THE TELEGRAPH: Ankara is losing patience after being rebuffed in its attempts to join the EU, writes Con Coughlin.
For a country that has aspirations to join the Western comity of nations, Turkey certainly has a strange way of going about it. Its government may not have personally sanctioned the dispatch of a flotilla of militant aid activists to Gaza, but it has lost no time in leading the international chorus of condemnation for Israel's cack-handed response.
Ahmet Davutoglu, the foreign minister, has claimed that the military interception of the flotilla, which resulted in the deaths of nine "peace" activists, has become Turkey's 9/11. The Turks even achieved the remarkable feat of persuading the Nato alliance to come to its aid. But throughout the tumult, they appear to have conveniently overlooked the damning evidence that, far from being innocent aid activists, many of those on board the Mavi Marmara, the Turkish-registered ship that led the flotilla, were hell-bent on an armed confrontation. How else do you explain the presence of gas masks, bullet-proof vests, knives and axes on the vessel?
The team of Israeli commandos that rappelled from a helicopter on to the ship's upper deck were met by a lynch mob, some of whom had openly professed a desire to achieve martyrdom prior to the voyage. In some cases, it appears their wishes were met.
While the Turkish government says it was not directly involved in sending the Mavi Marmara on its doomed mission, Israeli security officials claim the charity responsible for chartering the ship does have links to Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party. >>> Con Coughlin | Friday, June 04, 2010
Star comment by instansaver:
The Islamist ruling party in Turkey has been waiting for years to become more overtly Islamist. We in Europe should not kid ourselves that our correct rebuffing of their entry into the EU was the principal factor. Admitting Turkey would be demographically and culturally disastrous.
Erdogan spends half his time these days dining with Assad and Ahmadinejad. Turkey's great geopolitical priority right now is to prevent an independent Kurdistan arising out of the ashes of post-Saddam Iraq. That explains the majority of what is driving Turkey's (literal) reorientation.
The earlier dispute with Israel featuring Danny Ayalon centred around the production of an anti-semitic tv series in Turkey - a fact which was lost in the West due to the typical propensity for succumbing to anti-Israel spin.
We in the west would be greatly mistaken by thinking that the best way to handle Turkey right now is to mollify or appease it. The best hope for Turkey is if the secularist politicians get their act together. The Islamist ruling party needs a bucket of cold water throwing over it, not a bunch of flowers and the keys to the house. – (Edited by a moderator) [Source: Telegraph Comments]
Con Coughlin's article is excellent, well-written, and logically set out. But it is based on a false assumption! The assumption that if Turkey is allowed into Europe, all will be well. But this will clearly not be the case. Mr Coughlin, it appears, has little understanding of the true nature of Islam and Muslims. All Muslims have Islam coursing through their veins. Turkish Muslims are no different. They may appear to be more 'moderate' – whatever a 'moderate Muslim' is – but do not be fooled. Muslims are Muslims, and Islam is Islam. There is but ONE Islam, and therefore, by logical extension, ONE true Muslim.
Israelis understand the true nature of their Muslim neighbours. Con Coughlin, apparently, does not.
Allowing Turkey into Europe will be nothing short of a disaster for Europe. It will change the course of its future. The continent will be transformed in no time at all. If people like Mr Coughlin want to throw away our Judeo-Christian civilization in one fell swoop, then all that needs to be done is to allow Turkey into the Union. That will clinch it for them! But this will be one foolish step too many. – © Mark
