Posted on 08/21/2014 6:45:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
There is no question that Turkey, because of its size and geo-strategic location maintains a pivotal role in NATO. Its armed forces are NATO’s second largest and its troops had acquitted themselves well during the Korean War. Turkey had also played a constructive role in bridging relations between Israel and the Muslim world acting as an effective interlocutor. But with the ascent of the Islamist Justice and Development party in 2002 and the rise of Recep Tayyip Erdogan as party boss, things have taken a stark turn for the worse.
Under the stewardship of an increasingly unbalanced Erdogan, Turkey has renounced secularism in favor of Islamist dogma and creeping sharia. Turkey’s new president elect has, through intimidation and strong-arm tactics, usurped control of Turkey’s judiciary and press. Indeed, Turkey holds the dubious distinction of being the world’s largest incarcerator of journalists followed only by Iran and China.
An increasingly paranoid Erdogan has also declared war on social media and in March threatened to ban Facebook and YouTube, accusing the sites of “every kind of immorality and espionage for their own ends.” Erdogan had already banned YouTube for two years though the restriction was lifted in 2010.
Erdogan’s disloyalty to the United States and NATO began early in his term of office as prime minister but his betrayals have only increased in recent years.
(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...
There are no “moderate” moozlums. It is merely the emergence of a true moozlum state.
Bit late, ain’t it? The “secular state” was kaput as soon as Erdogan took over as Prime Minister eleven years ago.
“Moderate” and “Muslim” are incompatible.
Turkey was moderate only when secular.
Should have kicked Turkey out of NATO in 74 after they invaded Cyprus.
He sounds like a perfect Western hating buddy for Obama and they both support the Muslim Brotherhood, as well.
The fact that we didn’t shows some undue “European” influence over NATO back then.
If Erdogan speaks for all Turks then Obama speaks for all Americans. I think Erdogan won last week with 51 percent.. about what Obama got last time.
Turkey polarised ahead of [recent] presidential polls
Even Al Jazeera reports (10 Aug 2014)
A poll conducted by Washington-based Pew Research Center of 1,001 people between April 11 and May 14 found opinions on Erdogan's leadership record were sharply fragmented. Respondents were evenly split on their feelings about Erdogan's policies, with 48 percent saying that he has positive influence on the country while the same percentage said the opposite.
A majority of 51 percent said they were not satisfied with the country's direction, while 44 percent said they were . . . Pew noted that the mood in Turkey was much more negative before 2011, with clear majorities expressing dissatisfaction with the country's direction each year between 2002 [the year Erdogan's AK Party won election] and 2010. It added that opinions have been similarly split over the last four years.
Example from a few years ago.
Lest some think that all Turks are ready to give in to Islamism, Sharia law, and burkas.. well no they are not.
"Opinion polls that measure attitudes toward the AKP and its conservative values suggest that 32 percent to 38 percent of Turks (upward of 25 million people) would never support the AKP or want to live in a country shaped solely by its values."
It goes beyond dissatisfaction it is would never support the AKP or want to live in a country shaped solely by current ruling party's values.
Kinda like it is here. We have a similar problem vis-a-vis Obama, et al.
turkey had the chance to throw off the shackles of an oppressive ideology, and seemed to be making progress for a while.
Now it’s going back to the intolerant and angry religion it almost got rid of.
Ah,the good old days when we used to knock off people like Erdogan.
I understand the joke, but right now there are starting to be serious protests from opposition groups in Turkey. A lot of Turks are like Egyptians, not willing to go down that path.
Erdogan is suffering from thoughts of grandeur of becoming the latest Caliph.
ping!
Modern Turkey was created after WW-I by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as a secular state wholly separated from Islam. He abolished the caliphate and sharia courts, allowed secular education and women’s rights. Erdogan is taking Turkey back 100 years.
Interesting, if true. But, I can’t imagine how moderates could ever stand up to the blood cult. Maybe if we get a new president with some courage in 2016 we can lend them support. But if Hillary prevails the entire globe will be in danger. Except, of course China where they will be met with aggression and Japan where all muslims are persona non grata.
Thanks for the ping. Scarey.
Time to reengage. Set up a Kurdish state. That’s the first step. End Erdogan’s plans for his own caliphate before they even begin.
A well armed Kurdish state as an American ally ends Erdogan’s move with a simple checkmate.
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