Bavafa

Turkey for Thanksgiving?

A. Hojjati & Bavafa,

I don't necessarily disagree that Turkey is playing a more honorable & moderating role in MidEast foreign policy than probably any other country in the region, and that it has made strides towards a more democratic society in the past few years.  I'm just pointing out that Turkey, like other states in the region and many others in the world, has grievous issues of its own to address.  It has the largest Kurdish population in the world and historically a very repressive attitude towards them.  They've also had a problem with Holocaust denial, the Armenian Holocaust of early 20th century by the Ottomans.

As far as Turkey becoming "the most powerful nation in ME," it depends in what respect.  They're part of Nato, but it's doubtful that they'll be provided military equipment more powerful than Israel's (who's not part of Nato).  Economically, Turkey's not as high-tech driven as Israel, but that may not imply a weaker economy in the longer run.  Saudi Arabia w/ its oil reserves (and not much else) can affect world economy more readily than other states in the region.  But as you suggest Turkey's becoming the most respected country in that region.

Turkey is already most influential,& powerful Country in ME

Turkey is very nice tourism country.  Turkey has none of other oil rich ME countries natural resources but it has maintained itself as a very competative country to Europeans beside being almost secular democratic.

Great point Maghshoosh

 I am interested in Turkish language and sometimes when I do a simple Google about a writer or someone famous in Turkey, even someone in their "majless" and then I see what you are referring to about human rights violation.  Still, Bavafa has a point about Turkey' s foreign policy.  As they say:

در سرزمین کوران , یک چشم پادشاه است .

Maghshoosh and MRX1: Thanks for your input...

I appreciate your constructive dialogue.

while I will not profess to know it all about Turkey, nor suggest it is an absolute great system, they are proving to set a good example in an area of the world which lacks any good example, this is including Israel.  They are smart and logical. 

While they have major policy disagreement with Israel, they have kept the friendship and continued their partnership.   And while they are a Muslim nation and a close economical partner with Syria, they have not failed to see their short term gain by supporting Syria regime over long term gain by condemning their criminal/fascist tactic.

It is all about business and protecting your own interest, though some nations look at only short term interest and some look at long term interest.   History is full of examples how short term interest has turn to be a long term headache for this nation.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

Turkey's human rights issues

Bavafa,

While Turkey has become the country in the Muslim world most preferred as a model in the wake of the pro-democracy movements in the Middle East, it has outstanding human rights issues of its own to resolve, most prominently its treatment of Kurdish rights and activists, as some of these AI links document: //www.amnestyusa.org/search/node/turkey

They are smart

It's all buisness for them! when it suites them they become pals with Isreal when not, they become pals with Arabs or with mullah's. That's the way foreign policy of any country should be becuase countries do not have permanent friends or enemies so they try to make a best of it. It's monkeys in charge of omatestan that have no clue what so ever. Their hatered of jews have blinded them completely to the point of bringing the country close to war and destruction.