The Turkish Model

Opinion Journal ^ | 10/25/2001 | MELIK KAYLAN

[Pokey78]

As American eyes scan eastward across a troubled Islamic horizon of equivocal friends and outright enemies, they should rest their gaze on Turkey, an unfaltering ally, and take heart. Turkey's decades-long fortitude in the service of Western interests and a Pax Americana has garnered meager applause from its allies--and a ton of trouble from its regional rivals. Yet it remains our most dependable resource in the Islamic world, and, as the world's most successful secular Muslim democracy, is set to play perhaps the most critical role of all our allies. We should dance a jig of gratitude for what Turkey has endured for our side up to now, because it points the way to what it could do for us henceforward.

[Rubber Duckie]

BUMP for the Turks. Maybe it is time we helped them get back some of their territory lost after World War I, starting with Iraq and a semi-autonomous Kurdish state in the north minus PKK influence.

[alithia]

What do you expect?This article is written by a Turk.Turkey is as democratic as Egypt,and just about sitting on the same knife edge.Osamas' best lutenets are Turks,and there is an ever growing Islamic movement in the country that the government is barely managing to squash for the time being.And the Turks are latecomers to the area for the guy that wants to give them some of their "lost" territory like Iraq. The Kurds were there before the Turks ever stepped foot in the region.

[American Soldier]

The Turkish government, like the Pakistani government, appears to be helping us. But the polls, if I recall correctly, show the public to be little more supportive of our war effort than the Pakis (though their opposition is less violent).

[agincourt1415]

Maybe it is time we helped them get back some of their territory lost after World War I, starting with Iraq and a semi-autonomous Kurdish state in the north minus PKK influence

Great Idea!

[Darheel]

Turkey is no paradise and islam is no religion. That said, even though i'd like to wipe islam from history I admire the Turks for their strength. They have 'chivalry' in some respects I believe, not all of them, but at least a collective understanding of history and its ebb. And we must say that they have been good allies to us, however I could never agree to this:

'Istanbul today is one of the most entrancing and dynamic cities on earth'

It's a sewer. It once was that great, but back then it was called Constantinople. The fact that the Hagia Sofia is now a mosque is an unacceptable consequense and future liability of history itself.

[Nogbad]

The fact that the Hagia Sofia is now a mosque is an unacceptable consequense and future liability of history itself.

False. It is a museum. Hagia Sofia was converted from a mosque to a museum back in the 20's by Kemal Ataturk.

You have advertised your ignorance and I recommend you not post again about subjects you know nothing about.

It is sad to see someone embarass himself so publicly.

[the FLY]

the fact that the Hagia Sofia is a museum, after it was a mosque, is a travesty. The Turks are criminals, just look at Cyprus and their human rights record. The West needs them and their leadership has been bought off. The growing fundamentalist Islamic movement in that country is increasingly hostile to that fact.

They are no better than the corrupt Saudis who are trying to appease everyone for their own benefit.

[Stavka2]

Yeah, what a brilliant idea, why we could even give them Armenia...and help them finish off the genocide they never got a chance to complete. Thanks for the toilet seat political commentary.

[Mahone]

Ataturk was a most interesting guy, he forced Turkey westward and Turkey benefited greatly from his influence, More on Ataturk