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"Turkey's accession process is of vital strategic and economic importance for both the EU and Turkey" (Photo: zz77)

Turkey will never be a part of the EU. That's preordained by the EU elites. Funny how everything written in there is the exact opposite of reality, yes?

Turkey has also transformed its governance, society and democracy. Civilian control of the military has been firmly embedded and judicial reform is underway.

Freedom House:Journalists' Arrests Signal Growing Press Freedom Backslide in Turkey, March, 2011

"The ongoing harassment and detention of journalists in Turkey, including a number who have been held for two years without trial, represents an alarming threat to press freedom. Freedom House calls on Turkish leaders to reverse this trend by instituting policies to protect media independence and releasing from detention journalists held in cases where charges have not been brought or serious evidence has not been produced. . . ."

It ain't just journalists it's military active and retired, professors, law enforcement -- anyone who does not go along.

Great! Now the Islamists can impose a Iran-style Islamic "republic".

Fethullah Gulen McCarthyism Free Speech

(Here they mean McCarthyism in the accepted pejorative sense.)

Some say Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish-born cleric living in the United States, has helped clear the path to what the AK Party desires. Zaman is the main AK Party newspaper if I am not mistaken. Gulen and his people are said to own much of Turkey's press.

From the link: "Unless you write for Gulen's newpapers Our buddy Gulen just doesn't like criticism, in fact -- anyone that reports 'unfavorable,' or truthful information about him and his gang of Gulenites, is subject to his wrath. In the United States, when the truth about him his exposed, his comrades like to threaten lawsuits; but in Turkey -- they just set the dissenters up on fabricated charges and have them jailed -- out of sight -- out of mind."

For the Gulen followers signing up with FR to point me to the "truth": this is called free speech something that Islamists cannot tolerate. I understand that.

You can practice by expressing your opinions here.

I'll respect your opinions but I will not be taught what Gulen says. People coming to the United States are suppose to be learning about the U.S. of A. -- if that ain't cool then get the hell out. Please.

Wow. I'd wondered what ever became of Turkey's EU aspirations. I'd assumed that Europe -- given its Muslim integration problems -- had changed its mind. And, given Turkey's turn toward fundamentalism, I'd figured they'd thought better of joining the weenies in Brussels.

I still think I'm right. This paper is delusional.