“Yankee, go home!”
Izmir, Turkey – In a shocking incident caught on video, two U.S. servicemen from the USS Wasp, an amphibious assault ship of the U.S. Navy, were ambushed in Izmir, Turkey, on Monday. The assailants, members of the Turkish Youth Union (Türkiye Gençlik Birliği, TGB), were heard shouting anti-American slogans as they assaulted one of the Americans, even placing a sack over his head.
The TGB, a nationalist and secularist youth organization, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating on the social media platform X: “The U.S. soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot pollute our country.” The group is known for its strong opposition to Western influence in Turkey, particularly against America and NATO.
Attackers Detained, Servicemen Safe
Fox News reported that Turkish authorities have detained 15 individuals involved in the incident. The U.S. servicemen are now safe and have returned to the USS Wasp:
The U.S. Navy said the two Marines, aided by other Marines in the area, were taken to a local hospital as a precaution but were not injured, adding that the attacked Marines have returned to the USS Wasp.
“Local Izmir police and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are cooperating in an investigation of the incident. No Marines have been detained by authorities and those involved are cooperating with investigators,” U.S. Navy Cmdr. Timothy Gorman, U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesperson said in a statement.
In a statement obtained by Reuters, the Youth Union of Turkey said the attack was “deserved” and criticized U.S. support of Israel.
“U.S. soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot dirty our country,” the nationalists said. “Every time you step foot in these lands, we will meet you the way you deserve.”
Who Is the Turkish Youth Union?
The TGB, established in 2006, is an organization that vigorously defends Turkey’s secular principles, which were laid down by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. The group’s opposition to Western influence and U.S. foreign policy is not new. In 2014, the TGB gained international attention when it similarly confronted U.S. soldiers stationed in Turkey, placing sacks over their heads as a symbolic protest.
Although their actions are extreme, the TGB operates legally within Turkey, organizing public events, rallies and protests without being classified as a terrorist organization by the Turkish government.
A Complex Relationship with NATO and the U.S.
Turkey’s strategic position, straddling Europe and Asia, makes it a key NATO member, but its relationship with the alliance, particularly the United States, has often been fraught with tension. Diverging views on Middle Eastern policies and recent concerns about Turkey’s democratic backsliding under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have only added to the strain.
What are your thoughts on the U.S. military presence in Turkey? Is it necessary for regional stability or a source of tension that should be reevaluated? Share your opinions in the comments below!
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Turkey should be down graded to observer status.
Get out of Turkey and let the Communist take over!!!