[hinckley buzzard]

Turkey has been veering toward islamism under Erdogan for some time. Kemalism is dead and gone, as are any hopes for the survival of democratic, populist, secular rule. This latest development is nothing but autocratic rule enforced in typical moslem strongman fashion. Too bad, but the handwriting has been on the wall for Turkey for a number of years now. If we indeed count on them for anything, it is ta our peril.

[Veto!]

Sadly true that Turkey is moving away from sanity. I was there 20 years ago over Christmas/New Years, and Istanbul had more and cheerier decorations up than Seattle did. People were incredibly friendly and very happy to meet Americans. I was there with a very obviously Jewish friend and he was just as welcome as I was.

My friend and her husband just returned from Turkey and found Istanbul clean and friendly…they didn’t get down into the hinterlands, as I did, but still…a lot, if not most, urban, educated Turks are definitely NOT Islamists and don’t want to be.