Analysis: Obama visit to Turkey no afterthought
By STEVEN R. HURST – 1 hour ago
Turkey is the only predominantly Muslim country in NATO, an alliance stalwart and America’s best friend in the Islamic world. Obama, completing a European trip, arrives Sunday and undoubtedly will reprise his message from a town hall meeting Friday in France....
In talks with Turkey’s president, Abdullah Gul, and prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Obama will try to sell his strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He should find welcoming ears, given the new U.S. focus on melding troop increases with civilian efforts to better the lives of people in both countries.
“Obama may be able to create momentum for help from a broader sector of nominal U.S. allies in the Muslim world,” said Jeffrey Martinson, a historian and political scientist at Meredith College in North Carolina.
“The fact that he’s visiting the Turks at the end of this major European trip is a nice homage to them,” Martinson said,
The new president has pushed for Muslim diplomacy.
In his inaugural address in January, Obama assured the Muslim world that “we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” He has made early telephone calls to friendly Arab leaders and sent special envoy George J. Mitchell to the Middle East on a “listening tour.”
Obama’s declaration that he will close the prison for suspected terrorists Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was seen as a move to address a chief source of ill will among Muslim nations since Sept. 11.
Obama’s father and stepfather were Muslim and he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country. Throughout the campaign, Obama, who is Christian, fought false Internet rumors that he is a Muslim.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hzyewfNjiDk_yZt1VMQODFw4sywAD97CBSD00
Well, it’s easy for Obama to express his opinion for the *results* of what will happen in “France’s backyard”.... LOL...
It’s France and Europe that will have to live with the consequences of it...
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But, as I see it, Turkey is going to be turned away from the EU (more or less “permanently”) and Turkey will finally move more solidly over into the Islamic world, after having tried to become more “westernized” over the last few decades. Turkey will end up giving up on this and instead of becoming more westernized, they will become more “Islamisized” instead — and move towards the radical end of Islam....
Give me a break. Americans don’t bow down to King Abdulla or any other one. We also don’t touch the Queen of England unless with greeting hands. What slobs. Sarkozy’s wife doesnt like Mrs. Obama and Angela Merkel from Germany threw cold water on a plan to add more money to the IMF. Germany doesnt want the hyper-inflation that brought the NAZIs into power ever again.
"My muslim faith!"--Candidate Barack Obama to George Stephanopolous.
Nice try perfesser.