CHP: Erdogan's Washington visit a fiasco

Kemal Anadol, leader of the Republican People's (CHP) Party's MPs, has characterized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington, DC as a "complete fiasco." Said Anadol, "This rascal, who is asking for forgiveness for the non passage of the March 1 bill (which would have lent support to the US for its intervention in Iraq), could not get beyond complaining about his own country and the opposition party on this visit...."Anti-AmericanismAt a press conference carrued out in the Turkish Parliament (TBMM), Anadol started by saying "We watch the Prime Minister's Washington visit in horror and amazement." Anadol then went on to say, "During the flight to America, he claimed that the CHP was anti-American, thereby trying to prove how American he himself is." Continuing, Anadol said "We are neither for or against America. We do what is in the interest of our country, and that is how we will continue." Reverberations continue from Erdogan CNN interviewReferring to the CNN interview in which Erdogan complained about the lack of freedom in his country in contrast to America (the subject being the free wearing of the head-covering or turban), Anadol said "When the Prime Minister says that Turkey has no freedom, I wonder who he thinks the job of bringing about this freedom belongs to? He says that his daughters could not study here because their heads were covered, and that they went to America to study and are free there. Ok, that's why your daughters are there, but what about your son, Prime Minister? So does everyone who thinks this country is not free have to go to the US?  Erdogan criticism of Sezer angers CHPIn reference to Erdogan's words about President Ahmet Necdet Sezer prior to his departure, Anadol said that the Prime Minister had criticized the President in a disrespectful manner. Said Anadol "After saying things that a prime minister should not say about a president, Erdogan went before President Bush. I will leave it to public opinion and history to judge his behavior towards Bush following such words about the President." Secularity questions Recalling how Erdogan had maintained in his CNN interview that he was not secular himself, though his government was secular, Anadol  reminded that the vow for a governmental minister included a vow of secularity. Said Anadol, "To take this vow and then say in Washington, 'I am not secular,' well, there is your Washington landscape, a complete fiasco." Â