remember Gallipoli and how The Brits used Aussies as cannon fodder who were mowed down?
Well, the Turkish commanding officer was Colonel Kemal Pasha who was promoted to General for this feat.
Of course, as a General, he was in position to owerthrow the Sultan and become Ataturk ( father of Turkey)
What's a coupla of Aussies as a price to put your man in place.
This is good lesson how things really work.
There is an ongoing furor in Canada because sultana raisins imported from Turkey in the last decade contained approx. 100X more lead than allowed by Canadianlaw.
Health Canada (Canadian Ministry of Health) warned importers, but import continued, even Canadian Ministry of Foreign affairs intervened on Turkish behalf! In comparrison, FDA forbade import upon hearing of Canadian findings.
The lead poisoning of Canadians was allowed in order not ot not to upset the Turks who were prospective buyers of Canadian nuclear technology.
I feel that NATIONAL POST was hard pressed to write something positive about Turkey.
As a military brat and a student of history, what surprises me is the respect which military forces accord their foes.
The Turks have always been recognized as ferocious fighters; we are fortunate to have them as allies now.
On ANZAC Day, as the descendents of the valiant men who died at Gallipoli visit the beach, the Turkish people there accord them hospitality and honor.
It seems to me that the villains at Gallipoli were as much the British commanders who allowed the ANZAC forces to be used as fodder, more than the Turks who were doing what the opponent is tasked to do: kill the enemy.
Now really, the Aussies have a legitimate beef with Churchill and the other British commanders regarding Gallipoli. But how can you blame an opposing colonel for doing his job well in defense of his own soil?
-ccm