canceled after the protest was announced. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has previously said that if Sweden and Finland join NATO it could lead to “negative implications” for peace in Europe. The Nordic countries applied for the membership in the U.S.-led alliance amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and were negotiating with Ankara for months to secure its approval.

 

Yep....Mafiosi desperate to attempt to derail Sweden/Finland bid for NATO....they're aware of the implications and costs....just a speed bump along the way.

 

Was there ever any doubt? "useful idiots" are a dime a dozen.

 

No comment, @flyboy56 ??

 

I never understood why Turkey was allowed into NATO. They do not have the same cultural values as the other countries and Erdogan has been looking for any excuse to keep Sweden and Finland out of NATO. Why? Because he has close ties to Russia?

 

Turkey is in it because its close to Mideast. They stand in the way of SWE and FIN in order to get something out of it, which is lame, but they have done it before.

 

Like I said.....Erdogan is probably angling for more $$$$.....basically that's what it boils down to .

 

Given what he has done to Turkey's currency and economy with his insane interest rate policies, that would stand to reason.

 

Yeah...some nuances like a "burning of Quran" or insulting ones "religious beliefs"...disappear quickly when some $$$ are stuffed in your pockets.....just saying.

 

Yep. Stunts like that only matter to politicians insofar as they can be exploited to manipulate a gullible public.

 

Being a politician in a muslim country you better at least pretend to take such things seriously.

 

Yep...."officially" yes this is bad...shame on them.

Off camera/behind closed doors....did you bring the money?!?

 

Their elections are not till March I think? After that we will get likely further into the Finland Sweden NATO membership.

 

BIG mistake ever bringing Turkey into Nato. We should expel Turkey as we bring in Sweden and Finland.

 

Nah. Better to have them on our side than potentially becoming the next Putler ally. It would be bad news for every Black Sea nation and for global food security thanks to Ukraine's grain exports to have an anti-western Turkey controlling the Bosporus and making the Mediterranean and the Near East less secure.

 

We already have that.

 

With Turkey in NATO, yes. Let's not spoil that.

 

This isn't why Erdogan opposes their entry, this gave him an excuse.

Erdogan is not our ally or friend. Putin is more of a friend to him than anyone in the west.

I don't place any blame on the individual who burned the koran for this. They were exercising their free speech. People in the US also have the right to burn books, should we limit speech in the US to please a dictator who doesn't care about anything but his power.

 

No one said they can't exercise free speech. Actions have consequences and in this case his actions could have huge international consequences, not only for Sweden, but other countries too. He is called a useful idiot, because he allowed a foreign power trick him into doing something which could cause massive damage to entire nations.

 

Yea, but when i first heard this story, i had the urge to go out and burn a Koran.

Maybe NATO isn't the right place for Islamic dictators.