Erdoğan says Greeks have a "vile character"; Bahçeli threatens Greece with war

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went on a new tirade of extreme provocation, finding the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Asia Minor Disaster to send a special message to ultra-nationalist crowds.

He launched a direct attack against the Greeks, proceeding with a historical retrospective, while he did not miss the opportunity to bring his neo-Ottoman vision back to the table.

At a time when the Turkish lira has been at a historic low, Erdoğan seems to be betting on expansionary scenarios, planning a new military operation in Syria against the Kurds, for which - as he declared - Turkey will not get anyone's permission to carry out.

He also devoted a significant part of his speech to Greece.

Raising his voice dangerously, he asked the crowd watching: "Are we ready for the attack of 2023?".

"The Greeks were the pawns of other enemy forces of the time, but with faith and determination, the Turks managed to throw them into the sea," the Turkish president said, trying to rile up the crowd.

He also sought the revival of the hostile feelings of the past: "The enemy may have had more machine guns, cannons, trucks, cars and airplanes than us, but the faith-filled hearts of our soldiers covered all these deficiencies. In fact, while the Greek army was retreating, 65% of its 200,000 soldiers were annihilated on the Afyon Kütahya line .'

"The prayers raised to the sky gave the joyful news of the liberation of the city of Afyon, which was destroyed and burned by the Greeks. The same wonderful scene was experienced in Kütahya on August 30, when the Turkish troops entered the city. That is, here, the Greek army was routed within four days, when its commanders were captured and defeated by the Turkish forces. On the one hand our army was advancing towards Smyrna, and on the other hand it was continuing to pursue the troops of the Greek army that were leaving to the north of Eskişehir. We see the burning and destruction of all our towns by the enemy, as he retreated, as a proof of their vile character, as it is today," Erdoğan underlined in an incendiary tone.

Erdoğan's government partner, Devlet Bahçeli, was also extremely provocative, on the occasion of his message for "Victory Day", which the Turks celebrate on August 30, with which they commemorate the victory of the Turkish army over the Greeks forces,in the battle that took place in 1922 near Afyon Kütahya in Asia Minor.

Bahçeli maintained provocative rhetoric about Greece's use of the S-300 and called on the Greek government to "come to its senses" or "the price the Greeks will pay will be much heavier than August 30, 1922."

Among other things, Bahçeli stated: "That Greece is straining the patience of our nation in the Mediterranean and the Aegean and intensifying its harassment in the air and on land. It is essentially an asymmetric reflection of the pain and nightmare they have been living for a hundred years."

In addition, according to Bahçeli, it is "hostile treatment and an advanced provocation to engage Turkish aircraft carrying out missions in the Eastern Mediterranean through the S-300 air defence system stationed in Crete."

"The fact that the US, which reacted to Turkey's S-400 Air Defense System and started imposing sanctions, is silent about Greece's S-300 Air Defense System is a double standard in its absolute sense. The futile whining of the government of this country, about the map of our Blue Fatherland, indicates cowardice, while at the same time it is clear evidence that they have lost their consciousness so much that they are reeling in contradiction. The Greek government has lost its foresight and cannot see where it has fallen," he continued.

“In this context, hostility towards Turks and Islam blinded the government of Athens and disregarded both the conscience of humanity and international law by supporting terrorist organisations. I wish that the current government, which is suffering the Greek people, will come to its senses and immediately stop chasing madness," said Erdoğan's government partner, who continued with threats: "Otherwise, the price they will pay will be much heavier than on August 30, 1922 and can manifest itself as an inevitable fact of life and history."

And he concluded his provocative message with a reference to the "Blue Homeland": "The Blue Homeland is the stolen and inhabited geography of the Turkish nation. No one in this world will support the offender. Of course, the truth will find its place at the end of the day. It's just a matter of time. We know and believe that despair comes from the devil and hope from Allah."

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