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So goes Turkey
Reader comment on item: Turkey's Radical Turn?

Submitted by Glenn Klotz (United States), Aug 6, 2003 at 09:57

If Turkey becomes another Iran (1979), the West has a BIG problem and so do the reformers in Iran or any other Muslim society. Turkey has experimented with a secular form of Islam for over 80 yrs. but it was always secularism from the "barrel of a gun" to quote Mao. Remove the gun and allow a real democratic state and we might soon see the Mullahs in the saddle so to speak.

I have no doubt the AKP is just another "radical Islamist" party in drag so to speak. The West should NEVER allow an Islamic Republic into its fold; it would be like inviting the fox into the hen house.

The AKP will hold onto power with whatever means it deems necessary. The real problem in Turkey is how deeply it's penetrated the Army itself at this point.

If Iraq becomes another Shia Islamic republic and the Iranian reformers are crushed, it won't be long before we see a band of different types of so-called radical Islamic republics from Pakistan and Afghanistan to the Sudan. I predict that in 10 years Egypt, Jordan,Iraq, Syria ,Libya, almost all of north Africa and even possibly Indonesia will be a hostile Islamic coalition with nukes and a real nasty attitude towards the West and toward the US in particuliar.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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Reader comments (17) on this item

Title By Date
Question [141 words]Bige VonaFeb 14, 2006 01:47
Turkey and the EU [339 words]Alex CurrieMar 17, 2004 08:13
How islamic is islamic [337 words]Jonathan LambAug 14, 2003 11:46
Do we mean what we say? [85 words]Zev SternAug 13, 2003 20:01
hope to hear content of the new laws next offering [21 words]William KinneyAug 10, 2003 23:17
Mind your own business [144 words]AmericanAug 10, 2003 21:58
caution is suggested [35 words]fenixAug 8, 2003 10:35
Forewarning of What's to Come? [228 words]Ruth LowryAug 6, 2003 22:20
Turkey Boost/Baste? [25 words]John PalubiskiAug 6, 2003 10:26
Beyond the Pale [96 words]Brad ReedAug 6, 2003 10:03
⇒ So goes Turkey [218 words]Glenn KlotzAug 6, 2003 09:57
A self-defeating move? [175 words]Joshua TruaxAug 6, 2003 02:22
Is it Islamist to reject the Iraqi war? [224 words]PseudoerasmusAug 5, 2003 23:36
Two questions [76 words]Randy McDonaldAug 5, 2003 17:56
How popular is AKP? [265 words]J. Keen HollandAug 5, 2003 16:17
Islam vs. Moderation [167 words]Arlinda DeAngelisAug 5, 2003 16:09
FRIEND OR FOE? The stakes are huge. Stay tuned. [84 words]GRAHAM RAEL-BROOKAug 5, 2003 13:59

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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