Talk Turkey Not Crusades
Looming over the whole EU process is the question of what to do about Turkey. Turkey is in many ways a schizophrenic country. The Turkish republic was founded in 1923 in reaction to the Ottoman Empire and defined itself in stark contrast to it. The early republicans associated the empire with everything that was archaic, religious and backward. They modeled the republic on modern, secular and progressive lines, similar to those they saw in Europe. It became the first secular Islamic state.
A secular Muslim democracy which powerful military generals monitor closely to ensure that Muslim fundamentalism is reigned in. Turkey has been trying to get into the European trade bloc for decades, and has achieved a comprehensive association agreement with it.
Many European governments have never, for complex historical, geographical and religious reasons, considered Turkey to be part of Europe. Why not? They have fought and died side by side American and European soldiers in the Korean conflict and have been prepared to do so again if called upon. They offered to send 10,000 troops for peace keeping in Iraq to serve along side the Coalition troops but were turned down when the Iraqi Kurds objected. They let the US use their air bases for NATO and UN approved military campaigns. In Afghanistan it took over the command of the international peace keeping force.
They are the only Muslims who do separate Church and State and have made a concerted effort to be part of the peaceful transition into the New World Order. They have amended their constitution to comply with EU requirements and have given the 12 million Kurds living in Turkey the freedoms mandated by the EU. By pushing Turkey away from Europe and ignoring Interlocalism, Turkey has no choice but to Interlocalize with all the other Turkic states in Central Asia that used to be part of the Ottoman Empire before they became part of the Soviet Union, the Turkish speaking people of Western China, or the nearby Muslim states, including Iran and Syria. In fact, as always, it is the bridge between Christian Europe and Muslim Near and Far East. This geographic and geopolitical fact is brought home to me every time I visit Istanbul and take the ferry from the European side of the city to the Asian side.
Turkey is the only Muslim free-market democracy in the world. A modern country with 70 million people and the world’s 19th-largest economy, Turkey can encourage and more easily communicate with its fellow Muslims in Central Asia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Indonesia and Malaysia, imperfect in their ways are, officially democratic and secular. Turkey can show these two more progressive Muslim states and others the way to become secular democratic states.
When the street outside one of the two synagogues that were suicide-bombed in Istanbul on November 15th was reopened, the Chief Rabbi appeared at the ceremony hand in hand with the top Muslim cleric of the city and the local mayor. The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also paid a visit to the chief rabbi. Turkish politicians are not intimidated by religious fundamentalists because they have the legitimacy that comes from being democratically elected. They are setting the example for all other Muslim countries.
A secular Muslim democracy which powerful military generals monitor closely to ensure that Muslim fundamentalism is reigned in. Turkey has been trying to get into the European trade bloc for decades, and has achieved a comprehensive association agreement with it.
Many European governments have never, for complex historical, geographical and religious reasons, considered Turkey to be part of Europe. Why not? They have fought and died side by side American and European soldiers in the Korean conflict and have been prepared to do so again if called upon. They offered to send 10,000 troops for peace keeping in Iraq to serve along side the Coalition troops but were turned down when the Iraqi Kurds objected. They let the US use their air bases for NATO and UN approved military campaigns. In Afghanistan it took over the command of the international peace keeping force.
They are the only Muslims who do separate Church and State and have made a concerted effort to be part of the peaceful transition into the New World Order. They have amended their constitution to comply with EU requirements and have given the 12 million Kurds living in Turkey the freedoms mandated by the EU. By pushing Turkey away from Europe and ignoring Interlocalism, Turkey has no choice but to Interlocalize with all the other Turkic states in Central Asia that used to be part of the Ottoman Empire before they became part of the Soviet Union, the Turkish speaking people of Western China, or the nearby Muslim states, including Iran and Syria. In fact, as always, it is the bridge between Christian Europe and Muslim Near and Far East. This geographic and geopolitical fact is brought home to me every time I visit Istanbul and take the ferry from the European side of the city to the Asian side.
Turkey is the only Muslim free-market democracy in the world. A modern country with 70 million people and the world’s 19th-largest economy, Turkey can encourage and more easily communicate with its fellow Muslims in Central Asia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Indonesia and Malaysia, imperfect in their ways are, officially democratic and secular. Turkey can show these two more progressive Muslim states and others the way to become secular democratic states.
When the street outside one of the two synagogues that were suicide-bombed in Istanbul on November 15th was reopened, the Chief Rabbi appeared at the ceremony hand in hand with the top Muslim cleric of the city and the local mayor. The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also paid a visit to the chief rabbi. Turkish politicians are not intimidated by religious fundamentalists because they have the legitimacy that comes from being democratically elected. They are setting the example for all other Muslim countries.
posted by Peter de Krassel's Custom Maid Politics at 10:35 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home