Watch: Anti-American Sentiment Erupts in Violent Attack on US Servicemen in Turkey

[Social Media]

 

Two US service members were violently attacked in Turkey on Monday by a group of anti-American protesters, an incident captured in a shocking video that has since gone viral. The brief yet intense 10-second clip, which was shared on X, shows one of the servicemen standing in the middle of a group of men who aggressively grab him by the arms and torso. Online sources identified the serviceman as being from the USS Wasp, a US Navy ship that had recently docked in Turkey's port city of Izmir.

BREAKING:

2 American sailors from the USS Wasp were attacked in İzmir, Turkey today.

15 people have been arrested for the attack.

Via @sentdefender pic.twitter.com/LcUA0Egz35

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 2, 2024

 

As the serviceman was being accosted, a man from outside the group attempted to intervene, struggling with one of the attackers, an older man wearing glasses. Another protester ran up and threw a punch at the man trying to stop the attack, though the blow was weak. The attackers were reportedly members of the Youth Union of Turkey, a nationalist group that later claimed responsibility for the assault in a post on their X account. “US soldiers, who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands, cannot defile our country,” the group stated in the post, as reported by Stars and Stripes.

 

In response to the attack, Turkish authorities detained 15 members of the Youth Union of Turkey. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has launched an investigation into the incident. Navy Forces Europe spokesman Cmdr. Tim Gorman said, “We’ve seen the reports on social media about a U.S. service member being assaulted in Izmir and are working to confirm the details of what occurred.” The video had garnered nearly 235,000 views by Monday afternoon.

 

The USS Wasp had arrived in Izmir on Sunday for a scheduled port visit, during which sailors and Marines from the ship took part in tours organized by the ship’s administration, according to The Mirror. The ship, which carries over 3,000 crew members and troops from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, had recently participated in a joint training exercise with the Turkish Navy. The Wasp, an amphibious assault ship designed to carry aircraft and Marines into combat, has been stationed in the Mediterranean since June as part of a broader naval buildup aimed at deterring potential Iranian aggression against Israel following the assassination of a Hamas official in Tehran in July, as reported by Stars and Stripes.

 

This incident is not the first time American service members have faced hostility in Turkey. In 2014, three US Navy sailors from the USS Ross were attacked by members of the Youth Union in Istanbul. The protesters chanted “Yankee, go home!” as they attempted to place bags over the sailors’ heads. The group later stated that their actions were a protest against American “imperialism” in the Middle East and across the globe. “Long live oppressed nation’s war against imperialism,” they declared in a statement on their website. Although the sailors were not physically harmed, the attack was widely condemned by both American and Turkish officials. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled the attack as “in no way tolerable.”

 

The use of bags by the protesters is symbolic, referring to a 2003 incident in which US forces in Iraq detained Turkish special forces soldiers they suspected of smuggling weapons to a Turkish-backed group in Kirkuk. The American troops allegedly placed bags over the heads of the detained Turkish soldiers before eventually releasing them. 

The latest attack underscores ongoing tensions between nationalist elements in Turkey and American military presence in the region, highlighting the deep-seated resentment some groups harbor against what they perceive as US imperialism.

 

Credit: NYP 2024-09-04

 

 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

[KhunLA]

And yet, the USA, operating on a deficit budget, sends Turkey shy of 200 million last year.  Why ???

 

Also a NATO member, and wanting to join BRICS, and people talk about WW III ...    IGNORANCE IS BLISS

 

 

source

[Tug]

Some sailors on leave got beat up……meh been happening since 1776.

[thaibeachlovers]

Who thought it was a good idea to let individual US sailors wander around in a Muslim country? Just asking for trouble, IMO.

Turks are angry about israel in Gaza and the US is joined at the hip with israel.

[Slocum]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

Two US service members were violently attacked in Turkey on Monday by a group of anti-American protesters, an incident captured in a shocking video that has since gone viral. The brief yet intense 10-second clip, which was shared on X, shows one of the servicemen standing in the middle of a group of men who aggressively grab him by the arms and torso. Online sources identified the serviceman as being from the USS Wasp, a US Navy ship that had recently docked in Turkey's port city of Izmir.

 

As the serviceman was being accosted, a man from outside the group attempted to intervene, struggling with one of the attackers, an older man wearing glasses. Another protester ran up and threw a punch at the man trying to stop the attack, though the blow was weak. The attackers were reportedly members of the Youth Union of Turkey, a nationalist group that later claimed responsibility for the assault in a post on their X account. “US soldiers, who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands, cannot defile our country,” the group stated in the post, as reported by Stars and Stripes.

 

In response to the attack, Turkish authorities detained 15 members of the Youth Union of Turkey. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has launched an investigation into the incident. Navy Forces Europe spokesman Cmdr. Tim Gorman said, “We’ve seen the reports on social media about a U.S. service member being assaulted in Izmir and are working to confirm the details of what occurred.” The video had garnered nearly 235,000 views by Monday afternoon.

 

 

The USS Wasp had arrived in Izmir on Sunday for a scheduled port visit, during which sailors and Marines from the ship took part in tours organized by the ship’s administration, according to The Mirror. The ship, which carries over 3,000 crew members and troops from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, had recently participated in a joint training exercise with the Turkish Navy. The Wasp, an amphibious assault ship designed to carry aircraft and Marines into combat, has been stationed in the Mediterranean since June as part of a broader naval buildup aimed at deterring potential Iranian aggression against Israel following the assassination of a Hamas official in Tehran in July, as reported by Stars and Stripes.

 

This incident is not the first time American service members have faced hostility in Turkey. In 2014, three US Navy sailors from the USS Ross were attacked by members of the Youth Union in Istanbul. The protesters chanted “Yankee, go home!” as they attempted to place bags over the sailors’ heads. The group later stated that their actions were a protest against American “imperialism” in the Middle East and across the globe. “Long live oppressed nation’s war against imperialism,” they declared in a statement on their website. Although the sailors were not physically harmed, the attack was widely condemned by both American and Turkish officials. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled the attack as “in no way tolerable.”

 

The use of bags by the protesters is symbolic, referring to a 2003 incident in which US forces in Iraq detained Turkish special forces soldiers they suspected of smuggling weapons to a Turkish-backed group in Kirkuk. The American troops allegedly placed bags over the heads of the detained Turkish soldiers before eventually releasing them. 

The latest attack underscores ongoing tensions between nationalist elements in Turkey and American military presence in the region, highlighting the deep-seated resentment some groups harbor against what they perceive as US imperialism.

 

Credit: NYP 2024-09-04

 

 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

"What a beautiful scene" .( Nancy Pelosi" the old rotten bitch.. previous Quoted." The Greatest Country on Earth" ...😄..shows clearly how popular they are....Love to see more of these...episode...

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Who thought it was a good idea to let individual US sailors wander around in a Muslim country? Just asking for trouble, IMO.

Turks are angry about israel in Gaza and the US is joined at the hip with israel.

That is a very valid point, and just one more reason why I argue that the US should be more judicious with their support of Israel, as some of their policies are quite extreme. The world has a lot of hatred for Israel at the moment and by extension the US and the UK. 

 

 

[thesetat2013]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Who thought it was a good idea to let individual US sailors wander around in a Muslim country? Just asking for trouble, IMO.

Turks are angry about israel in Gaza and the US is joined at the hip with israel.

given that is the current government policies. whether right or wrong supporting them is irrelevant. the current leaders jumped in with both feet. Now the people must follow them so they are all at risk

[AndreasHG]

Having dealt with Turkey for over 30 years, I know that the point of view expressed by the attackers is shared by a tiny minority of the population.

They also seem too old to spend their time hunting for American sailors and attacking them. I wouldn't be surprised if they are on the payroll of one of America's foes in the region. 

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, AndreasHG said:

Having dealt with Turkey for over 30 years, I know that the point of view expressed by the attackers is shared by a tiny minority of the population.

They also seem too old to spend their time hunting for American sailors and attacking them. I wouldn't be surprised if they are on the payroll of one of America's foes in the region. 

You sure about that?

Turkey And The West: A Parenthesis Or A Historical Shift?
A poll conducted in December 2022 by the Turkish company Gezici found that 72.8% of Turkish citizens polled were in favor of good relations with Russia. By comparison, nearly 90% perceive the United States as a hostile country. It also revealed that 24.2% of citizens believe that Russia is hostile, while 62.6% believe that Russia is a friendly country. 

https://www.hoover.org/research/turkey-and-west-parenthesis-or-historical-shift

 

Survey: Majority of Turks don't see the US as their ally
Shortly after President Biden called the events of 1915 “genocide”, a poll suggested that a vast majority of Turkish people no longer consider the US an ally.

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/survey-majority-of-turks-don-t-see-the-us-as-their-ally-46437

 

Apart from the US support for Israel, You think the Turks have forgotten or forgiven the consequences of the Iraq War?

[Gandtee]

15 hours ago, Tug said:

Some sailors on leave got beat up……meh been happening since 1776.

Then the rest of his squad  come back the next night and seek retribution. That's the way it was when I was in the Kate Carney.😉

[AndreasHG]

6 hours ago, placeholder said:

You sure about that?

Turkey And The West: A Parenthesis Or A Historical Shift?
A poll conducted in December 2022 by the Turkish company Gezici found that 72.8% of Turkish citizens polled were in favor of good relations with Russia. By comparison, nearly 90% perceive the United States as a hostile country. It also revealed that 24.2% of citizens believe that Russia is hostile, while 62.6% believe that Russia is a friendly country. 

https://www.hoover.org/research/turkey-and-west-parenthesis-or-historical-shift

 

Survey: Majority of Turks don't see the US as their ally
Shortly after President Biden called the events of 1915 “genocide”, a poll suggested that a vast majority of Turkish people no longer consider the US an ally.

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/survey-majority-of-turks-don-t-see-the-us-as-their-ally-46437

 

Apart from the US support for Israel, You think the Turks have forgotten or forgiven the consequences of the Iraq War?

 

The fact that the USA are perceived as hostile by a majority of the Turkish people, doesn't mean that Turks are out on the hunt for American sailors 24/7.

This is an isolated incident, and the USA is still the second largest importer of Turkish goods right after Germany.

 

The positive perception of Russia is also due to the strong presence of Russian tourists in the country (6.3 million in 2023). In the same year, a record-breaking 1,3 million Americans visited Turkey (32 percent increase over 2022), a testament of the welcoming nature of the Turkish people.

 

[Patong2021]

21 hours ago, Tug said:

Some sailors on leave got beat up……meh been happening since 1776.

 

Seriously? That was an organized mob attack. It was enabled by Erdogan and his nationalist rhetoric. When was the last time a violent  mob descended on US service personnel in Denmark or Canada or Israel or Thailand? One of the thugs  put a plastic bag over the head of one of the marines. They could have been killed and would have been seriously injured had some bystanders not delayed these savages.

Erdogan and his cronies have been double dealing for too long. They surreptitiously enable Putin, they threaten the EU with sending millions more refugees  to them, and they break trade sanctions.  Turkey should be treated for what it is, a  former colonial power that left a legacy of war in the middle east and that pines for the days when it enslaved the arab world.

[placeholder]

7 hours ago, AndreasHG said:

 

The fact that the USA are perceived as hostile by a majority of the Turkish people, doesn't mean that Turks are out on the hunt for American sailors 24/7.

This is an isolated incident, and the USA is still the second largest importer of Turkish goods right after Germany.

 

The positive perception of Russia is also due to the strong presence of Russian tourists in the country (6.3 million in 2023). In the same year, a record-breaking 1,3 million Americans visited Turkey (32 percent increase over 2022), a testament of the welcoming nature of the Turkish people.

 

Your original claim was at the views of the attackers was only shared by a tiny minority of Turks. I'm sure that most Turks don't support violence against members of Americans military, but as the evidence I linked to o shows, the views of the attackers re-america are shared by a big majority of Turks.

[AndreasHG]

24 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Your original claim was at the views of the attackers was only shared by a tiny minority of Turks. I'm sure that most Turks don't support violence against members of Americans military, but as the evidence I linked to o shows, the views of the attackers re-america are shared by a big majority of Turks.

My original claim simply stated that the opinion of the "Youth Union of Turkey, a nationalist group that later claimed responsibility for the assault" is shared by a tiny minority of Turks. This is a fact.

But I recognize that my statement was vague enough to give rise to the wildest fantasies, like the one you indulged in.  

[stevenl]

14 minutes ago, AndreasHG said:

My original claim simply stated that the opinion of the "Youth Union of Turkey, a nationalist group that later claimed responsibility for the assault" is shared by a tiny minority of Turks. This is a fact.

But I recognize that my statement was vague enough to give rise to the wildest fantasies, like the one you indulged in.  

You stated 

"Having dealt with Turkey for over 30 years, I know that the point of view expressed by the attackers is shared by a tiny minority of the population.".

[thaibeachlovers]

23 hours ago, thesetat2013 said:

given that is the current government policies. whether right or wrong supporting them is irrelevant. the current leaders jumped in with both feet. Now the people must follow them so they are all at risk

Why quote me if not going to discuss what I said. IMO individual sailors should have not been allowed to go into the community and that's down to the Captain. He should have only allowed them to go out in a group with Turkish escort.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Then the rest of his squad  come back the next night and seek retribution. That's the way it was when I was in the Kate Carney.😉

and would they know exactly where to find them, or should they just beat up any passing Turk?

 

Good way to create a diplomatic incident.

[Gandtee]

20 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

and would they know exactly where to find them, or should they just beat up any passing Turk?

 

Good way to create a diplomatic incident.

I am talking about over seventy years ago when political correctness was unknown except in politicians.

[AndreasHG]

7 hours ago, stevenl said:

You stated 

"Having dealt with Turkey for over 30 years, I know that the point of view expressed by the attackers is shared by a tiny minority of the population.".

According to the article, the "attackers were reportedly members of the Youth Union of Turkey, a nationalist group [...].". 

The Youth Union of Turkey is a Turkish anti-American, anti-Atlanticist, and Eurasianist revolutionary youth organization closely associated with the Patriotic Party.

The Patriotic Party is a leftist-party, strongly pro-China and pro-Russia as well as anti-American. It opposes any future Turkish membership in the European Union and any cooperation with what it calls "American imperialism".

The Patriotic Party has been voted by a very, very tiny minority of the population. It has 0 (zero) elected representatives in Grand National Assembly (the Turkish Parliament), 0 (zero) in both the Metropolitan and the District Municipalities, it has 0 (zero) elected Provincial Councilors.

All the Patriotic Party has been able to obtain in the last local elections is 5 representatives elected in municipal assemblies (5 out of the 20,498 representatives elected nationwide in the municipal assemblies, or 0.02%).

 

Now, if this is not a tiny minority, kindly tell us what you would consider as such.  

 

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, Gandtee said:

I am talking about over seventy years ago when political correctness was unknown except in politicians.

Ah, the good old days ( seriously ) when cops would take brats around the corner to give them an attitude correction, rather than now when cops just provide a taxi service to take ram raiding teenagers home, without so much as a spanking to look forward to, as the government has banned spanking.

[Gandtee]

Yes. The days in England when the threat of Borstal for 'Attitude Adjustment' and the birch were a bit off-putting for youngsters.😉