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To: alethia
Don't forget -- Turkey invaded Cyprus just under 30 years ago -- 50,000 Greek Cypriots disappeared.

Yeah, but that was nothing compared to the 3,000,000 that disappeared when Pakistan invaded Bangladesh in '71. It's always going to be easier dealing with a generally secular government rationally (even if somewhat ruthlessly) pursuing thier own national interests than one appeasing fired up religious fanatics indoctrined by Arabs half a continent away.

208 posted on 10/28/2001 2:11:50 PM PST by Stultis
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To: Stultis
The thing that made the Turkey/Cyprus/Greece situation really difficult had to do with the fact that Greece had been an ally -- as had Turkey. From a cultural and religious standpoint, Greece was closer to the US than Turkey. The fact that Turkey was strategically located in a listening post next to Russia (USSR at that time) and the Middle East had a lot to do with the US "looking the other way". Are you aware that the US Navy blocked the Greek military from going into Cyprus to engage the Turks? Greece was on full military alert -- all adult males between the ages of 18 and 58 were called to be ready for military action. My father-in-law, who was 52 at the time, was in Greece with this happened back in '73.

I'm not saying that the Pakistan/Bangladesh situation wasn't terrifically horrendous -- it truly was -- it's effects are still being felt in the region. I'm Greeks felt betrayed by this action and moved closer to the USSR as a result. There was a resurgence in the Communists and Socialists (Pasok) largely due to this action.

211 posted on 10/28/2001 9:23:28 PM PST by alethia
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