Fethullah Gülen’s death: The final page in a Cold War strategy gone wrong

Across the ocean, a polarized society found rare unity in a single sentiment: good riddance. In Turkey, no one mourned the departure of Gülen from this world

I recall the unrestrained hubris they flaunted throughout Turkey in the early 2010s, reveling in a sense of untouchable power. They threatened, jailed, and silenced journalists, along with current and former military and police officers, fortifying their grip through intimidation. And now? These once-invincible figures, reduced to anonymity, shuffled through a funeral veiled in hats, masks, and sunglasses—shadowed by their own faces—paying respects to the man they once exalted as their supreme leader, their mahdi.

Src: Anadolu Agency

Fethullah Gülen, the Islamic cleric and leader of a religious movement, regarded as a terrorist in Turkey for masterminding the July 2016 coup attempt, has died of kidney failure, a complication of diabetes. His organization, labeled a terrorist network by Turkish authorities and known by the acronym FETÖ, has long faced widespread condemnation. After years of declining health and frequent hospitalizations, Gülen’s death was neither sudden nor unexpected.