Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has been trying to bolster his standing in the Islamic world with his strident posturing against Israel since the 2008 Gaza conflict. The situation seemingly came to a boil following the flotilla incident where 9 Turkish activists were killed when they attacked Israeli soldiers boarding the flotilla vessel, Mavi Marmara.
But the Turkish military, which sees itself as the protector of the secularism ushered in by Kemal Ataturk and which has, over the years, taken action to prevent a return to Sharia rule, still values its relationship with Israel and the West.
According to this article in The New York Times, it appears despite the hyperbole from Erdogan, as far as Turkey and Israel are concerned, it's still business as usual.
1 comment:
What's needed in Turkey...is a coup by the military leadership to depose Erdrogan and do as Ataturk did nearly 100 years ago...get Turkey back on a secular state basis that separates religion from running the state. Erdrogan, unfortunately represents a significant and radically Islamic faction.
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