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. 




Theodore Karakostas
Boston, MA
USA

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. 

Theodore Karakostas
Boston, MA

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. 

Theodore Karakostas
Boston, MA
USA

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. 

Theodore Karakostas
Boston, MA