A comic political novel depicting a Türkiye-led occupation of the United States is hitting bookstores in Türkiye this weekend, entering a market already warmed up by a surge of anti-American titles. The cover of 'America Is Ours' shows the Statue of Liberty wearing a handlebar mustache, with the US flag redesigned in far-right Turkish symbols.
The plot begins when an alien grants a young Turkish nationalist's wish to invade America, aided by a mind-control device. The occupiers proceed to remake the country in Türkiye's image, declaring Turkish the official language, hosting traditional food parties at the White House, and recruiting Madonna as a belly dancer. The occupation ultimately collapses under the weight of the same social and economic problems that plague Türkiye at home, and the hero must call on his alien allies to reverse time and erase the whole episode.
Co-author Erdogan Ekmekci, 27, described the book as self-critical rather than anti-American, saying it highlights how Türkiye's own troubles would doom any country it ran. Publisher Akis is releasing a first print run of 50,000 copies, hoping to match the success of 'Metal Storm,' a grimmer futuristic novel that sold more than 110,000 copies after its December release.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in March 2005, in its own words.