Current Events

Tiger Hillbilly!

Substitute Islamic Republic for Turkey in your comment and the picture gets a lot more grimmer. A lot more grimmer.

The IRI is a tool of Russia and China

It has allowed the Caspian littoral states to renegotiate the treaty that Reza Shah signed with Stalin's USSR in 1940 to give away a huge share of Iran's territorial rights to the other Caspian Sea states. It has shown itself to be an utter tool of Russia with respect to the Russian-built, junky nuclear reactor in Bushehr that has involved billions of dollars, been dragging on for over 10 years, and will produce a relatively modest amount of electricity when it finally becomes operational after all these years! It was a tool of Russia with respect to the S-300 missiles that the Russians kept stringing the IRI along for and then finally refused to sell them the missiles. And we all know that the junky aircraft that the IRI buys from Russia are Flying Coffins with some of the worst safety records in the world.

IN turn, China has found a nice dumping ground for its low quality, cheap manufactured goods (Iranian stores and bazaars are full of crappy Chinese knockoffs), which are able to outsell their inefficient and crony-prone Iranian competitors -- to the detriment of Iranian factory workers (and we have all heard about the instances of prolonged unpaid wages). China just recently announced that it was getting out of the South Pars project, which leaves more egg on the IRI's face. Some "independence" the IRI has achieved: "independence" to spout empty slogans (twice as empty for its West-residing propagandists), to take the U.S. embassy staff as hostage, fund terrorists that blow up embassies, kidnap people, and hijack planes -- but dependence when it comes to China and Iran's Number One historical enemy, i.e. Russia.

Likewise Uncle G.!

Turkey, for a poor country with no natural resources, it has managed to buy cheap oil and gas from the Regime to improve its economy and put itself right in the middle, as the main transporter of oil and gas from Asia to Europe.

While the Regime is struggling to hang on to China and India as the reliable customers of Iranian oil.

Turkishdemocracy

"The frequency with which Article 301 is being used and the arbitrary
nature of its application represent a real threat to freedom of speech
in Turkey. Individuals are being harassed and threatened with
imprisonment simply for speaking or writing about aspects of Turkish
history or culture that do not conform to an imposed nationalist ideal."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJBU4NIt4rM

the Turkish writer who has spent 21 years of her life in Turkish prisons, was arrested in early November
2010 and is currently imprisoned in Istanbul Bakirkoy Prison. She is
serving a 10-month sentence for offences related to views expressed in a
book she published in 2000, Inancin Sinandigi Zor Mekanlar: Hucreler (Difficult
Places that Challenge the Faith: Prison Cells). The book describes the
experience of resistance in the prison where she was incarcerated during
the military coup in 1980. Berktaş was convicted and sentenced under
Article 7 of the Anti-Terror Law (propaganda for an illegal
organization). Her lawyer has demonstrated that, due to an
administrative error in calculating a sentence for other convictions,
Berktaş has already spent almost 6 years too many in prison. Her lawyer
has asked for the 10 month prison sentence to be annulled. The request
was recently dismissed by the court....

• Article 301 (Turkish penal code)
• Censorship in Turkey
• Human rights in Turkey

Great Analysis, Faramarz!

And here's what I wrote a while ago: "The Turkish authorities have proven to be more intelligent than their IR counterparts. Although relations between Turkey and Israel have been strained due to the death of 9 Turkish citizens, Turkey is the the third largest importer of goods from Israel. "Israel exports an annual $1.5 billion in goods and services to Turkey, and imports $1.8 billion. Turkey: Israel's Largest 3rd Export Market in 2011.Trade between Turkey and Israel increased from $600 million (2010) to $695 million (first six months of 2011), and Israeli exports to Turkey rose to $662 million from $420 million." Wikipedia

A World of Difference between Erdogan and the Regime

There is a world difference between Erdogan and the Regime leaders in Iran.

For one thing, Erdogan has the support of the majority of its people and the respect of the Arab/Muslim people. The Regime has neither and relies solely on the oil money to fund its marginal allies in the Region. Erdogan has put the Turkish military on the sideline and away from the political mainstream. The Regime has turned the governance of Iran over to Pasdar and Basij.

Erdogan has taken a leadership role in the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria while the Regime has been sneaky and quietly supporting Assad and at the same time calling for a dialogue with the opposition.

Erdogan’s Turkey is also a reliable NATO ally who is installing a defense shield in Turkey against the Regime’s missiles. It also inspects the Regime’s cargo planes to Syria and Lebanon on a regular basis to prevent the illegal arm smuggling.

Finally, Erdogan is moving away from Turkey’s doctrine of “zero problems with the neighbors” to a more assertive strategy of taking a leadership role in the Middle East.

Good luck to him! And it is a matter of time before he sends a warning to Khamenei the same way he issued one to Bashar Assad.

impressive speech from Erdogan!!

I saw the whole interview. He spoke with reason--I found it to be very impressive. I hardly see him as going Islamic but more like pro-modern-reformed-centrist-Islamic state. 

I particularly liked his comment about being pro-Western. He sided on being both pro Western and Eastern.

He's also made some strategic moves in gaining momentum in Arab springs. I believe he'll have more influence in the Arab world than IRI- in fact, from this interview I realized how IRI's influence in the region is dying. 

Bavafa

True.

However reason is clear. Turkey's past and west’s objective with that country was/has been different than Iran. For some (obvious) reasons. I would prefer Turkish system to current Iranian also, but that won't happen any time soon.

In regard to Turkey being a model, just keep in mind that having a good looking system is not enough to take leadership. Iran has shown, for better or worse, that is willing/capable to stand alone for what it believes. That gives Iran an automatic clout in the politically controlled region. That's why Turkey has a big bite if it wants to take a role or be a part of the leadership role. Most probably Turkey can’t do it alone and will need Iran.
 
Taking a leadership, Turkey will face similar problems as Iran did once it gets to the strategic footprints of Western powers in the region. Turkey, being a touristic nation, requires providing an image of stability and security, which translates its inability to go far in standing up for independent regional development. Iran can certainly take charge with anything that keeps West out of region.

It's not based on system alone, it takes many other attributes. Let’s see if Turkey can handle it. Remember, Turkey is a part of NATO and Turkey still needs to satisfy US interest in the region. That might not go well for a country that wants to be a leader. For the image yes, but for the long run won’t do.

In case of Iran, if Iran changes route and allows more systematic reforms to take place, many equations could change too. It's unlikely but not impossible.

I guess all I am getting at is it's too early to tell.

Khatamie was/is an impotent, pacifist with a gentle smile...

Whereas Erdogan has excelled his country in so many ways to the extent that has earned world level recognition.  They have proven not to be a puppet, bend-over-backwards for the West without the typical hollow slogans of the East.

They could be a great model for so many Muslim nations around the world.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

Dear Jahanshah

Keep things in perspective. As an educated person who runs a popular website, you should be careful in choosing your words. "President of a true democracy" is going a bit far.

How much do you know about prisons in Turkey? Are you mistaking social freedom, forced by needing tourism, with political freedom?

Iranian system poses a direct threat to Western puppets. Iran also is at a position to carry some sort of soft power, if the system wasn't this backward. Regardless, I would wait to see Turkey of tomorrow and won't judge this too quickly. Reality will present itself in near future.

For Turkey to take what Iran has initiated, leadership of Islamic World takes much more than lip service. Let's see/hope that Turkey is up to the challenge.

Khatami said the same thing that he appreciates Western knowledge and culture. In that I made the comment. Other than that Khatami is much brighter, more intelligent, and better speaker than Turkish president.

Erdogan v Khatami

Khatami has explicitly stated that Iran does not want "a non religious (Islamic) Democracy". Erdogan has not made any such statement about Turkish Democracy.

Khatami believes in the Valayat Constitution. Khatami does not believe in "Democracy" as we know it.

See Khatami's speech regarding "democracy" here:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUza-yhd9dM

By the way, Erdogan is also full of hot air but his type is a million times better than our IRI types if you know what is mean

Erdogan has zero similarity to Khatami

 Turkey to Install U.S.-Designed Radar, in a Move Seen as Blunting Iran’s Missiles

 //www.nytimes.com/2011/09/03/world/europe/03missile.html

//www.juancole.com/2011/09/muslim-brotherhood-rebukes-erdogan-for-advocacy-of-secularism.html

Reform requires the consent of the corrupt

Ahmadinejad vs Erdogan

It's easy to dismiss Ahmadinejad's anti-American and anti-Israeli rants. He's a nut. He's the president of the Islamic Republic where the prisons are filled with all sorts of non-violent dissidents and undesirables. Where elections are a joke.

What about Erdogan? Not easy to dismiss him. He's not a nut. He's the president of a true democracy. His country has recognized Israel. It has strong, working relations with the U.S. and Europe. It is a member of NATO and agreed to a missile shield on its soil to deter Iran.

His views about West

Is very similar to Mr. Khatami's views when he was president.