Posted on 02/05/2009 4:30:31 PM PST by a_Turk
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan exploded during a public discussion with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week. Erdogan did not blow up at Peres, but rather at the moderator, Washington Post columnist and associate editor David Ignatius, whom Erdogan accused of giving more time to Peres. Afterward, Erdogan said, I did not target at all in any way the Israeli people, President Peres or the Jewish people. I am a prime minister, a leader who has expressly stated that anti-Semitism is a crime against humanity.
Nevertheless, the international press focused not on the finer points of Erdogans reasoning, but rather on his attacks on Israeli policy in Gaza and his angry exit, which many thought were directed at Peres and Israel. The confusion, we suspect, suited Erdogan quite well. Turkey is effectively an ally of Israel. Given this alliance, the recent events in Gaza put Erdogan in a difficult position. The Turkish prime minister needed to show his opposition to Israels policies to his followers in Turkeys moderate Islamist community without alarming Turkeys military that he was moving to rupture relations with Israel. Whether calculated or not, Erdogans explosion in Davos allowed him to appear to demonstrate vocal opposition to Israel directly to Israels president, no less without actually threatening ties with Israel.
(Excerpt) Read more at stratfor.com ...
For later read.
Very interesting times.
We the Turks are the world’s 17th largest economy and the USA is retreating the area. Thease people, black or white, will come to recognize us as their big brother. They, whether it be one or the other, should not make any drastic moves without first consulting us, especially if they are counting on us to broker their friggin’ peace. We don’t need the EU, we’re going to build our own union. The EU is toast anyway. They’re a bunch of wusses.
Yes, Tayyip Erdogan, the “moderate” Islamist. Kind of like being a little bit pregnant, isn’t it? Turks who vote for a little bit of Islamic rule should be careful; they are likely to wind up with the whole shebang.
Were Erdogan’s remarks rejecting anti-Semitism and condemnation of Israel widely reported in Turkey?
The US will have an Islamist government before Turkey does; they will never undo the secularism they’ve been exposed to, and they’re not “Arab” in any sense of the word.
They report everything widely.
I sense that we have crossed over into a “new world” damn... I was heavily invested in the old one.
I could be wrong but I suspect the EU has enough on its plate right now without having to decide whether to try to digest millions more moslems.
I think as the former independent states have judgements entered against them in “Euro-Court”, and the economies collectively tank anyway, some of these potential new candidates for admission are thinking long & hard about whether entry into the EU is really any benefit at all. On their own, they can trade their resources and control their immigration policies themselves in the “global economy”, while as part of the EU they’ll be forced to contracept themselves out of existence while underwriting the original members’ socialist policies.
The Turkish military, long the defenders of Ataturks vision of a secular republic, has been infiltrated by Islamicists.
The Turkish Republic will collapse (again) without Western aid and once that happens there isn’t going to be another aid package from the USA. If Turkey wants to align itself with the Arab street, good riddance.
You better brush up on Shariya law buddy, it’s coming to a neighborhood near you.
So let’s see...firing artillery into Kurdish villages in Iraq in response to PKK terrorism...GOOD.
Dropping smart bombs on Gaza in response to Hamas terrorism...BAD.
Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Erdogan!
A Turk is a Turk. And Turkey is an allie. The west needs allies.
Many Americans will wish you every success in this endeavor. There's a lot of affection and respect for the Turkish Republic on this side of the ocean.
Casey Stengel, famous baseball guy, was turned down for membership in a country club. He said, "Well, I wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have me for a member anyways!" You guys have a habit of defining yourselves and pleasing yourselves. And minding your own business.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.