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Turkey no Friend to U.S.
25.12.2007
By Craig Chamberlain
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December
25, 2007
During the Cold War the United States could count on
Turkey as being its strongest ally in the western
world. Not only was Turkey anti communist, it was
secular, democratic, and had close ties to Israel.
Now, one can't say any of those things apply to
Turkey.
Democracy, and, more importantly, the rule of law
have taken a pounding ever since Erdogan and the AKP
took power. Since they took over they have become
increasingly autocratic, encouraged intolerance to
the countries ethnic and religious minorities, and
have done everything to pack all levels of
government with AKP loyalists. They control the
parliament, Abdullah Gul- a stooge of Erdogan- is
president, and the judiciary is packed with party
loyalists who know nothing about the law.
As for secularism, that is dying a very painful
death. On principle there is nothing wrong with
public display of religion or talking about religion
openly without fear of punishment. But there is a
problem with religion taking over. Ataturk wisely
took Islam out of the role of government, allowing
people to make their own decisions about religion.
Erdogan is working at a frantic pace to undo
Ataturk's secularism.
Judges are being appointed with only a religious
education, and only knowledge of Sharia law, not
Turkish law. Why would Erdogan appoint such judges
if he had no intention of ruining the democracy and
secular rule of Turkey? Erdogan envisions Turkey as
being another Saudi Arabia. This is the leader that
says he prays for forgiveness every time he shakes
hands with a woman. How can Turkey be considered a
modern country with that kind of leadership?
Turkey was once the most pro American country in the
Muslim world. Now it is one of the most anti
American. Most people blame this turnaround on
President Bush and the Iraq war, and while that
might play a part in the attitudes of the Turkish
people,www.ekurd.net
Erdogan's party came to
power before the Iraq war and ever since they took
office they have been whipping up ant Americanism to
consolidate their hold on power.
Now to rally people around the flag in his country
he is launching a war against the Kurdish people,
whether they are in Turkey or not. The Turks have
long had a problem with the Kurds, even going so far
as to deny their existence. Now to destabilize a
free Iraq with a free Kurdish population in
Kurdistan region, (something Erdogan can't tolerate)
along with humiliating the United States, he is
launching a war against the Kurds in Iraq.
The PKK is a terrorist organization, but it's not
terrorists that Erdogan is interested in. He needs a
war over the Kurds, it solidifies his position and
allows him to stop the one group of people in Turkey
who might be able to stand up to him.
If the PKK are that big of a threat, let the Kurds
in Iraq handle them. Turkey does nothing but
destabilize the region, but as long as Erdogan gets
what he wants that's fine with him.www.ekurd.net
The Kurds fought with
America while the Turks have done everything in
their power to hinder American progress. American
allies or a nation that has made it clear that it no
longer wants to be an ally, who should we side with?
theconservativevoice com
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