Turkey's House of Cards

Townhall.com ^ | October 5, 2011 | Caroline Glick

[LowTaxesEqualsProsperity]

The Turkish economy is doing fine.

Turkey’s $735 billion economy grew 8.8 percent in the second quarter, faster than India’s and the IMF projects 7.5 percent economic growth for Turkey this year.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Do we still have an air base in Turkey ?

[GonzoGOP]

It is possible that he is hoping to combine a foreign policy crisis with Turkey's oncoming economic crisis in order to blame the latter on the former.

This is why he has to move against Cyprus. Only by looting the Cypriot gas fields can he hope to pay off the debts in the Turkish economy. He doesn't have the firepower to go after Israel one on one. So he figured the Greeks, being on the verge of complete collapse, would be an easy mark. But the Russians have come in on the Greek side, and unlike NATO they are not toothless. Not because they have more or better weapons, but because unlike Western leaders Putin is willing to use what weapons he has.

[ken5050]

Yes..but with considerable restrictions on what we can do. Turkey should have been kicked out of NATO when they refused to allow the 3ID to invade Iraq from the north. Instead, we continue to let them run all over us,k and now make overt threats against Israel. Heck..there is NO reason for NATO to exist anymore..militarily, it can’t do anything..so, blow it up, and the US should form a new Atlantic alliance with GB and Canada..

[Former Proud Canadian]

Has is come to this? Russia defending Cyprus, and by proxy Greece AND Israel. While a putative NATO member, a moslem state, threatens them. The world has truly turned upside down.

We actually should have seen this coming. In the Balkan war Russia backed Serbia, a Christian nation, while the west backed a nacsent moslem state in Europe.

Putin is an odious character. Are we going to have to start rooting for him?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I recall there was an US Air Force vet in my class at Iowa in the late 60s who had been stationed there.
He said it was good duty...

[Former Proud Canadian]

NATO lost its raison d'etre over the skies of Serbia and later on the plains of Afghanistan, where most of the "allies" refuse to fight even though the US was attacked. I'm still waiting to find out which NATO country was attacked by Serbia, or Libya for that matter.

The US should withdraw from Europe, just maintain a few bases in Germany for logistical operations elsewhere.

Canada, US, UK, Australia, New Zealand are natural allies. When push comes to shove, we all have the same beliefs. It really is an exclusive club of language, politics, law, and economics. Dozens of countries would love to join.

[Carry_Okie]

Turkey requires the drones to facilitate its war against the Kurds in Iraq and eastern Anatolia.

Oh that'll go over just grate in Iraq! Those who think Zero isn't trying to give Iraq back to Islamo-fascists just isn't watching.

Does anybody know for certain which flavor of Islam ol' Barack "professed"? Was it Sunnia or Shia (I am presuming the latter).

[Bender2]

The Turkish Military in the last century (1960, 1971, 1980 & 1997) has several times stepped in and pulled the rug from under past Ankara regimes that went too far, AND it is time for them to do it again!

[GonzoGOP]

Putin is an odious character. Are we going to have to start rooting for him?

So was Vlad Tepes, but he kept the Turks out of the Balkans. Sometimes a driven, but ruthless individual can do more than a good man without will or direction. Especially in the face of an equally ruthless foe.

[PapaBear3625]

This is why he has to move against Cyprus. Only by looting the Cypriot gas fields can he hope to pay off the debts in the Turkish economy.

This is similar to why Hitler invaded France. He HAD to, because conquering and looting France and the rest of Europe was the only way to keep the National Socialist German economy from collapsing.

We are at a dangerous stage where Turkey, Pakistan, and others will only be able to keep their people happy by finding some external entity to loot.

[Eyes Unclouded]

Didn’t their most recent plot get disrupted and their whole top brass sacked?

I think the days of the army being the guardian of secularism are waning.

[Shadow44]

The whole “Operation Sledgehammer” scandal really messed things up when the AKP declared that the army was trying to launch a coup and started arresting people.

I haven’t followed it very closely, but it seemed to be a good way to quiet military opposition while AKP backers work their way up the ranks.

[PapaBear3625]

Does anybody know for certain which flavor of Islam ol' Barack "professed"? Was it Sunnia or Shia (I am presuming the latter).

Islam in both Kenya and Indonesia is predominantly Sunni, so I guess the former.

[montyspython]

Then there are the Balkans. After winning his third national election in June, Erdogan dispatched his Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to Kosovo, Bosnia and Romania to conduct what the Turks referred to as "mosque diplomacy."

Erdogan's government has been lavishing aid on Bosnia for several years and is promoting itself as a neo-Ottoman guardian of the former Ottoman possessions

And guess who spearheaded support for islamic domination in Europe? Mecca called and they want their dhimmi Madeline Albright back.

[Carry_Okie]

Islam in both Kenya and Indonesia is predominantly Sunni, so I guess the former.

LOL, I meant to imply Sunni but got crossed up in the text box. Thanks.

The reason I was asking is that, if he is Sunni, why is he working so hard on behalf of Iran? Is is simply, 'anything that harms Amerikkka,' or something else? On several levels, the guy is pretty inscrutable, whether it is stupidity, opportunism, criminal greed, revenge, or something larger, it is simply hard to tell. I suspect a vicious brew.

[fatez]

You forgot one, Cush also known as Sudan.