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'Feeling of Revenge' Behind Turkish Change of Attitude Towards the US

© AP Photo / Hussein MallaSupporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave their national flags and hold a portrait of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric with Turkish words that read: "the Coup nation traitor, FETO" (Feto is the nickname of Fethullah Gulen), during a pro-government rally at Kizilay main square, in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave their national flags and hold a portrait of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric with Turkish words that read: the Coup nation traitor, FETO (Feto is the nickname of Fethullah Gulen), during a pro-government rally at Kizilay main square, in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 20, 2016 - Sputnik International
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On Tuesday, Turkish-based MAK Research Company revealed the results of its recent poll, which showed that some 90 percent of Turkish nationals do not regard the US as their country's strategic partner; Sputnik Turkiye talked to the head of the company to find out what might have triggered such a drastic change of attitude towards the US.

Riot police officers stand as members of Turkey Youth Union shout anti-US slogans as they protest against the upcoming visit of the US President Barack Obama to Turkey mid-November for G20 summit in Antalya, outside the US consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015 - Sputnik International
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About 90% of Turks Not Considering US Ankara's Strategic Partner
The majority of the Turks are convinced that the US had a hand the July 15 coup attempt in the country, Mehmet Ali Kulat, the head of MAK Research Company told Sputnik Turkiye.

The mass media reports that the coupists have used the Incirlik NATO base to refuel their F-16 jets have largely contributed to this conviction, he added.

Among the Turks' other bones of contention with the US is the exiled cleric Fetullah Gulen, who Ankara blames for the attempted coup and who currently resides in the US.

"We have held a similar opinion poll before the attempted overthrow and then the level of distrust towards the US as Turkey's strategic partner was less than 50 percent," Kulat said.

Right after July 15 it sharply jumped towards 80 percent and the recent poll revealed the increase up to 90 percent, he noted.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Istanbul, Turkey January 23, 2016, in this handout photo provided by the Presidential Palace - Sputnik International
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The level of annoyance in Turkish society with the US is so high that if not for the announced state of emergency, he said, there are high risks that the representatives of the public organizations would have staged large-scale protests near the US embassy which could have potentially grown out of control.

Besides the above, the negative attitude is also being fuelled up by a feeling of revenge for the US failure to topple the current country's leadership, he noted.

All the US claims of its noninvolvement in the events of July 15 are being ruled out as "political tactics" of the American leadership.

Moreover, this point of view is shared not only by the public but also by the political leaders as well, he said.

Kulat also noted that during his visit to Ankara earlier in August, US Vice President Joe Biden was greeted by a less representative delegation than in the years before.

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