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The Lessons of the Ottomans Not Learned.

Reader comment on item: Lebanon, Stuck between Israel and Syria
in response to reader comment: You people underestimated Turks and still underestimating.

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jul 18, 2011 at 12:55

Interesting that you should try to elevate the Turkish influence in the region; and why not? While many might try to diffuse the Turkish element in the Middle East situation, there is a reason the American Secretary of State is spending so much time there; and its' not for the cuisine.

The observation that Turkey has had historical importance in the region is not for a small thing. As had been mentioned many times before, Turkey is at the crossroads; figuratively, alliteratively, and literally.

Yet, what does that mean for the immediate future, of the consequences for trying to be what the world does not appear ready for; that of another nation asserting world power in climate of competing world power surrogates.

If Turkey purports to be some form of intermediary in the Middle East process, then a number of factors should probably be reconciled first. Why, for example, after all the posturing of year ago, does the NATO alliance that once was so prominent in many circles now appear unnecessary to Turkey's international circumstances? Is the Bosporus so secure that the Eastern European frontier is no longer a concern, even as Greece implodes?

Then there are the other influences that seem to be at once, so far; yet Turkey's nominal alliances of recent months/years are begging to be released to exert yet further pressure to do one very noticeable thing: to displace Israel. Is that not, after all, the stated intentions of others that are hidden behind Turkey' unstated ambitions?

To be a world ruler, one of two things must be in place: the ability to exert the power necessary for enforcement of equality under the rule of law; or the actual exertion of the power to conquer and impose dictates against freedom as did the Babylonians, Romans, Persians, and the Nationalist Socialists of the Third Reich, et al. Which of these two does Turkey now possess without an alliance? The suggestion is; that needs to be answered before taking on the mantle that no mortal yet has worn successfully.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (24) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Israel and Syria [79 words]rhtexasMar 13, 2012 07:06194323
1Palestinians [217 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Steve HagermanJul 27, 2011 15:00187748
Israel is NOT Palestine [295 words]M. ToveyAug 2, 2011 16:07187748
So what is the implication? [36 words]simonMar 13, 2012 16:48187748
Are most Palestinians descended from ancient Israel? [152 words]Steve HagermanMar 14, 2012 15:30187748
Palestinians would not be pleased [137 words]saraMar 14, 2012 17:52187748
Interfaith dialogue [125 words]UgriMar 15, 2012 08:59187748
1The fallacy of the "interfaith dialogue" [183 words]saraMar 15, 2012 17:44187748
3Israel, next war pulverize your enemy [219 words]NuritGJul 16, 2011 00:07187444
1Israel, next war pulverize your enemy [219 words]NuritGJul 20, 2011 12:32187444
You people underestimated Turks and still underestimating. [35 words]sephardiJul 15, 2011 19:00187433
8Wishful thinking [101 words]Solomon TaraganoJul 18, 2011 08:15187433
The Lessons of the Ottomans Not Learned. [341 words]M. ToveyJul 18, 2011 12:55187433
Untying the Knot of Lebanon's Predicament with Syrian Complications [334 words]M. ToveyJul 15, 2011 11:37187430
Israel has an ally with Cyprus [23 words]Carmen WaggonerJul 15, 2011 11:06187429
1How and when did Lebanon become Muslim-majority? [14 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
BernieJul 15, 2011 10:39187428
confused [42 words]concernedJul 16, 2011 04:48187428
All will go to Brasil [88 words]LebanonJul 17, 2011 12:54187428
How and when did Lebanon become Muslim-majority? [23 words]LebaneseSep 1, 2014 11:58187428
Your answer ... [15 words]DAVID A FISHEROct 9, 2017 16:05187428
3Genocide of the KURDS !!! [51 words]Samuel TsioutsiasJul 15, 2011 08:46187426
3The Kurds are now the victims of the Turkish barbarians [120 words]dhimmi no moreJul 17, 2011 10:08187426
Genocide of the Kurds !!! [145 words]Minhaj AkreyiJul 20, 2011 22:29187426
4The Kurds and the Armenian Genocide [324 words]dhimmi no moreJul 22, 2011 07:04187426

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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 and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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