Posted on 10/03/2005 9:38:38 AM PDT by knighthawk
Within a few decades, Peter the Great was expanding against Turkey and western powers like England were trying to find ways to prop them up as a buffer against Russia.
Funny, I'm not concerned at all...
Typo. 1529.
[quote]Turkey should return Hagia Sophia when Spain returns the Alhambra.[quote]
The original builders of Agia Sophia lived in the city which the church was build in thousands of years before the Turks arrived. Hispania Baetica, the region that Al-hambra was build in, was home to Christian Spaniards thousands of years before the Moors invaded the country in the 8th century AD and renamed it "Al-Andalus". Why should the Spaniards return something that was build on land that originally belonged to them anyway?
So you thinks it's just, reasonable or decent for the Europee-ons to dangle EU membership under Turkey's nose for three solid decades and, after Turkey has met every requirement, often even while the bar was being moved on them, and mean time being one of the West's strongest allies in the cold war (more stalwart at least then a few Western nations) and before Indonesia the world's only majority Islamic democracy, the only Islamic nation openly allied with Israel -- one could go on -- to essentially tell the Turks, "never mind"?
I have plenty of problems with Turkey, but they deserve what they have well earned. (If they want to be part of Europe. Whether that's wise is another matter.)
[quote]I'm not sure, but it's obvious the Hagia Sophia needs to go to the Byzantine Emperor, wherever he is.[quote]
That's an easy one. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy Churches and resided in Agia Sophia until the city fell to Turkey, can be currently found in Constantinople. He has taken over the "Byzantine Emperor's" rule in modern times. He is the "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox communion. First in honor among all the Orthodox bishops, presides over any council of bishops in which he takes part and serves as primary spokesman for the communion - in other words our Pope. So go ahead - give it back to him. ;p
Would you support the union of Jordan and Israel or USA and Mexico if Jordan and Mexico wanted it?
What's the point? They don't "want it". And I happen to think, just like most freepers, that Europeans have taken the idea of Union far beyond what is useful and mutually beneficial.
But instead of asking irrelevant questions, why don't you answer my relevant one? Given that the Europeans have dangled inclusion in their EU under the nose of the Turks for decades, and the Turks have done everything asked of them, is it just to deny them now (or make them jump through hoops for another few decades)?
Europeans - the real people do not want it either. It is the EUrocrats who want to "bridge" Europe with Middle East who want it.
But instead of asking irrelevant questions, why don't you answer my relevant one? Given that the Europeans have dangled inclusion in their EU under the nose of the Turks for decades,
Again, the "Europeans" who talk about are the EUrocrats or their friends from outside of Europe. Place of Turkey is where Syria, Iraq and Jordan is.
If you like Russia so much, why don't you move there?
I like many countries, I cannot live everywhere, althought I would not not mind to travel more :)
Thanks for the reference to 1922.
Also see http://www.september11news.com/Sept11History.htm
Bye bye.
5.56mm
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