Turkish president says the country will boycott US electronics

[Polycount]

China isn't the only country the US has a rocky relationship with - Turkey is causing a few headaches for US leaders as well. The Eurasian country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on Tuesday that he would be calling for a boycott of all American electronics sold to the country's residents.

"Every product that we buy in foreign currency from outside, we will produce them here and sell abroad," Erdogan said in a speech, according to The New York Times. "We will boycott the electronics products of the U.S."

This is certainly a bold statement on Erdogan's part, but it hasn't come entirely out of left field.

Tensions between the US and Turkey have been steadily rising since American pastor Andrew Brunson was detained by Turkish officials on charges of terrorism and espionage. After that unfortunate event, both countries proceeded to impose hefty sanctions and tariffs on one another.

At any rate, it's not clear how Erdogan plans to enforce this boycott if indeed he intends to enforce it at all. It could merely be a way for the foreign president to gather support for his regime among Turkish nationalists.

Though Erdogan may not intend to institute a firm ban on American-made electronics, he did note that there's plenty of alternatives for those who are willing to stop using the devices. "If they have the iPhone, there is Samsung," the Turkish president said.

Image courtesy Associated Press via The New York Times

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/75982-turkish-president-country-boycott-us-electronics.html

 

[Capaill]

Do all Turkish men have a moustache?

 

[cliffordcooley]

It is probably for the better. If a country is capable of producing their own merchandise, then maybe they should.

 

[dj2017]

Taking hostages is one of the ways the Turkish government is doing foreign policy, unfortunately. Bulling and threatening is the other. I don't know if the Turks are correct here about that pastor, but they definitely are NOT a country where you can be certain that the person they thrown in prison is at least a real suspect for doing something, or just someone unfortunate to be used for this country's foreign policies.

 

[GeforcerFX]

There currency is in a free fall it seems, they just lost the F-35 and will lose there economic partnership in that program as well. Talking with people I know in Turkey or that just left, Turkey is prob heading towards a civil war.

 

[Evernessince]

It is probably for the better. If a country is capable of producing their own merchandise, then maybe they should.

I can understand that for sure. The problem in Turkey is they don't have the skilled workers or IP to create modern smartphones. They are more or less just blowing hot air.

 

[toooooot]

Backstory I heard: They asked USA to hand them someone opposing Erdogan who lives in here. States refused. So they arrested that pastor and offered to exchange the pastor for the person of interest.
USA disagreed and activated sanctions on 2 Turkish ministers. And the rest you know.

 

[senketsu]

Turkey is a member of NATO since 1952, who needs who more, the USA needing Turkey since they are close to the Middle East and the Russians, or Turkey needing the USA?
I really don't know anything about all the rest of the current news but I thought NATO membership might be relevant.

 

[Kashim]

Do all Turkish men have a moustache?

Yes, it's the law!

 

[Kashim]

It is probably for the better. If a country is capable of producing their own merchandise, then maybe they should.

Yes, and if a country like Turkey could produce all their own merchandise they would've done it already long ago.

 

[petert]

It is probably for the better. If a country is capable of producing their own merchandise, then maybe they should.

Yes, and if a country like Turkey could produce all their own merchandise they would've done it already long ago.

they were known 15-20 years ago for cheap and bad consumer products - they used to sell them in countries around them. Example an extension cord - the wire in the cable was so thin, it would literally explode during usage. Another example - Turkish bread - would last for days while the more traditional bread, without chemicals hardens the next day. And so on. Many Turkish men go for work in Germany - I really doubt they have a decent industrial infrastructure in place for basic products, yet alone to replace US products.

 

[seeprime]

Do they mean a US brand or made in the USA? No smart phone is made in the US. So, the boycott is probably pointless.

 

[mailpup]

Do they mean a US brand or made in the USA? No smart phone is made in the US. So, the boycott is probably pointless.

Since the Turkish President specifically mentioned iPhone, it follows that he means US brand.

 

[Vulcanproject]

The USA doesn't really need good relations with Turkey more than the other way around, but it only highlights another road marker in the decline of the USA's soft power and influence around the world.

I am sure the USA is not happy with the way Turkey is heading politically, with Erdogan's power base growth and the country's long held secularism sliding into the abyss. But this certainly isn't the smart way to try and reverse any of that.

It's a rare situation where the USA threatens a fellow NATO member over a minor issue and sanction them. Especially one in such a strategic position close to both the middle east and Russia.

 

[Reehahs]

Do they mean a US brand or made in the USA? No smart phone is made in the US. So, the boycott is probably pointless.

Since the Turkish President specifically mentioned iPhone, it follows that he means US brand.

Apple hater?

 

[LemmingOverlrd]

Backstory I heard: They asked USA to hand them someone opposing Erdogan who lives in here. States refused. So they arrested that pastor and offered to exchange the pastor for the person of interest.
USA disagreed and activated sanctions on 2 Turkish ministers. And the rest you know.

There was a coup attempt back in 2016 which ended up reinforcing Erdogan's power (with the resulting purges). Erdogan named a muslim cleric living in the US as the mastermind of the coup. The US refused to give up that cleric (mostly because there was no proof of his involvement). Now Erdogan is giving the US what he (and his followers) consider 'just desserts'. It's basic tit-for-tat, and innocent people get caught up in the middle.

 

[alabama man]

Everyone should boycott "USA made" electronics products and services, for military reasons alone. I can't understand how google is allowed to operate outside US when it's part of it's military. We willingly allow them to spy on everything and it should be stopped immediately. We need make non ad and US military based phone operating system and search engine and rest of the services they provide.

 

[NicktheWVAHick]

How effective are Turkish cellphones at detonating car-bombs? Probably not as good as American cellphones is my guess.

 

[ypsylon]

Backstory I heard: They asked USA to hand them someone opposing Erdogan who lives in here. States refused. So they arrested that pastor and offered to exchange the pastor for the person of interest.
USA disagreed and activated sanctions on 2 Turkish ministers. And the rest you know.

There was a coup attempt back in 2016 which ended up reinforcing Erdogan's power (with the resulting purges). Erdogan named a muslim cleric living in the US as the mastermind of the coup. The US refused to give up that cleric (mostly because there was no proof of his involvement). Now Erdogan is giving the US what he (and his followers) consider 'just desserts'. It's basic tit-for-tat, and innocent people get caught up in the middle.

Problem is. Coup was very much justified as before changing constitution/judiciary to suit his needs Erdogan worried about the army very much (the only power that could stop him). Army was sole protector by law of secularist state. Turkey has fair amount of military coups in modern history. Most of them to protect the constitution. Now Turkey is not much different than Iran. Religious bigots running the country. There are two more countries on that slope. Poland and Hungary. Once shown as beacons of free-market and liberty, now descended into creeping Nazi/Stalinists-style regimes with heavy bigotry underneath.

Erdogan is just a brainless being if he thinks that he'll win trade war with USA. If US wanted, they could destroy Lira inside a month. Not like they didn't tried that earlier with GBP via Soros in 1992 IIRC.

 

[Kibaruk]

It is probably for the better. If a country is capable of producing their own merchandise, then maybe they should.

If anyone thinks this is sustainable in the long term just out of spite is simply a fool. The only winning side here is China.

 

[Cubi Dorf]

Do they mean a US brand or made in the USA? No smart phone is made in the US. So, the boycott is probably pointless.

Since the Turkish President specifically mentioned iPhone, it follows that he means US brand.

He mention Samsung as alternative, but that is America company softwares (googles). He must be only consider hardware brand main headquarters location county.

 

[Capaill]

He mention Samsung as alternative, but that is America company softwares (googles). He must be only consider hardware brand main headquarters location county.

He specifically said electronics products. I just hope he has a good non-American source for his moustache trimmer.