The Biden administration has provided Ukraine with weaponry. This is nothing new. What is new is that the administration has approved of Ukraine’s intentions to hit Russia proper. This is exactly what every administration from Truman to Bush senior avoided during the Cold War.
The government of President Putin has said it is now interested in peace talks. America and Europe should engage Russia and should ignore Ukraine’s immature President who seeks to drag the world into the Russo-Ukrainian war. Russia should make territorial concessions while the west should abandon bringing Ukraine into NATO.
The French have spoken of sending troops to Ukraine to fight Russia. During the Second World War, European fascists joined Hitler’s army to fight Russia. Western leaders have lost all sense of reason.
The sanest politician in the western world remains Donald Trump who opposes this war and always opposed bringing Ukraine into NATO. If World War Three can be avoided until next January, the world could survive if Trump wins the Presidential election.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during his campaign rally in Wildwood, N.J., Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Bitter realities since the Genocide of the Greek populations of Asia Minor in 1922 and the irreversible pro-Turkish foreign by America, Europe, and NATO lead one to conclude that it it unlikely for the foreseeable future that the so called “democracies” will support Greece and Cyprus over Turkey. President Joe Biden was pro-Greek when he was in the United States Senate but his Presidency has been one of endless appeasement of the Turkish aggressor.
Turkish officials from all political parties have repeatedly put forward claims on the Greek islands.
When Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to condemn Turkish threats against Greece, the NATO chief refused to do so. When Greece appealed to Germany not to sell submarines to Turkey, Berlin ignored Greek appeals. With the rise of anti Russian hysteria over the past decade, western powers have reverted to the Cold War position that led them to overlook Turkish crimes and atrocities. Even further back in 1853 with the outbreak of the Crimean War, anti-Russian sentiment led Great Britain and France to declare war on Russia and to support the Ottoman Empire.
As for the United States foreign policy establishment, Greece has two problems. The Democratic Party and the anti-Trump faction within the Republican Party support traditional pro-war policies that led to the bombing of Serbia, the invasion of Iraq, and the disastrous intervention in Syria. Furthermore, the traditional advocates for Middle Eastern war have promoted anti-Russian sentiment and the expansions of NATO to the Russian border since the American elections of 2016. As Turkey is close to the Middle East and to Russia and Ukraine, Ankara exercises a sinister and unhealthy influence that America and NATO rely upon for the achievement of their perceived aims.
Pro-War and Anti-Russia are inevitably pro-Turkish. It must be remembered that no administration that has made past promises to Greece have ever kept them. The Carter administration lifted the Congressional Arms Embargo on Turkey that Congress imposed after the invasions of Cyprus. The Clinton administration forced Greece to back down and remove the Greek flag when Turkey claimed the Islet of Imia on January 31, 1996. Furthermore, the Clinton administration did nothing when the Grey Wolves, a terrorist group in occupied Cyprus supported by Ankara, murdered Greeks Tasos Isaac and Solomos Solomou.
During the summer of 2020, the New York Times published an op-ed criticizing the Trump administration for interfering in Greek-Turkish matters.
This was when Turkey was threatening the area around the island of Kastellorizo. The Times specifically cited the Clinton administrations fictional ‘mediation’ in the Imia affair as an example to be emulated. The example of the Imia affair obviously did not end well for Greece as the Turks prevailed. Meanwhile, with the Kastellorizo affair, Greece was able to chase a Turkish ship away from the area. The Trump administration’s reluctance to intervene can be seen as a victory for Greece.
When American administrations involve themselves with Greece, they do so by exerting pressure on Greece to back down. This was what happened after the September 1955 pogroms in Constantinople and in 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson openly threatened and insulted Greek Ambassador Alexander Matsas. The Trump administration was a rare administration that did not exert pressure on Greece.
In some areas, the Trump administration did bad as when it betrayed the Kurds of Syria and allowed Turkish to occupy parts of Syria. But fixing American foreign policy cannot be done overnight. The Trump administration’s hostility to NATO and its anti-war and friendly stances toward Russia are factors that have the potential to help Greece. American foreign policy has long been pro-Turkish and is not likely to be pro-Greek any time soon.
Therefore, the most promising way over the short term to help Greece and Cyprus is to curb American foreign policy excesses and interventionism.
This means friendlier American ties with Russia are necessary to begin curbing Turkish influence, and ending American wars in the Middle East will certainly help curb dependence on Turkey. Turkey supported ISIS in Syria and Al Quada in Azerbaijan’s genocide against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
For these reasons, this writer is voting for Trump for president.
Theodore G. Karakostas is the author of the books In the Shadow of Hagia Sophia, and With This Sign Conquer.
In “Pulling the Plug on NATO” (March 2024 Chronicles), Prof. Trifkovic writes “NATO went rogue after the collapse of the USSR, and its shaky military alliance.” As an Orthodox Greek, I would argue that NATO went rogue long before the 1990s. Long before NATO proceeded to become an offensive alliance by bombing Serbia and gradually expanding with new members, NATO indulged and supported external acts of aggression such as the Turkish invasions of Cyprus in 1974.
Even before, NATO indulged the ethnic cleansing of the Greek Orthodox population of Constantinople and the islands of Imbros and Tenedos through terror campaigns including pogroms and forcible mass expulsions. Most recently, NATO refused to intervene when Turkish leaders claiming the islands of Greece threatened to invade. NATO member Turkey recently assisted its ally in Azerbaijan to commit genocide against Christian Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
These are in fact additional reasons why NATO should be abolished. When NATO itself is not committing itself to offensive wars as in Serbia, Turkey is gradually carrying out acts of aggression and crimes against humanity. Exactly the same thing that NATO pretends to oppose elsewhere.
—Theodore Karakostas
Boston, Mass.
Prof. Trifkovic replies:
While I agree entirely with Mr. Karakostas about the culpability of NATO—the United States government, really—in effectively facilitating and condoning Turkey’s crimes against the Greek remnant in Constantinople and against the Cypriot Greeks, I believe that some distinction should be made between the crimes of commission and the crimes of omission.
A boneheaded Pentagon planner or CIA operative could claim more or less persuasively, in 1955 or in 1974, that Turkey was too important to alienate in the broader context of then-ongoing Cold War and the country’s huge geopolitical significance to the Western alliance.
That position would be both morally bankrupt and operationally flawed, of course, but at least it could make some sense in the context of the time.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, on the other hand, NATO has been engaged in outright criminality, aggression and subterfuge, well documented by Chronicles authors including yours truly.
NATO’s passivity over the final solution of the Greek question in Turkey 70 years ago and NATO’s proactive role in fomenting the war in Ukraine are indicative of a similar mindset, but the magnitude of the crime and its global implications are “objectively” different (hat tip to V. I. Lenin).
Controversy in Greece continues over the legalization of gay marriage. At least three bishops have excommunicated politicians who voted to legalize gay marriage. The President of Greece and other politicians have been disinvited from the celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy later this month.
The bishops are within their rights to deny communion to anyone whom they feel should not receive. This is not understood by Greek politicians who reveal how out of touch they really are with Orthodoxy and Hellenism. They are so infatuated with Europe and western culture they have forgotten about Greece’s spiritual and cultural roots.
Syriza leader Kasselakis and his American friend have suggested that a problem with the new law is the fact that it does not address trans rights. So, the Prime Minister has opened up a Pandora’s box which will not so easily be closed. The trans movement with its beliefs in pregnant men and advocacy for mutilating children is going to follow gay marriage.
In fairness, gay people have rights. Hate crimes and discrimination in work or housing should be prosecuted. Individuals, gay or straight should be permitted to leave their propery and health care benefits to whomever they like. But, marriage can never be anything other than a union between man and woman.
Greece has many problems. The rise of organized crime is one problem. The large number of migrants in Greece remains a problem. The biggest problem however are the continued threats of Turkey to invade the islands.
Turkey has established influence in the Russo- Ukrainian war as a mediator. Greece has played no part in a mediation between two Orthodox countries largely because Greek officials are so thoroughly westernized they have a limited knowledge of Orthodoxy. Are they even aware that the Greeks converted Russia and Ukraine to Christianity one thousand years ago?
The Church’s fight here is both spiritual and political. They are fighting first and foremost for the gospel and the faith. Secondly, they are fighting for the sovereignty and independence of Greece against western imperialism. At a time when Greece needs unity, Mitsotakis has divided Greeks.
The passage of the gay marriage law is proving to be disastrous and divisive. Mitsotakis deserves to be removed as Prime Minister. The worst leader Greece has had since Costas Simitis.
“The Vanishing” is an excellent journalistic account about the plight of Christians in the Middle East. The book examines the plight of Christians in Iraq, Gaza, Syria, and Egypt. This is excellent journalism with great interviews of Christians in all of the above mentioned countries.
There is also a great deal of historical background and an examination of the differing views on authoritarian regimes such as Syria and Iraq. Christians interviewed in these countries were overwhelmingly pro regime and condemned western efforts to overthrow those governments. An examination was undertaken to examine the undemocratic nature of these regimes.
Undemocratic as they are, they are tolerant of Christianity and the author made it clear why Christians support these governments. This is a very good survey and examination about the plight of middle eastern Christians.
The following letter is in response to the February 23 interview with former American National Security Advisor John Bolton. Mr. Bolton is a notorious “neoconservative” and advocate for the pro war foreign policy of the United States. Much of the interview focused on Donald Trump and the possibility of a future Trump administration leaving NATO. NATO has not been good for Greece. The staff at Ekathemerini need reminding that after the anti Greek pogroms of September 1955 and the further ethnic cleansing campaigns by Turkey against the Greeks of Constantinople and the islands of Imbros and Tenedos, NATO did nothing to condemn the Turks or to restrain them.
NATO member Turkey invaded Cyprus and still occupies thirty seven percent of Cyprus after having ethnically cleansed Greek Cypriots from the occupied territories. History has shown that American wars in the middle east and American and European wars (hot and cold) against Russia increases the west’s reliance on Turkey. This is what happened in 1853 after the outbreak of the Crimean War when an anti Russian hysteria in Europe broke out. Great Britain and France went to war on behalf of the Ottoman Empire against the Russians.
The more recent anti Russian hysteria which broke out in the United States over the past decade has led to a revival of the traditional pro Turkish foreign policy by NATO and the United States. The Russians in turn have sought to counter NATO by attempting to gain Turkey as an ally. This rivalry between the west and Russia has once again increased Turkish influence and power as both Washington and Moscow desire Turkey as an ally.
Either the abolition of NATO or a reconciliation between the west and Russia is a necessity for Greece. While the west has viewed Moscow as its main enemy, Turkey has gradually been increasing its influence and power over the Middle East, the Balkans, and Central Asia. Turkey assisted Azerbaijan in the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Where is NATO to condemn the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression?
The former administration of Donald Trump was unique in recent American history. It did not start any wars in contrast to its predecessors,or its successor. This is important for Greece as long as American administrations come along which seek to pursue policies in pursuit of an empire, and wars specifically in areas surrounding Turkey, then Ankara will be looked upon as indispensable for American and western interests. It would be beneficial for Greece to have an administration in office that seeks to stop intervening abroad and considers dismantling the Cold War era alliance.
It is telling that the interviewer only asked one question about Greece and that was the very last question. The interview focused exclusively on NATO. Greek interests do not coincide with NATO or the pro war policies that American officials such as Mr. Bolton support. Greece’s primary interests lie in self defense against increasing hostility and territorial expansionism openly espoused by Turkish President Erdogan and other Turkish officials.
When Prime Minister Mr. Mitsotakis appealed to NATO to demand that Turkey stop threatening to invade the Greek islands, the Secretary General of NATO refused to intercede. When Athens asked Germany to stop the sale of submarines to Turkey, the German government refused. Greece is in serious trouble with “allies” such as this.
The following letter is in response to the February 16 item “Turkey and Greece to join European missile shield”. The report states that the initiative is intended against the kind of attacks that Russia launched against Ukraine. There is plenty of irony in this assertion and the article in general. Europe has been attacked in recent years by Al Quada and ISIS, not by the Russians. This is an important fact to point out because NATO member Turkey which has been invited to join the Sky Shield Initiative has been a prominent collaborator with both ISIS and Al Quada.
Columbia University published an entire report that showed the extent to which Turkey was helping ISIS when the latter was engaging in full scale genocide against Christians, Shiite Muslims, and Yazidis. Furthermore, Turkey has been assisting the Al Nusra front and others in Syria who were part of Al Quada’s terrorist network. The Turkish government was supporting Al Quada elements who were fighting in the civil war in Libya as well. Most recently, Turkey exported Al Quada terrorists from Libya and Syria where they participated in the genocide and ethnic cleansing of ethnic Armenians by the Turkish army of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The article falsely states that Turkey has “a longstanding rivalry and unresolved disputes with fellow alliance member Greece”. Actually, this is not true. Turkey is a predator nation that has openly threatened to invade Greece and seize the Greek islands that are located near the Asia Minor coast. The leader of one of Turkey’s fascist parties (National Action Party) openly displayed a map which showed the Greek islands as being part of Turkey.
In 1974, Turkey invaded and occupied thirty seven percent of Cyprus and instituted a policy of ethnic cleansing against 200,000 ethnic Greeks. Turkey has also threatened Cyprus over oil rights which belong under the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus. Inviting Turkey to join the Sky Shield Initiative is absurd. The greatest threat facing Europe comes from Turkey under the leadership of Recep Teyyip Erdogan who has threatened to flood Europe with millions of refugees.
The following is in response to the Guardian’s February 15 article on the lamentable decision of the Greek Parliament to recognize something as fictitious as “same sex marriage”. As an Orthodox Christian of Hellenic ancestry in America, I for one believe this was a deplorable decision by the Greek Parliament.
It was done undemocratically without conferring with the Greek people who were not even permitted a referendum on the matter. All of a sudden, the institution of marriage is altered and changed because the Prime Minister in an authoritarian manner chose to align himself with the ideological interests of America and Europe rather than with the traditional culture and faith of Greece. The issue here has nothing to do with equality. Marriageis an institution that has always existed between one man and one woman.
Greece has been a functioning democracy since 1974 when the military dictatorship collapsed. Greece did not need Prime Minister Mitsotakis to come along to enlighten its traditions and heritage. All Greek citizens enjoy protection under the law, and this includes homosexuals. During the centuries of Ottoman Turkish rule, and more recently Nazi occupation and a Communist instigated insurgency, it was the Orthodox Church and the family that provided stability for Greece and the ability to rebuild following disastrous wars.
Same sex marriage is a foreign idea that is the product of western moral confusion that has been imposed on Greece. This can be seen by the American and various European Embassies who gleefully congratulated the Greek Prime Minister after passing this notorious law. Every nation has its own faith and cultural traditions. What might work in one country does not work in another country.
In any case, a great injustice has just been committed by the government of Greece against its own citizens. This is a historical affront and betrayal of Greece’s spiritual heritage and traditions. It is for Greeks such as myself a time of mourning, and not a time of celebration.
As a Greek Orthodox, I would like to condemn the desecration that occurred at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by the lunatic LGBT neo pagans whose extremism in America and elsewhere continues unabated. An attack against one Christian Church or house of worship is an attack against all. Indeed, recently in the Greek town of Larissa, the Orthodox Cathedral was defaced and spray painted with hateful slogans by LGBT activists. Last week in Athens, Orthodox Christians who gathered in front of Parliament to protest the introduction of a law to legalize same sex marriage were accosted. The editor of an Orthodox newspaper was stabbed by two radicals.
The anti Christian hate by these extremists in unmistakable. Indeed, the horror show that took place at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral reminded me of the outrage last year when the LA Dodgers invited that LGBT group that ridiculed Roman Catholic nuns. It is apparent that our country is in danger not only from these extremists who are actively targeting and grooming children into their ideology, but from the media and all those who are silent when such blasphemous activities are undertaken.
Please know that Roman Catholics are not alone. As a Greek Orthodox, I stand with the Roman Catholics against these hate crimes. All Christians must stand together or else we will all suffer together if these extremists are not arrested and prosecuted.
Throughout the country, there have been incidents involving teachers targeting students and labeling them “trans” without the knowledge or approval of parents. Two recent cases have emerged which indicate that many teachers have brought their social activism to school in full violation of moral and ethical standards. One case involved a Greek American family and another involved an immigrant family from India.
In both cases, predatory teachers sought to persuade each girl to transition socially. This means giving them male names and identities. This was done through the means of deceiving parents. In the case of the Greek family, school officials flat out lied when the mother concerned about her daughter asked if teachers and councilors were aware if anything had occurred that might have affected her daughter.
In the case of the family from India, the teacher not only instructed the child in question to lie to her parents, she instructed the other children in the class to lie about the child’s social transition. Here we have examples where teachers are actively grooming children and instructing them to lie to their parents and others. This behavior on the part of teachers is twisted and immoral.
The parents from India were so horrified when they discovered what was happening that they fled the state of Washington for fear the state might take their child. They subsequently left the United States and returned to their native India without saying a word to anyone. As if America were a Stalinist society where the state can take children if parents do not go along with the state ideology.
The Greek family on the east coast pulled their daughter out of the school and enrolled her in a private school where she is reportedly doing better. In the America of the Democratic Party, school teachers can exploit children causing them emotional distress and anxieties as happened with these children. Creating a climate of fear for families is the outcome of the twisted and insane LGBT ideology that the Democrats embrace.
The above incidents demonstrate that the Democrats are waging a war on faith and morality. They are a national threat. The actions of school officials to undermine parents and their values is evil. Those who vote Democratic are voting for more of the LGBT ideology.
