The Comment Factory

What Obama Said:

“I am honored to pay tribute to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a man whose vision, tenacity and courage put the Republic of Turkey on the path of democracy and whose legacy continues to inspire generations around the world.”

Barack Obama’s inscription in the visitor’s notebook in Anitkabir, Ataturk’s mausoleum

What He Meant:

“I am honoured to pay tribute to Turkey’s national hero as part of a campaign by all US administrations to force the European Union to accept Turkey as a full member, regardless of its appalling human rights record, especially against the Kurds, so that US and NATO bases in Turkey can play a more aggressive role in the Middle East and Central Asia.”

John Pilger