Is the jihadist thug Erdogan beginning to show his true colors? From the Times Online, with thanks to JJP Mackie:
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, the Turkish Prime Minister, has told European Union leaders that they will pay a heavy price in continued and escalating violence from Islamic extremists if the EU rejects Turkey as a member and confirms itself as a Christian club.
“Accepting a country that has brought together Islam and democracy will bring about harmony between civilisations. If, on the other hand, it is not welcomed, the world will have to put up with the present situation,” he said, referring to terrorism by such groups as al-Qaeda — whose local affiliates hit Turkey last year, bombing the British consulate and three other targets in Istanbul.
Is he suggesting that jihad terrorism will cease if Turkey is admitted into the EU? How and why? Does he have control over it?
“That is the very clear and present danger and it is all around us today. There is nothing we can do if the EU feels that it can live with being simply a Christian club . . . but if these countries burn their bridges with the rest of the world, history will not forgive them.”
Mr Erdogan’s powerful warning came just days before the EU summit that will decide whether to start formal accession talks with Turkey and against a furious European debate about the effects of incorporating Turkey’s 70 million, mainly Muslim, population into the Union….
Mr Erdogan is a declared “conservative democrat”, but his background as an Islamic firebrand has led to so many questions that his face broke into a “not again” smile at the mere mention of the problem.
“We are Muslim, we are Turkish, we are democratic and our country is secular,” he said, emphasising every phrase. “Nothing else need be said.” Nevertheless, he believed that the EU, in trying to add safeguards and get-out clauses in the draft for the talks, was discriminating against Ankara.
ADDENDUM: Nicolei, who also sent this piece in just now, comments cogently:
Will the acceptance of Turkey into EU stop the terrorism in Indonesia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, South Thailand?
The last tine I checked, Al-Qaeda’s declaration of jihad against the West (the USA and Israel in particular) was about the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Turkey’s membership into EU was not an issue. Erdogan is insulting the the intelligence of the terrorists who wish to restore a caliphate and not to accept non-Muslim states as their equal. Erdogan is also insulting the intelligence of non-Muslims who understands the real reasons, rationale and inspiration for Islamic terrorism.