Turkish Forum

Author: Ibrahim Kurtulus

  • Letter to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani

    Letter to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani

    Mayor Zohran Mamdani,
    New York City Hall
     July 20, 2026 

    Dear Mayor Mamdani,

    I write to express my strong protest regarding the amended New York City Immigrant Map, which fails to recognize the longstanding presence of the Turkish American community in Sunnyside, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. This omission is deeply disappointing and does not reflect the historical and cultural reality of New York City.

    For decades, Turkish Americans have built businesses, raised families, contributed to the economy, served in public service, supported local schools, and enriched the cultural fabric of our city. Thousands of Turkish Americans have made these neighborhoods their home, helping strengthen the diverse character that New York proudly celebrates. Excluding our community sends the wrong message that our contributions are somehow less worthy of acknowledgment than those of other immigrant communities.

    An immigrant map should be based on documented community presence and historical accuracy, not selective recognition. The absence of Turkish Americans from Sunnyside, Brooklyn, and Staten Island undermines the credibility of a project intended to celebrate New York’s diversity. Every community that has made meaningful contributions deserves fair and equal representation.

    I respectfully urge your administration to review this omission, consult with Turkish American community organizations and local leaders, and amend the map to include the Turkish American communities of Sunnyside, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Recognition is not a privilege it is a matter of fairness, accuracy, and respect for the generations of Turkish Americans who have helped build this great city.

    I look forward to your prompt attention and to a correction that ensures the amended NYC Immigrant Map truly reflects the diversity of all New Yorkers.

    Respectfully,

    Ibrahim Kurtulus

    Community Activist

    Staten Island 

     646 2677488 

  • Muslim Lives Does Matter

    Muslim Lives Does Matter

    Mayor Zohran Mamdani 

    City Hall 

    New York NY

    July 12, 2026 

                Mayor Zohran Mamdani a Hypocrite :  Muslim Lives Does Matter. 

    Mr. Mamdani,  Let me remind you  that on July 11, 2026  the world paused to remember one of the clearest and most thoroughly documented genocides in modern history. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, your silence on this solemn day speaks volumes and warrants serious reflection.

    On July 11, as thousands gather at the Bosnia and Herzegovina  , Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial Centre, ten more victims of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide are finally laid to rest. Many were young men whose mothers waited in vain for their sons, wives for their husbands, and children for fathers who would never return.

    More than 8,372 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically murdered solely because they were Muslim and identity. This was not merely the opinion of activists or self described scholars. The genocide at Srebrenica was formally recognized by both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after extensive judicial proceedings, evidence, witness testimony, and legal scrutiny.

    Yet you have chosen to remain silent on this proven genocide while publicly promoting recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide a historical claim that has never been adjudicated and established as genocide by an international court through a comparable judicial process.

    That inconsistency raises legitimate questions. If your commitment to human rights is genuine, why acknowledge one historical so call claim while failing to recognize another that has been conclusively established by international courts as a proven Genocide? Human rights cannot be selective, and the memory of innocent victims should never depend on political convenience.

    July 11th we remember the victims of Srebrenica, stand with our Muslim brother and  people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and reaffirm that justice requires consistency. The world honors the truth established by law, not political expediency. Victims of genocide deserve equal remembrance, equal dignity, and equal moral courage from those who seek public office.

    Ibrahim Kurtulus

    Community Activist 

  • My Response to New York US Congresswomen Nicolo Malliotakis

    My Response to New York US Congresswomen Nicolo Malliotakis

    America’s Interests Come First: Why Strengthening Our NATO Alliance with Türkiye Matters

    As NATO leaders prepare to meet in early July, the United States should be guided by one principle above all else: American national security interests. That is precisely why continued defense cooperation with our NATO ally, the Republic of Türkiye, is in America’s strategic interest.

    Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis continues to oppose providing advanced U.S. military equipment to Türkiye, citing disagreements with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Her position confuses disagreements with a government and the long-term strategic interests of the United States. Alliances are built on national interestsnot personal approval of foreign leaders.

    Türkiye possesses NATO’s secondlargest military and has remained one of the Alliance’s most strategically important members for more than seventy years. It sits at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and the Black Sea, making it indispensable to NATO’s southern flank.

    Critics often overlook Türkiye’s unique diplomatic role. Because Ankara maintains working relationships with countries that many Western nations do not, it has repeatedly served as a channel for difficult negotiations involving Russia, Iran, and regional conflicts. Those lines of communication have often advanced Western diplomatic objectives when direct dialogue was impossible.

    Türkiye has also played an important role in maintaining the balance of power in the Black Sea through its implementation of the Montreux Convention, limiting the transit of warships during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This has demonstrated that Türkiye’s independent diplomacy can, at times, reinforce NATO’s broader security interests.

    It is also disappointing that some elected officials continue referring to our ally as “Turkey” while the country’s internationally recognized official name is the Republic of Türkiye. Respect for allies begins with recognizing how they identify themselves.

    Opposing defense cooperation with Türkiye also carrias consequences here at home. American defense exports support thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs throughout the United States, strengthen our industrial base, and deepen military interoperability among NATO allies. Weakening those partnerships ultimately benefits America’s strategic competitors.

    Congresswoman Malliotakis has also repeated allegations that Türkiye is “illegally occupying” part of Cyprus. That issue remains one of the most complex disputes in modern international politics. Supporters of Türkiye argue that its 1974 intervention followed the Greek-backed coup on the island and was undertaken pursuant to its rights as a guarantor power under the Treaty of Guarantee to protect the Turkish Cypriot community. They further note that Türkiye encouraged Turkish Cypriots to support the 2004 Annan Plan for reunification, while a majority of Greek Cypriot voters rejected it. These differing interpretations underscore why lasting peace requires diplomacy rather than political slogans.

    America’s relationship with Türkiye should be evaluated through the lens of U.S. national securitynot domestic politics or special-interest pressure. A strong NATO requires capable allies. Isolating one of NATO’s most significant military partners would neither strengthen the Alliance nor advance American interests.

    As NATO confronts unprecedented security challenges, Washington should reaffirm not weaken its partnership with the Republic of Türkiye. America’s security, NATO’s unity, regional stability, and American workers are all better served by engagement than by division.

    Ibrahim Kurtulus 

    Community Activist 

  • My Rebuttel of  Congresswomen Nicole Malliotakis – NATO Ally Turkiye

    My Rebuttel of  Congresswomen Nicole Malliotakis – NATO Ally Turkiye

    Congresswoman U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis continues to repeat one sided talking points that do nothing to strengthen American foreign policy, NATO unity, or the interests of the constituents she was elected to represent. Her latest statement regarding the Republic of Türkiye once again demonstrates a selective interpretation of history while ignoring the strategic realities facing the United States and its allies.

    First, the official name of the country is the Republic of Türkiye. It is remarkable that someone who repeatedly comments on U.S.-Türkiye relations still refuses to use the internationally recognized name. If Congresswoman Malliotakis wishes to lecture Americans on foreign policy, she should begin by accurately identifying the nation she is criticizing.

    Her accusations regarding Hamas deliberately ignore facts. For years, Türkiye has maintained communication with the political wing of Hamas while coordinating closely with Washington and other international partners whenever hostage negotiations, humanitarian efforts, and regional diplomacy required dialogue. Diplomacy is not endorsement. The United States itself has frequently relied upon partners that maintain channels with organizations America does not recognize. To portray Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement as “harboring Hamas” is a misleading political slogan designed to smear a NATO ally rather than educate the public.

    Her criticism of Türkiye’s relationship with Russia is equally selective. Türkiye has supplied Ukraine with military assistance, including the wellknown Bayraktar drones, closed the Turkish Straits to additional warships under the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits, facilitated critical grain export agreements, and served as one of the few nations capable of mediating between Moscow and Kyiv. Maintaining dialogue with Russia has often advanced Western interests rather than undermined them.

    Congresswoman Malliotakis also repeats the claim that Türkiye is “illegally occupying” Cyprus while refusing to acknowledge the historical record. Türkiye’s 1974 action was an intervention following a Greek-backed coup seeking Enosis union with Greece and years of systematic violence against Turkish Cypriots. Even courts in Greece acknowledged legal arguments surrounding Türkiye’s intervention under the Treaty of Guarantee. The intervention prevented further massacres and protected an entire community from extermination. Ignoring those facts while presenting only one side of history does not promote peace or reconciliation.

    Equally revealing is her silence regarding Greece’s own defense relationship with Russia. Greece has operated Russian-made S-300 missile systems on Crete for years, yet Congresswoman Malliotakis rarely mentions this reality while criticizing Türkiye. Such selective outrage raises legitimate questions regarding whether her positions are based upon American strategic interests or domestic ethnic politics.

    Her opposition to modern defense cooperation with Türkiye also undermines American workers and American industry. Blocking advanced defense sales weakens NATO interoperability, damages U.S. aerospace manufacturing jobs, and encourages allies to seek alternative suppliers outside the United States. That approach harms American economic interests while benefiting America’s competitors.

    The Republic of Türkiye possesses NATO’s second-largest military and has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States in numerous security operations for decades. It remains indispensable to Black Sea security, counterterrorism efforts, energy security, and regional stability. Weakening one of NATO’s strongest military members only strengthens America’s adversaries.

    Representative Malliotakis was elected to represent all New Yorkersnot to elevate Greek nationalism over American national interests. Rather than fueling divisive smear campaigns against a critical NATO ally, she should support policies that strengthen the Alliance, protect American jobs, and advance U.S. strategic interests. Responsible leadership requires facts, historical balance, and diplomacy not inflammatory rhetoric designed to delegitimize one of America’s most important allies in a dangerous region.

    Ibrahim Kurtulus

    Staten island- New York 

    Community Activist 

  • Mocking Çanakkale

    Mocking Çanakkale

    Mocking Çanakkale ( Gallipoli ) Türkiye and Australia. By Portraying a Soccer Match as “Revenge for Gallipoli”

    Mocking Çanakkale ( Gallipoli )  for Sports Humor Dishonors the Fallen and Distorts History. 

    Not on my watch will I stay mute.

    The article by Clancy Overell is not clever satire it is a deeply offensive attempt to trivialize one of the most tragic chapters in the shared history of Türkiye and Australia. By portraying a soccer match as “revenge for Gallipoli,” the author reduces the sacrifice of thousands of young men on both sides to a cheap sporting joke and undermines a friendship that was forged through unimaginable loss and later transformed into one of mutual respect and brotherhood.

     Article link below:

    https://www.betootaadvocate.com/australia-finally-get-revenge-for-gallipoli-as-turks-ambushed-by-our-brave-socceroos

    Gallipoli was never about revenge. It became a symbol of reconciliation. The battlefield of Çanakkale produced not hatred, but a lasting bond between Australians, New Zealanders, and Turks. The men who fought there earned each other’s respect through courage and sacrifice.

    In 1915, while defending his homeland, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk told his soldiers: “I am not ordering you to attack, I am ordering you to die.” He later became the founder of the modern Republic of Türkiye and emerged as a statesman dedicated to peace and reconciliation.

    His immortal words to the mothers of the fallen ANZACs remain one of the greatest tributes to peace ever spoken:

    “There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours… After having lost their lives on this land, they become our sons as well.”

    These words transformed former enemies into friends and created a relationship that has endured for more than a century. Türkiye, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and many other nations continue to honor that shared history together.

    To invoke Gallipoli as a vehicle for mocking Turks or celebrating “revenge” is irresponsible and disrespectful. It does nothing to strengthen understanding between peoples. More troubling, it contributes to a broader pattern of rhetoric that seeks to caricature and delegitimize the Turkish nation and its people.

    No article, no headline, and no misguided attempt at humor will damage the brotherhood forged at Çanakkale. The friendship between Türkiye and Australia is built on mutual respect, remembrance, and peace and it is far stronger than the divisive words of any commentator.

    Ibrahim Kurtulus 

    Community Activist 

    New York – Staten Island.

    cc:   Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations, New York

    All The Australian Consulate-General’s in United States 

  • US and Türkiye Must Stand Firm in Support of Georgia’s Democratic Future

    US and Türkiye Must Stand Firm in Support of Georgia’s Democratic Future

     As Georgia prepares to celebrate its Independence Day on May 26th, the occasion must serve not only as a national commemoration, but also as a moment of strategic reflection for its allies and partners particularly the United States and the Republic of Türkiye. At a time when nearly 20 percent of Georgia’s internationally recognized territory remains under Russian occupation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, silence and disengagement are not options. The world has already witnessed in Ukraine the devastating consequences of failing to push back firmly against Russian aggression before it escalates further.

     Georgia has spent decades pursuing democratic reform, Euro-Atlantic integration, and closer cooperation with the West. American assistance played a central role in strengthening Georgia’s democratic institutions, military readiness, education system, healthcare sector, and civil society. Yet recent policy shifts from Washington risk undermining those hard-earned gains. The suspension of over $95 million in U.S. government assistance in 2024, followed by the deeper USAID cuts and restructuring in 2025–2026, has sent troubling signals throughout the region.

     The sweeping dismantling of USAID programs under the Trump administration effectively halted much of the soft-power infrastructure that supported Georgia’s network of civil society organizations, educators, reform advocates, and democratic institutions. Regardless of political disagreements, abandoning Georgia at a moment of geopolitical vulnerability risks creating a dangerous vacuum that Moscow would eagarly exploit.

     The Georgian people have repeatedly demonstrated their desire for a democratic and European future. Punitive disengagement from Washington weakens not only Georgia, but broader Western credibility throughout the Black Sea and Caucasus regions. Support for Georgia is not charity it is a strategic necessity tied directly to regional security, energy transit, NATO stability, and the containment of Russian expansionism. The Republic of Türkiye must also recognize the seriousness of this moment. As a NATO ally and regional super power with deep historical, economic, people to people and  strategic ties to Georgia, Türkiye cannot afford passivity. Georgia remeins essential to critical energy and trade corridors, including the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor, which strengthen both European energy security and Türkiye’s role as a regional energy hub. Stability in Georgia directly impacts Artvin, my dads home State of Rize, and Trabzon, and Türkiye’s broader strategic interests in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

     If the democratic world fails to stand firmly beside Georgia today, the consequences tomorrow may mirror what the international community failed to prevent in Ukraine. The cost of hesitation is always far greater than the cost of principled engagement.

     May 26th must therefore stand as a reminder that Georgia is not alone. The United States and Türkiye must reaffirm their commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty, democracy, and territorial integrity. To stand idle now would not only abandon a loyal partner it would embolden Russian ambitions across the region and weaken the foundations of democratic security itself.