Semi-Breaking, but Good News: Benghazi Edition

Adam L. Silverman, PhD*

BBC news is reporting that the US has captured Ahmed Abu Khattala - the ring leader of the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. He was captured two days ago by US Special Operations Forces and the announcement was made earlier today. The conspiracy theories have, of course, already begun - so strap on your tin foil hats, its going to be a long news cycle!

* Adam L. Silverman, PhD is the Cultural Advisor at the US Army War College. The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the US Army War College and/or the US Army.

Comments

[Matthew]

Adam: That is great news. Actually, a thousand unfounded assumptions and unsupported conclusions will crash tonight. But then nobody mourns the Talking Heads, do they?

[Jim Ticehurst]

good job ...Lot 0of other players to Catch tho and this guy gets Miranda Rights...I always wondered about that Arranged dinner that night between The Turkish Delegation and their support staff with Our Now Murdered Ambassador..As soon as the the Turkish Delegation Left The well organized attack began..Was this a setup..? Were any signals sent ar passed along to the Rebels confirming Our Ambassador was indeed there so the Offense could Begin..were all the Turkish security forces outside talking to our Security Forces and gathering Intelligence..Information and eyeballing Our security placemnts and force Number Reliable...? were there any spies among that group...Was this dinner just to set up the Compound so the Rebels would be assured of an easy target...? How reliable is Turkey right Now...?

[Jim Ticehurst]

I Jus read two Opinions in the New York Times to Research My Question One Opinion was published on December 29,2013 by Vali R Nasr a Dean at John Hopkins University ..It was Titled "Iran, Turkeys New Ally" snd explained several issues and the current Trade Deals Turkey has with Iran worh $20 Billion Dollars..

The Other Opinion is the Times was Published on Feb. 27th 2013 by Halil M. Kargveli and is Titled
"Turkey The Unhelpful Ally" and is a good article for Information About Turkey, Syria, Egypt and Turkeys support of the Sunnis and the Muslim Brotherhood..(side note by me...I believe it was the Muslim Brotherhood that planted The Islamist Flag on Our Embassy Wall in Egypt shortly before the Compund Attack In Benghazi..So the answer to My Question about Turky is NO They are NOT Reliable..

[Adam L Silverman]

Mr. Ticehurst,

I can't speak to/answer most of your questions as I have no real pertinent information. I can say that Turkey is in regional competition with Iran, not just in the Levant and Middle East, but also in Central Asia. Additionally, Turkey is a NATO ally. Their military is professional and from my interactions with their officers over the past several years effective. I think what we see in a Turkey, in terms of the politics, is what we see if a lot of parliamentary systems. When a single party manages to maintain either the majority, or a plurality and is the core of a governing coalition, for an extended period of time, it eventually becomes worn out. We saw this with both the Conservatives and the Labour Party in the UK in the 90s and the 00s respectively. We've just seen this in India with the Congress Party. And they don't just get worn out internally, the population gets tired of them, there's internal to the party and/or movement fictionalization, infighting, and backbiting. Erdogan's party, and as a result his government, is experiencing all of this.

[Jim Ticehurst]

Thank you Sir..I understand and agree their military is professional and effective...and their situation is delicate...so is ours...Their internal issues and politics are much like our Own here in the USA..Our Partys and system are worn out with bad Leadership and in Radical confict..Like Turkey it Tarnishes Our Integrity Internally
and Internationally.. Leaders are Political Animals first ...some are the Hound..Some are the Hydrant..

[Jim Ticehurst]

One Last Comment,If I may Dr. Silverman..I would like to Highly Commend You for a Remarkable and Prophetic Op-Ed you wrote on December 7th 2009..It was written after your on Experiences and research in Iraq from 2007 to 2008..

Your Op Ed was titled "Politics,Politicking: Iraq Elections,The Failure of Reconciliation,and The Consolidation of Power.." It was an analysis and Observation That PM Malaki and the Dawa Partys consolidation of Power was shutting out the Sunnis and Creating a growing Fear of Iran moving In..

That Op Ed if Published right now..would explain exactly What has just Happened in Iraq..and Why..Well done..Sir.

[Ishmael Zechariah]

Adam L. Silverman, Jim Ticehurst;

When discussing whether "Turkey" is a reliable ally or not, it might be worthwhile to remember that the current regime in Turkey was brought to power by the neocons running the US foreign policy. Unsurprisingly, "Democracy" was used as the pretext. Most nationalist Turks believe that tayyip and his bunch of kleptocrats are still kept in power by the neocon establishment. Whether this is for the benefit of the USA/West, or of Israel, or both, is an interesting question. Either way, attributing an "independent" foreign policy to Turkey might be somewhat unjustified. We hope it can become independent again one day.

The current ISIL/Iraq conflict is not well covered in Turkish media. The tayyipists are trying to keep the lid on the news; it is now forbidden in Turkey to write anything about the kidnapped Turkish citizens, in the interests of their "safety". This is just to silence the 10% or less of the media which is still outside their control.

I have not been able to obtain any information about the current status of the logistics operations in support of ISIL. These were up and running up to a month ago.Such an operation could not have been carried out without the knowledge and permission of the intelligence services of the USA. A few "unfortunate" accidents could have seriously delayed things...

Things may get even more interesting in the next few months.

Pax.

Ishmael Zechariah

[Matthew]

IZ: Why would it be for the benefit of Israel for Erdogan's party to remain in power?