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World

Soldiers from the Turkish military in a barricade.

Soldiers from the Turkish military in a barricade.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport amid large crowds of supporters after an attempted military coup on Saturday. Still, the outcome was unclear after members of the military announced that they had seized power, as reports indicated at least three explosions at the country’s parliament and gunfire in Istanbul’s Taksim Square.

Speaking at a news conference, Erdoğan said those who took part in the coup will be “punished accordingly,” adding officials are in the process of arresting police officers involved.

Reports indicate roughly 150 people were injured. While Turkish government officials claimed that the coup attempt had been squashed, reports of continued violence and strength in cities indicate authorities did not yet have full control of the nation.

On Friday, military factions waged a coup in Turkey claiming to have “completely taken over the administration of” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The group claiming to represent the nation’s military issued a statement announcing that it had “completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate the constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and the general security that was damaged.”

A Turkish government spokesman also confirmed that an F-16 fighter had shot down a helicopter that had been commandeered by soldiers supporting the coup.

Dissenters clam President Erdoğan has been moving the country from a parliamentary system to a presidential system and he is on record as saying he would never tolerate what President Obama tolerates from the U.S. Congress. Mr. Erdoğan has expressed his preference for a more dictatorial system, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Turkish military has traditionally seen itself as a guardian of the country’s secular heritage. Tensions between Mr. Erdoğan and the Turkish armed forces have been growing for years.

Under Erdoğan’s leadership, many have grown increasingly alarmed over the nation’s move toward Islamism, or Islamic supremacy. The president holds staunchly Islamist views and has moved the country to much in favor of extremism. Indeed, following the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris, France in November 2015, soccer fans chanted “Allah Akbar” and booed during a moment of silence for the victims.

In the U.S., a statement from the White House said President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry agreed that “all parties in Turkey should support the democratically elected government of Turkey, show restraint and avoid any violence or bloodshed.”

Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and now presumptive Democratic nominee, echoed the president’s sentiment in support of Erdoğan. Worth noting, there are more journalists jailed in Turkey than in any other regional allied nation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived at Istanbul’s

World

Vladimir-Putin-Recep-Tayyip-Erdoğan

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, at the re-opening of the Cathedral Mosque in Moscow on Wednesday, September 24, 2015. (Photo: AP)

On Friday, unknown military factions waged a coup in Turkey claiming to have “completely taken over the administration of” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The group claiming to represent the nation’s military issued a statement announcing that it had “completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate the constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and the general security that was damaged.”

The military blocked bridges over the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, deployed tanks to to the city’s main airport, and sent low-flying jets and helicopters to patrol over the capital Ankara. Seventeen police officers were killed in a helicopter attack on police headquarters in Ankara, the state-run Anadolu agency reports. A video obtained by People’s Pundit Daily show a number of tanks moving toward a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers.

A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped.

There are conflicting reports about Erdoğan’s status and power, with some Turkish media outlets reporting he had left the country on his private jet. Erdoğan made a statement late on Friday night through a Facetime call broadcast on CNN Turk where he denounced the coup attempt and vowed that the perpetrators would be punished. He further urged the citizens of Turkish to resist a military-declared curfew, stating he calls “on our people to gather in squares and airports” to oppose the attempted government takeover.

“Throughout history those who make coups have been unsuccessful, and I absolutely believe that these will be unsuccessful as well,” Mr. Erdoğan said, adding that the architects of the takeover attempt “will absolutely pay the price for this in heaviest manner.”

https://twitter.com/ahmetsyayla/status/754041409200533504

If successful, the coup in Turkey would put the U.S. government in a particularly difficult position. While many in the Obama administration are concerned about his increasingly authoritarian policies, President Erdoğan was nevertheless freely elected. Aside fro the nation’s membership in NATO, it is a longstanding U.S. policy to cut off funding for regimes seizing power through a coup d’etat.

In Washington, a statement from the White House said President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry agreed that “all parties in Turkey should support the democratically elected government of Turkey, show restraint and avoid any violence or bloodshed.”

According to high-ranking officials in the Turkish government–including Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who spoke to Turkish television channel NTV–it was an “attempted” military coup against Erdoğan’s government.

Under Erdoğan’s leadership, many have grown increasingly alarmed over the nation’s move toward Islamism, or Islamic supremacy. The president holds staunchly Islamist views and has moved the country to much in favor of extremism. Indeed, following the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris, France in November 2015, soccer fans chanted “Allah Akbar” and booed during a moment of silence for the victims.

Dissenters clam President Erdoğan has been moving the country from a parliamentary system to a presidential system and he is on record as saying he would never tolerate what President Obama tolerates from the U.S. Congress. Mr. Erdoğan has expressed his preference for a more dictatorial system, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Turkish military has traditionally seen itself as a guardian of the country’s secular heritage. Tensions between Erdoğan and the Turkish armed forces have been growing for years.

On Friday, unknown military factions waged a

Politics

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, points to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, left, during a rally in the Hoosier State. (Photo: Reuters)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, points to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, left, during a rally in the Hoosier State. (Photo: Reuters)

Republican congressional leaders and former critics praised Donald Trump’s decision to pick Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate. The announcement came late Friday morning and Mr. Trump on Thursday postponed his news conference to introduce his VP because of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, which left at least 84 dead.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., an early vocal critic of the Republican presidential nominee, issued the following statement on the announcement.

“Mike Pence comes from the heart of the conservative movement — and the heart of America,” Speaker Ryan said. “I can think of no better choice for our vice-presidential candidate.”

Speaker Ryan, a close and personal friend to Gov. Pence for years, was slow to endorse Mr. Trump even after it became clear he locked up the party’s nomination. The two met in private multiple times in an effort to iron-out their differences on trade, immigration and tone. Mr. Trump advocates strongly in favor of “fair trade” and against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade deal Speaker Ryan and his allies support. The New York businessman scored major victories by eliminating TPP from the draft Republican Party platform and other immigration policies.

“We need someone who is steady and secure in his principles, someone who can cut through the noise and make a compelling case for conservatism,” Speaker Ryan said. “Mike Pence is that man.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kty., also released a statement following the announcement.

“Today, Donald Trump made a smart decision by selecting Governor Mike Pence to be his Vice Presidential running mate,” McConnell said. “Donald Trump and Mike Pence can lead our nation in a new direction and begin to correct the mistakes and mismanagement they will inherit from the Obama Administration. Pence is a principled conservative, man of faith, and talented messenger for Republican ideas. Mike’s leadership in Indiana and Congress make him more than ready for the position of Vice President.”

The Club for Growth PAC, which spent millions of dollars of ads attacking Mr. Trump during the Republican primary, released a statement that indicated the vice-presidential nominee gives them greater enthusiasm for the Republican ticket.

“Mike Pence would be an outstanding Vice-President,” said Club for Growth President David McIntosh. “I’ve been privileged to call Mike a friend for more than 20 years, and members of the Club for Growth have been cheering his principled stands for economic conservatism since he came to Congress. Mike was a leader on Capitol Hill against bailouts, Obamacare, and tax hikes. He has been a strong supporter of free trade agreements, and he stood up to his own party’s leadership against the expansion of the entitlement state.”

After failing to stop Mr. Trump in various states, to include Indiana, the Club for Growth even took the unprecedented step to endorse Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, marking the first of its kind ever in the group’s history.

“The Club supported Mike Pence’s nomination as Republican Conference Chairman because we knew that he would be a strong voice for free markets and economic liberty among a House leadership team that was too prone to be weak on those issues,” Mr. McIntosh added. “And today’s news gives a similar hope that Mike Pence will be effective in pulling the Republican ticket toward economic conservatism and limited government.”

The campaign was up against a hard deadline to make the announcement. Due to Indiana state law, Gov. Pence could not run for reelection and the vice presidency at the same time and had until noon on Friday to make the decision. PPD’s senior political analyst Richard Baris said the pick serves as a hat tip to both conservatives and party leadership. He also said it gives political analysts a peek into the Trump Campaign’s strategy.

“The choice is a clear indication that the Trump campaign understands his path of victory runs straight through Rust Belt America,” Baris said. “He is already running way ahead of both Mitt Romney and John McCain in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Iowa. Gov. Mike Pence is the governor of a once-competitive must-win Rust Belt state, who also has considerable experience on Capitol Hill and as an executive.”

With growing party solidarity, Mr. Trump has reversed his decline in the polls and now leads Hillary Clinton in the key battleground states of Iowa, Pennsylvania and Florida. He is roughly tied in Ohio, leading within the margin of error. The latest national tracking poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports finds Mr. Trump ahead by 7 points.

“His addition to the ticket will bring even more excitement to the voters who are eager to put a Republican in the White House and deny a third term for President Obama’s liberal agenda.” McConnell added. “Our nation needs new leadership, and I’m confident Trump and Pence can provide it.”

Republican congressional leaders and former critics praised

Elections

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, left, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, right.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, left, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, right.

Donald Trump has confirmed that he has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate, making the announcement late Friday morning. Mr. Trump on Thursday postponed his news conference because of the terrorist attack in Nice, France that left at least 84 dead.

In his first tweet as the Republican vice presidential nominee, Gov. Pence said he was “Honored to join” the ticket and even recited the campaign slogan.

“The choice is a clear indication that the Trump campaign understands his path of victory runs straight through Rust Belt America,” said PPD’s senior political analyst Richard Baris. “He is already running way ahead of both Mitt Romney and John McCain in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Iowa. Gov. Mike Pence is the governor of a once-competitive must-win Rust Belt state, who also has considerable experience on Capitol Hill and as an executive.”

The campaign was up against a hard deadline to make the announcement. Due to Indiana state law, Gov. Pence could not run for reelection and the vice presidency at the same time and had until noon on Friday to make the decision.

Mr. Trump has reversed his decline in the polls and now leads Hillary Clinton in the key battleground states of Iowa, Pennsylvania and Florida. He is roughly tied in Ohio, leading within the margin of error. The latest national tracking poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports finds Mr. Trump ahead by 7 points.

Donald Trump has confirmed that he has

News

Sean Copeland, 51, right, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, to his left. A child's doll lies on the street beside the body of a young girl who was killed in last night's attack in Nice, a city in the south of France. (Photo: Reuters)

Sean Copeland, 51, right, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, to his left. A child’s doll lies on the street beside the body of a young girl who was killed in last night’s attack in Nice, a city in the south of France. (Photo: Reuters)

A father and son from Texas were among 84 people–including 10 children–murdered when a terrorist plowed into a crowd of people gathered in Nice, France. Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie. They were from the Austin area and were vacationing with other family members, according to relatives.

An explosives- and weapons-laden truck drove full speed into a crowd of thousands gathered along a seaside promenade to watch the city’s Bastille Day fireworks. Witnesses said the driver was mowing people down like “bowling pins” in the street.

Hill Country Baseball, an Austin-area Little League where the boy played, also mourned their deaths on its Facebook page.

“Nobody deserves this type of fate, especially not such a wonderful family,” a memorial passage stated. “You are in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers. Rest in peace, Brodie and Sean, you will be remembered by many.”

A truck plowed through a large crowd of people in Nice during celebrations on Bastille Day in what is a suspected terrorist attack which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 73 people (Photo: AFP)

A truck plowed through a large crowd of people in Nice during celebrations on Bastille Day in what is a suspected terrorist attack which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 73 people (Photo: AFP)

Sources have identified a 31-year-old Tunisian national and Nice resident Mohamed Bouhlel as the attacker. He was driving alone in a truck he had rented before being killed by police in an attack that was eerily similiar to an instructional outlined in a magazine published by al-Qaeda in 2010.

“Such a monstrosity,” French President François Hollande said Friday morning. “France is deeply saddened, but it is also very strong. I can assure you we will always be stronger than the fanatics who are trying to attack us.”

President Hollande also confirmed that 50 other people are in critical condition and  announced that he was extending the state of emergency for another three months, or until Oct. 26. France has been on its highest state of alert since ISIS terrorists killed 130 people in Paris on November 13, 2015.

“Why Nice?” he asked. “Because it is a city that is known through the world – it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Why Bastille Day? Because it is the celebration of liberty.”

President Hollande said he was calling up “operational reserves” in addition to the 10,000 soldiers already involved in the Sentinel operation. Those who have served in the past and will be brought in to help police, particularly at French borders.

In France, July 14 is a national holiday that celebrates the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris, which sparked the beginning of the French Revolution. But flags were lowered to half-staff in Nice and in Paris Friday, while Marseille announced they had also canceled their fireworks celebrations.

A father and son from Texas were

World

Pedestrians walk past election posters for the Communist Party in Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova. Repeated attempts to sell radioactive materials signal that a thriving nuclear black market has emerged in this impoverished corner of Eastern Europe on the fringes of the former Soviet Union. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Pedestrians walk past election posters for the Communist Party in Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova. Repeated attempts to sell radioactive materials signal that a thriving nuclear black market has emerged in this impoverished corner of Eastern Europe on the fringes of the former Soviet Union. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Most Americans have never heard of Moldova, much less could find it on a map. But what has happened to this small former Soviet republic deserves to be on the front page of our newspapers and taught in our universities.

I have long written and spoken about the threat to our country and the West brought on by our financial irresponsibility. Now we have a real-life example of the way financial warfare can destroy a country. The threat to the United States is growing daily. As our sovereign debt approaches $20 trillion, on its way to $30 trillion, we can no longer afford to ignore this reality and the opening it gives our adversaries.

This week, courtesy of the Heritage Foundation, I spent three hours listening to and interviewing Mihail Gofman, a former Moldovan senior official at the National Anti-Corruption Center (NAC) who is also affiliated with various other Moldovan and European anti-money laundering and corruption watchdogs. Mr. Gofman was fired from his position at the NAC in 2013 after initiating an investigation of a massive theft from the Moldovan financial system, one that has crippled a country that was once on the way to European integration and a brighter future moving away from its corrupt Soviet past.

We haven’t the space here to do justice to the complicated scheme, but the 30,000-foot view is that in order to shore up its capital base, Moldova’s Banca di Economii (BEM) wanted to issue additional shares for a large percentage of the bank. These shares were sold to a syndicate of unscrupulous actors through an extensive network of shell companies. The purchasing funds were actually the assets of BEM itself, obtained through a series of noncommercial and fraudulent loans from the bank.

In short, the equivalent of a $1 billion in Moldovan currency was stolen from BEM and several other smaller entities — an astonishing 20 percent of the assets of the country, driving down the value of the currency and forcing the already struggling Moldovans deeper into poverty and misery.

The shocking truth is that much of this money was injected into Moldova from the IMF and other Western financial institutions; in short, the money was stolen from Western taxpayers. According to Mr. Gofman, over half of this money vanished into Russia, while the rest was squirreled away offshore and disappeared.

The end result is that once-promising Moldova, in Mr. Gofman’s words, has become a bomb waiting to explode.

“There is no precedent for this,” he told me. “They destroyed the country without a shot, created chaos. Russia and the oligarchs want us to remain a gray zone, between the West and Russia, [and] there will be no integration with the EU.”

The political system in Moldova has descended into tribal clan warfare, with each clan loyal to a different oligarch and center of power. Ideology has disappeared, driven out by corruption, graft and anarchy. Government institutions are no longer functioning. The only hope is more money and support from the West.

However, any funds provided will go merely to replacing the capital that was stolen from these banks, not to rebuilding the country for the future. The IMF is being held at bay anyway, with those in power leery of the auditors being allowed to conduct an autopsy of Moldova’s financial system.

Why should Americans care about what happened in Moldova, a tiny country so far away? The point is that by running our debt up to such unsustainably high levels, we have given our adversaries an opening to do serious damage to us financially. The Federal Reserve cannot raise rates in this country because we cannot afford to service our debt at market rates. Financial weakness leads to military weakness.

We are seeing this play itself out in front of our eyes. As Russia, China and Iran work to remove the U.S. dollar from the global financial system, the risk grows that this type of hybrid warfare could cripple our country, especially when combined with cyber attacks, high-tech threats to the electrical grid and other strikes.

The Obama administration has made dangerously weak by doubling the national debt, shrinking the military to scary levels, and destroying American credibility around the globe.

God help us.

This article first appeared on L. Todd Wood’s ‘Threat Assessment’ at The Washington Times.

[mybooktable book=”motherland” display=”summary” buybutton_shadowbox=”true”]

Most have never heard of Moldova, but

Economy

manufacturing-reuters

Surveys gauging manufacturing growth or contraction in Empire State. (REUTERS)

The New York Federal Reserve’s Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed factory activity in the region was flat and subindexes fell to near zero. The headline general business conditions index declined by five points to 0.6, while the new orders index and the shipments index both fell to levels not far from zero, an indication sign that orders and shipments were flat and weak.

Labor market indicators pointed to a small decline in employment levels and hours worked, which will further slow wage increases in the region. In fact, weak manufacturing data across the country and part-time employment have dragged down wage growth.

The prices paid index held steady at 18.7, suggesting that moderate input price increases were continuing, and the prices received index held near zero, suggesting selling prices remained flat. Firms were also less optimistic about future conditions compared to last month. The index for future employment was near zero, suggesting that firms do not expect any change in employment levels in the months ahead

The New York Federal Reserve's Empire State

Economy

retail-sales-shopper-reuters

A retail sales shopper in the U.S. (Photo: Reuters)

The Commerce Department reported on Friday U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% last month, easily beating the median economic forecast calling for a 0.1% gain. Americans bought more automobiles and other goods than expected, increasing hopes that economic growth picked up in the second quarter after an abysmal 1.1% growth in the first quarter.

The Atlanta Fed is currently forecasting second-quarter GDP growth at a 2.3 percent annualized rate.

The report marks the third straight month of gains and brought U.S. retail sales up 2.7% from a year ago. Retail sales in May were previously reported to have increased by 0.5%. Excluding the volatile auto component, sales rose 0.7%, beating the 0.4% estimate. The so-called core retail sales most closely align with the consumer spending component of gross domestic product (GDP). They were previously reported to have risen 0.4% in May.

Retail sales in June were fueled by gains in building materials and garden equipment, which increased 3.9%, or the largest increase since April 2010. Online retail sales rose 1.1%, while receipts at sporting goods and hobby stores increased 0.8%. Meanwhile, auto sales ticked up slightly by 0.1% after falling 0.5% in May.

Sales at electronics and appliance outlets were flat, while receipts at service stations gained 1.2%, largely a reflection of recent gains in gasoline prices. However, restaurants and bars sales declined 0.35 and clothing apparel fell 1.0%.

The Commerce Department reported on Friday U.S.

Economy

consumer-price-index-tv

(Photo: REUTERS)

The Labor Department reported on Friday that the Consumer Price Index, gauging prices at the consumer level, rose by just 0.2% in June. Prices were expected to increase by 0.3%. Excluding the volatile food and energy components, prices were also 0.2% higher, that estimate was for a rise of 0.2% matching expectations.

[brid video=”54891″ player=”2077″ title=”Stuart Varney Consumer Prices Rise 0.2% in May”]

The Labor Department reported on Friday that

Politics

Saudi-Royal-Family-AP

Members of the royal family, including Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, left, who is one of the men allegedly responsible for funding Bin Laden. (Photos: AP/Getty/AFP)

A 28-page 2002 congressional report on the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, released Friday, indicates some of the hijackers had ties to people in the Saudi government. Yet, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., stressed in a statement that the report contained no independent evidence of a direct relationship.

“Because the information can be released without jeopardizing national security, the American people should be able to access it. However, it’s important to note that this section does not put forward vetted conclusions, but rather unverified leads that were later fully investigated by the Intelligence Community.”

However, the report cited the reason for a “limited understanding” of Saudi Arabia’s role and financing of terror groups as an unwillingness to investigate “due to Saudi Arabia’s status as an American ‘ally.’” It also shows that in 2002–only a year after the deadliest terror attacks in U.S. history–the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI had numerous leads indicating ties between Saudis in America and some of the hijackers, specifically the two that took control of Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon. Further, it links associates of the hijackers and Saudi Arabian Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former longtime ambassador to the United States. In a phone book found on al-Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, who was captured in Pakistan in 2002.

The documents released claim Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national who helped two of the hijackers in San Diego, Calif., was suspected of being a Saudi intelligence officer. “Al-Bayoumi was known to have access to large amounts of money from Saudi Arabia, despite the fact that he did not appear to hold a job,” the report said.

While the 9/11 Commission found him to be an “unlikely candidate for clandestine involvement” with Islamic extremists, the new document says that FBI files indicated al-Bayoumi had “extensive contact with Saudi government establishments in the United States and received financial support from a Saudi company affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Defense. … That company reportedly had ties to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida.”

Former President George W. Bush originally classified the chapter to protect intelligence sources, methods and undoubtedly to preserve U.S.-Saudi relations. President Barack Obama, under pressure from the families of the 9/11 victims, later ordered a declassification review of the chapter, which were released on Friday. The Republican-controlled Congress recently passed a bill allowing the families of terror victims to sue Saudi Arabia.

Saudi connections to the Islamic terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks are already well-known, including the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens. However, top al-Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th 9/11 hijacker, previously implicated Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal by name, as well as other Saudi government officials. He claimed they financed al-Qaeda, which was an embarrassing disclosure made during a segment on “Special Report” hosted by Fox News anchor Bret Baier.

In addition to being a “major investor in the parent company” of Fox News, Al-Waleed is a very close friend of Rupert Murdoch and his family.

While the Saudis called the allegation “delusional” and pointed to Moussaoui’s own lawyer’s assertion that he was incompetent, it is well-known that Osama bin Laden was the son of a wealthy Saudi Arabian contractor who had close ties to the Saudi royal family. Worth noting, shortly after the report was filed by James Rosen, Al-Waleed announced his company–Kingdom Holding Company–was dumping most of its stake in Murdoch’s News Corp., down from 6.6% to 1%.

A 28-page 2002 congressional report on the

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