Turkey stands at the geographical, and cultural, crossroads of Europe and Asia. Crossroads are often dangerous places. Turkey also presently stands at a crossroads in its destiny; it has the choice of moving forward to develop as a state with an Islamic cultural heritage, but one with a secular and enlightened outlook, initiated so spectacularly and successfully by the brilliant and humane Kemal Atatürk nearly a century ago; or it can continue to revert back to type and become a stagnant fundamentalist backwater much like the Islamic Republic of Iran has become. The signs from the ruling AK Party under prime minister Tayyip Erdogan, as well as the swing back to conservative Islamic traditions within the country, are not encouraging. There is also the question of the present administration's warm relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Iran, another country with a rich cultural heritage, similarly once had the chance to develop and move forward, but the 1979 revolution put pay to that; or at least for the time being. Moreover, the former Shah, whilst being infinitely better than Khomeini and his ilk, was certainly no Kemal Atatürk.
At present, there are definitely forces at work in Turkey that wish to turn the clock back, and Iran is most willing to assist them. Turkey would be most welcome to join their club. The recent manufactured confrontation with Israel is extremely relevant in this respect. It is certainly no coincidence that the Gaza strip, under Hamas, is in effect Iran's Islamist beachhead in the Mediterranean.
Turkey stands at the geographical, and cultural, crossroads of Europe and Asia. Crossroads are often dangerous places. Turkey also presently stands at a crossroads in its destiny; it has the choice of moving forward to develop as a state with an Islamic cultural heritage, but one with a secular and enlightened outlook, initiated so spectacularly and successfully by the brilliant and humane Kemal Atatürk nearly a century ago; or it can continue to revert back to type and become a stagnant fundamentalist backwater much like the Islamic Republic of Iran has become. The signs from the ruling AK Party under prime minister Tayyip Erdogan, as well as the swing back to conservative Islamic traditions within the country, are not encouraging. There is also the question of the present administration's warm relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Iran, another country with a rich cultural heritage, similarly once had the chance to develop and move forward, but the 1979 revolution put pay to that; or at least for the time being. Moreover, the former Shah, whilst being infinitely better than Khomeini and his ilk, was certainly no Kemal Atatürk.
At present, there are definitely forces at work in Turkey that wish to turn the clock back, and Iran is most willing to assist them. Turkey would be most welcome to join their club. The recent manufactured confrontation with Israel is extremely relevant in this respect. It is certainly no coincidence that the Gaza strip, under Hamas, is in effect Iran's Islamist beachhead in the Mediterranean.