Turkish people

Submitted by Baran (Australia), Mar 6, 2010 at 17:53

... So, according to Daniel Pipes Turkish people do not know what's good for them , do not understand the concept of democracy, what's best for the nation and only the generals know it all. The generals who spend virtually all of their adult life perfecting the art and science of killing fellow human beings know when Turkish democracy has gone awry and have the duty to negate, to override the will of the people by toppling the duly elected governments.

... Kemalism has been and remains chief obstacle to the development of genuine western style democracy in Turkey and to Turkey's joining Europe. Gen Mustafa Kemal -later Ataturk- did not believe in democracy, locked up all opposition leaders and then turned a multi-party political system into a single-party "republic". As he failed to produce any children to succeed him the new country became a de facto republic. He was no different from Saddam Hussein, Gen Franco of Spain or Joseph Stalin.

Turkish generals continue to invoke his name and legacy to preserve and protect their status as "untouchables", prerogatives and privileges. It is understandable that they will try very hard -and even enlist the services of people like Daniel Pipes-to preserve status quo.

The interesting question is why... side with gangs of generals! There has to be a good reason for it, that's for sure.

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