Retired Brig. Gen. Adnan Tanrıverdi, a top advisor of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said Turkey has defeated the US five times since 2015, the pro-government Yeni Şafak daily reported.
Speaking to Yeni Şafak, Tanrıverdi listed Turkish victories against the US as “the establishment of the government in the Nov. 1, 2015 elections; the crackdown on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in eastern Turkish cities; the suppression of a coup attempt on July 15, 2016; a Turkish operation in Jarablus and its environs in northern Syria in 2016; and the continued presence of Turkish military bases in Iraq.”
Claiming that Turkey’s determination and success led to a change of administration in the US presidential election, Tanrıverdi said: “Having links to terrorist organizations is a crime under international law. It will lead to the collapse of the US if they continue on like that.”
Tanrıverdi also said the US would withdraw its troops from the Syrian city of Manbij, which was announced by President Erdoğan as the next step after a Turkish operation in the Afrin region of Syria.
Erdoğan’s advisor also proposed the creation of a new system that allows Turkey to work with Muslim countries in the defense industry: “[Turkey] will have a defense industry by 2023 that will be capable of supplying whatever is requested.”
“You cannot defy others with the weapons of others. If we say, ‘We are independent,’ we must have an independent defense industry.”
Founder of SADAT A.S. International Defense Consulting, retired Brig. Gen. Tanrıverdi was appointed as an advisor to President Erdoğan following the coup attempt in July 2016.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has been critical of the government’s relations with SADAT and in 2016 asked the government about the alleged role of SADAT in training Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) members.
CHP Party Assembly member Necati Yılmaz asked Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım whether or not there are relations as claimed between Al Nusra, Al Qaeda, ISIL and SADAT.
SADAT was established by 23 retired officers and noncommissioned officers under the leadership of Tanrıverdi on Feb. 28, 2012.
Amid debates over a recent controversial state of emergency decree that gives immunity to civilians who take part in thwarting coup and terror incidents, İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener claimed that civilians close to the ruling party are receiving arms training in Konya and Tokat provinces.
“SADAT is one of those groups [providing training]. … Those groups will pull people into clashes. I’m warning [the government] right now. I want measures to be taken,” she added.