Also Turkey was not always the capital of the Islamic caliphate. That too has shifted over time.
Kind of proves my point. The Islamic world CAN change with circumstances.
BTW...we did not occupy Turkey. But the British and French occupied the Levant until it was time to hand Israel over to the Jews. Think that would have happened if the Westerners weren't there?
At a time when Iran is trying to build an atomic weapon, it might be smart to have a large American presence right next door. That was Bush's strategy and Obama blew it.