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Anti-Americanism reaches new peak in Turkey

Some Turks express a fierce desire for the United States to suffer through another civil war, which they see as likely or even imminent.
Members of the Youth Union of Turkey (Turkiye Genclik Birligi, TGB) hold signs and Turkish flags as they stage an anti-US protest outside the Parliament before a visit by the US Secretary of Defence in Ankara on October 21, 2016.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter arrived in Ankara on October 21 for talks with the leaders of Turkey, a crucial but sensitive ally in the fight against the Islamic State group. / AFP / ADEM ALTAN        (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

As much of the world watched anger spiraling out of control Aug. 11-12 in Charlottesville, Virginia, some Turks were rather pleased with the events. Even before US President Donald Trump fully indulged white supremacists with his words and before US media outlets mentioned fears of a possible civil war, several pro-government voices in the Turkish media said they were certain the United States is destined for a civil war or is even on the brink of one.

In the pro-government Turks' commentaries, three features are evident. First, most of these statements are brewing with a rather new type of anti-Americanism, rejoicing in the possibility of American suffering. Second, the statements reflect limited knowledge of US politics, and that knowledge sometimes is intentionally distorted. Last, the comments don't mention white supremacists’ hatred of Islam or Turkish-Americans; rather, the focus has been mostly on the supremacists' slogan “Jews will not replace us.”

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