Turkish Forum

Tag: Ahmet Yazal

  • Leadership, accountability and the voice of the Turkish American community

    Leadership, accountability and the voice of the Turkish American community

    Staten Island Advance Newspaper Prints Editorial about Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal, New York in Newspaper.

    Since his appointment, Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal has become a focal point of concern.

    Clink onto Link Below to Read Editorial about Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal, New York 

    Leadership, accountability and the voice of the Turkish American community

    • Published: Apr. 22, 2026, 6:00 a.m.

    In every diplomatic post, leadership carries not only authority, but a profound responsibility to represent, protect and unify the people it serves. For the Turkish American community, the role of Consul General is especially significant. It must bridge Ankara and the diaspora, uphold dignity and respond firmly to external challenges particularly in moments when Türkiye faces criticism or misrepresentation in international media.

    Since his appointment, Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal has become a focal point of concern among segments of the Turkish American community. These concerns are not rooted in hostility toward Türkiye. Rather, they reflect a desire for stronger advocacy, clearer communication, and a leadership approach that fosters inclusion instead of division.

    One issue that has resonated deeply is the sentiment among community members, including respected elders, that their voices and contributions have not been adequately recognized. For a community that takes immense pride in its history, including the sacrifices of Turkish soldiers in the Korean War, this perception is especially painful. Honoring that legacy should be a unifying principle.

    Equally troubling is the perception that criticism or questioning of leadership is discouraged or met with coordinated pushback from loyal supporters of Consul General Ahmet Yazal. Many describe an environment where individuals who raise concerns feel targeted, intimidated, harassed or subjected to efforts to delegitimize their voices by Turkish Consul General Mr. Yazal foot soldiers. Whether formal or informal, this dynamic has created a chilling effect within the community.

    There is what many now describe as a “silent majority” within the Turkish American community — individuals who share similar concerns but hesitate to speak publicly. Their reluctance stems from fear of backlash, including harassment, intimidation or reputational harm. When individuals feel constrained from expressing their views, the strength and unity of the community suffer.

    Public accountability, including for Consul Generals, is not “anti-Türkiye” or “anti-government.” It is a fundamental democratic principle. Communities must be able to apply pressure when officials appear unresponsive or when gatekeepers attempt to silence inconvenient voices. Labeling criticism as “weaponizable” risks becoming a method of suppressing legitimate dissent.

    At a dinner on March 12, 2026, Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal emphasized the importance of civic voice, stating:

    “Most importantly, in the country where we reside, let us learn about and take ownership of the rights and opportunities available to our communities, and let us not forget our right to have a voice in this land.”

    This is an important message. However, it must be applied consistently. Encouraging individuals to speak must also include the freedom to question leadership without fear.

    The Turkish American community deserves leadership that listens from Ankara and does use foot soldiers to silence inconvenient voices. Open dialogue, accountability and mutual respect remain essential to strong representation.

    https://www.silive.com/opinion/letters/2026/04/leadership-accountability-and-the-voice-of-the-turkish-american-community.html

    (Ibrahim Kurtulus is a Dongan Hills resident.)

  • New York Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal

    New York Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal

    For over 35 years, I have held US elected officials members of US. Congress, US, governors, US, senators, and community leaders accountable by questioning and, when necessary, criticizing their actions. In the United States, this kind of scrutiny is not only accepted, it’s a fundamental part of civic engagement.

    What’s troubling is the double standard I’ve experienced. The same people who remain silent when I criticize U.S. officials react very differently when I raise concerns about Turkish diplomats. Instead of open dialogue, I face intimidation, threats, and harassment both directly and indirectly directed by Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal.

    Criticism of any public official, including consuls general, should not be labeled as anti country or anti government. Holding officials accountable is not an attack on a nation; it’s a necessary way for communities to voice concerns and demand better representation. Labeling dissent as harmful or “weaponizable” is often just a tactic to silence inconvenient voices rather than address the issues being raised.

    Respectfully,

    Ibrahim Kurtulus
    Community Activist

  • Silence about  terrorist origination Fethullah Gulen foot Soldiers in New York

    Silence about  terrorist origination Fethullah Gulen foot Soldiers in New York

    New York  Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal  / Silence about  terrorist origination Fethullah Gulen foot Soldiers in New York  

    Since the appointment of Consul General Ahmet Yazal, there has been little visible public response or outreach regarding activities in New York involving individuals believed to be linked to  the terrorist origination Fethullah Gulen and their engagement with various NGOs. This silence is raising questions as many in community  are wondering whether enough attention is being given to the issue in New York by Consul General Ahmet Yazal about the terrorist origination , and whether Turkish interests are being actively represented and protected, especially considering the responsibility to the Turkish public. Yazal is just collecting his $12,000 salary and waiting for his retirement and walking his two dogs. (picture attached) 

    Respectfully,

    Ibrahim Kurtulus
    Staten Island, New York 

  • Türkiye’s Consul General Ahmet Yazal in New York Once Again Remains Silent

    Türkiye’s Consul General Ahmet Yazal in New York Once Again Remains Silent

    My Response to New York Post / Türkiye’s Consul General Ahmet Yazal – New York once Again Remains Silent.

    A Tabloid Smear Disguised as Foreign Policy: The New York Post’s Reckless Attack on a NATO Ally

    The New York Post article Published Feb. 5, 2026  accusing the Republic of Türkiye of secretly propping up Iran’s regime is not analysis it is ideological propaganda dressed up as concern for regional stability. Built on conjecture, selective outrage, and strategic illiteracy, the piece reflects more about its author’s bias than about Türkiye’s actual role in Middle Eastern diplomacy.

    Let us state the obvious: Türkiye is a NATO ally, home to the alliance’s second-largest military and a frontline state that has absorbed the human and security costs of Iran’s proxy conflicts for decades. To portray Ankara as an enabler of Tehran’s repression is not merely false it is intellectually lazy. The article’s central accusation that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to preserve Iran’s theocracy to advance Turkish ambitions rests on no evidence. None. Diplomacy is repeatedly conflated with endorsement, and mediation is dishonestly framed as sabotage. This is not serious foreign policy reasoning; it is a cartoonish worldview where war is virtue and restraint is betrayal.

    Türkiye’s position has been consistent and public: a regional war with Iran would trigger uncontrollable instability, mass displacement, asymmetric retaliation, and long-term chaos stretching from the Levant to Europe. Warning against this outcome is not duplicity it is responsible statecraft. Only someone detached from the consequences of war could dismiss such caution as sinister. The article also assumes, without justification, that Türkiye fears the emergence of a democratic Iran. This claim collapses under basic scrutiny. Türkiye has coexisted with Iran across ideological shifts for decades not because it favors repression, but because geography and regional responsibility demand engagement, not fantasy. States do not get to choose their neighbors, and mature powers manage reality rather than indulge in regime-change daydreams.

    Equally dishonest is the suggestion that Türkiye seeks to “block” American or Israeli action. Ankara has repeatedly emphasized that unilateral military strikes do not produce democracy and rarely produce lasting security. History particularly in the Middle East supports this view overwhelmingly. Opposing reckless escalation is not anti-American; it is pro-stability. The article’s treatment of diplomacy is especially revealing. Hosting talks, proposing de-escalation, or offering mediation are portrayed as acts of treachery. By this logic, decades of U.S. diplomacy from Coold War arms control to the Iran nuclear negotiations—would also constitute moral failure. The author applias a standard to Türkiye that the United States has never applied to itself.

    Most cynical of all is the article’s selective concern for the Iranian people. Their suffering is invoked only to justify military confrontation, despite the fact that war would inevitably kill far more civilians and entrench authoritarianism, not dismantle it. This is not solidarity it is exploitation. The piece also conveniently ignores our government, Washington’s own history of negotiating with regimes it opposed when doing so served strategic interests. Apparently, diplomacy is acceptable when conducted by Americans, but evidence of duplicity when pursued by a NATO ally. Such double standards do not strengthen alliances; they corrode them.

    What makes this smear campaign particularly damaging is the continued silence of Türkiye’s Consul General Ahmet Yazal in New York, who once again appears content to collect a reported $14,000 (est) monthly salary while allowing false and defamatory narratives to circulate unchallenged in a major American tabloid. Defending a nation’s reputation is not optional it is the fundamentel duty of diplomatic office. Silence in the face of repeated misrepresentation is not prudence; it is failure.

    The New York Post article does not expose Türkiye. It exposes the dangers of substituting ideology for strategy and outrage for evidence. Türkiye remains a NATO ally, a regional  superpower, and a state that understands the cost of war better than most.

    Foreign policy requires seriousness, not slogans. This article offers none and Western unity is weaker for it.

    Ibrahim Kurtulus 
    Community Activist 

  • New York State So-called “Armenian Genocide” narrative

    New York State So-called “Armenian Genocide” narrative

    New York State So-called “Armenian Genocide” narrative / New York Turkish Consul General

    New York Turkish Consul General Ahmet Yazal has presided over one of the weakest and most ineffective periods of representation for the Republic of Türkiye in New York.

    While the so-called “Armenian Genocide” narrative is being advanced in New York State Senate. The Consulate remains silent offering no pushback, no outreach, and no public diplomacy whatsoever. It is difficult to recall a consul general who has been more disengaged from the responsibilities of defending Turkish interests abroad. 

    Ibrahim Kurtulus 
    Community Activist 

  • Ji Hyun Kim / Korean War Veteran Organization of Media Representative

    Ji Hyun Kim / Korean War Veteran Organization of Media Representative

    Ji Hyun Kim – Wisdom
    Korean War Veteran Organization of Media Representative 
    Astoria – Queens – New York

    Dear Wisdom,

    Warm greetings to you.

    For more than 25 years, you have honored our community through your heartfelt representation of the heroic Turkish Korean War Veterans. Many of us in the Turkish-American community know this well, including numerous Turkish military officers who have served in New York throughout the last quarter century. In fact, past Turkish Military Advisors still ask about your health and remember your dedication with great appreciation.

    My dear friend, I write to you with a sincere and respectful request: that you kindly refrain from sending further correspondence to the current Consul General of Türkiye, Mr. M. Ahmet Yazal. Unlike his predecessors who valued your efforts, engaged with the community, and showed genuine respect Mr. Yazal has not demonstrated the qualities deserving of the honor you traditionally extend to the office of the Consul General Figures such as Volkan Bozkır, Yusuf Buluc, Fuat Tanlay, Mehmet Nuri Ezen, Ömer Önhon, Mehmet Samsar, Mustafa Levent Bilgen, Ertan Yalçın, Alper Aktaş, and Reyhan Özgür. 

    Most painfully, Mr. Yazal refused to attend the funeral of the highest-ranking and most decorated Turkish Korean War Veteran in the United States, who passed away in January 2025. This veteran was not only honored by the United States military for his heroism, but was the most decorated Turkish veteran recognized in America for his service during the Korean War. For our community, his funeral was a moment of profound respect and national pride. For Mr. Yazal, it was a moment ignored. We view this as an insult not only to the memory of a heroic Turkish soldier, but to the dignity of the Turkish nation itself.

    No Consul General in our community’s history has shown such disregard. For more than 40 years, we have not seen a Consul General perform so poorly in representing the Republic of Türkiye or in engaging the community that funds and supports the very institution he represents.

    A Consul General’s role is not merely ceremonial. It is a position funded by taxpayers, meant to maintain relationships, foster diplomacy, support citizens of the sending state, and actively engage with community, civic organizations, veterans, religious leaders, city officials, diplomats, and Americans of goodwill. When this engagement breaks, the mission of the Consulate suffers and the image of Türkiye is damaged.

    For these reasons, I am urging friends in our American community including diplomats, veterans’ organizations, civic leaders, and city officials to suspend engagement with Mr. Yazal. He has not earned the respect nor the honor you have so generously extended to previous Consul Generals who valued your contributions and the contributions of our veterans.

    You have always stood with those who served this nation and the Republic of Türkiye. Your moral clarity has never gone unnoticed, and it continues to inspire those of us who believe that respect must be earned, not assumed.

    With my highest regards and respect,

    Ibrahim Kurtulus

    Honorary South Korean Citizen 
    Honorary Korean War Veteran