[a_Turk]

As usual, the foreign correspondents have it wrong. As the (moderate) islamist leadership in Turkey have gotten more and more brazen, the others in the establishment have been voicing their objections.

What are the (moderate) islamist's latest doozies?

1- Dropping an islamist organization "National Vision" from the joint German-Turkish terrorist organizations list, although this organization had been on this list for years,

2- Directing the embassies to make contact with the group, which exists external to Turkey's borders..

The President, the General Staff, and the Judicial branch are pretty "pissed.."

Otherwise, the article fails to mention that April 23rd is National Children's Day, held to commemorate the occasion of the first meeting of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1921.


Turkish children wave national flags as they leave the mausoleum of Turkey's founding father Kemal Ataturk, in the background, after paying their respects in Ankara on Wednesday, April 23, 2003. Turks are celebrating the 'Children's Festival Day' on the 80th anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly

Elsewhere in Turkey, St. George's day was celebrated as usual:


Turkish pilgrims flock to a Greek Orthodox monastery, many tying pieces of white and red cloth to trees, on the island of Buyukada in metropolitan Istanbul, to ask favors from St. George, Wednesday, April 23, 2003. Every year, thousands of Muslims and Christians flock to the island to celebrate the popular saint's day. (AP Photo/Osman Orsal)


Police let Turkish pilgrims enter a Greek Orthodox monastery on the island of Buyukada in metropolitan Istanbul, to celebrate St. George's Day

[konaice]

"Earlier, Turkey's powerful military, the president and also several opposition figures - who consider themselves guardians of the secular republic - warned that they would boycott the event if she attended in a headscarf. "

I'm glad to see there is some reisistance to this.

Nothing galls me more than when US tv reporters or worse yet Government officials show up wearing scarfs just because they are in some arab/muslim country. When they come here wearing their nightgowns and tablecloths we don't force them into western dress.

[a_Turk]

ping

[Mortimer Snavely]

"Every year, thousands of Muslims and Christians flock to the island to celebrate the popular saint's day."

Slaying a dragon to rescue a fair maiden makes St. George pretty popular. I don't think religion enters into it.

[Nogbad]

ping