Secularism? Oh, never mind that. It’s on the way out.
Remember when all the learned analysts would confidently point to Turkey and say that it, not the jihadis, was the future of the Islamic world? So do I.
“Turkey ‘Has Nothing That Contradicts The Taliban’s Beliefs,’” International Christian Concern, July 22, 2021:
07/22/2021 Turkey (International Christian Concern) – Turkish President Erdogan is looking to extend the country’s level of influence and ideology yet again, this time turning his attention to Afghanistan. As the United States plans for its September withdrawal, Turkey is placing itself as a key player in the country, including by taking over the security of Kabul Airport. Despite the Taliban’s threats to Turkey to not carry through with its plan, Erdogan said, “as the Taliban held some talks with the US, it should hold these talks with Turkey much more comfortably. Because Turkey has nothing that contradicts their beliefs.”
Erdogan, claiming to not have any issues with the Islamic extremist group’s beliefs, commented during an interview in North Cyprus. North Cyprus is one of the many places in Turkey’s tumultuous past where the country invaded and cleansed the area of the local Christian population. Greek Christians, once the majority, now rarely live in North Cyprus as Turks have populated the area.
Turkey also is reportedly in the process of recruiting Syrian mercenaries for deployment to Afghanistan in order to minimize their own casualty number and create a degree of separation between Turkey at home and Turkey’s actions on the ground. Erdogan has previously utilized Syrian mercenaries in Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenian: Artsakh) with Azerbaijan and in Libya. An initial round of 2,000 Syrian mercenaries is reportedly being finalized in talks with Turkish-backed Syrian factions.
Turkey’s Interior Minister recently traveled to Afrin, Syria, a place known for Turkish-funded extremists with ties to major terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda….
Infidel says
He should go ahead. After all, the Ghaznavids are one of the dynasties that Turkey celebrates among its 16, and Afghanistan, the way it stands today, was only founded in the 18th century by Ahmad Shah Abdali. Prior to that, it was always a part of Turkistan, and ruled by the Ghaznavids, Khwarezmids, Chagatais, Timurides and Mughals. All of them Turkic dynasties. Oh, and toss in Pakistan as well
In fact, in retrospect, once the Taliban was ousted in 2001, we should have assigned troops of muslim countries not involved in the previous Afghan conflicts to send their troops for peacekeeping – either under UN or OIC auspices. Countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Algeria, Azerbaijan, et al. But not any of Afghanistan’s neighbors or countries that were backers of the Taliban or the Northern Alliance. We should have permanently kept them there, while focusing on jihadist activities elsewhere, like Pakistan, ‘Palestine’ and other places
gravenimage says
Muslims don’t really do peacekeeping…
mortimer says
The Turkish voters who support Erdogan’s AKP party want to have their cake and eat it. They vote for Islamist Erdogan while strongly supporting the continuation of a secular Turkey. They are deeply naive.
Under the Islamic Justice and Development Party (AKP) government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, “hundreds of secularist officers and their civilian allies” were jailed starting in 2007, and by 2012 the “old secularist guard” were removed from positions of authority and replaced by members/supporters of the AKP and the Islamic Gülen movement. Business interest apparently believe that Erdogan will blunt the appeal of the socialist parties in Turkey.
The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation found that only 9% of Turks supported a religious state in 2006. A more recent 2015 poll by Metropoll found that over 80% of Turkish people supported the continuation of Turkey as a secular state, with even the majority of AKP voters supporting a secular state too.
On 25 April 2016, the Turkish Parliamentary Speaker İsmail Kahraman told a conference of Islamic scholars and writers in Istanbul that “secularism would not have a place in a new constitution”, as Turkey is “a Muslim country and so we should have a religious constitution”. (One of the duties of the Parliament Speaker is to pen a new draft constitution for Turkey.)
Traditionally the function of the Diyanet (department of religious affairs) was to maintain control over and limit the religious sphere of Islam in Turkey. That role has been turned on its head. They are now promoting fatwas.
mortimer says
Erdogan is admitting that his party shares the same goals as the Taliban which is a terrorist organization. Erdogan is working against the interests of NATO and thus, Turkey should be punished with sanctions by all NATO countries.
Infidel says
Turkey has nothing that contradicts the Taliban’s beliefs, and EU governments have nothing that contradicts Turkey’s beliefs
gravenimage says
Not quite–Erdogan actually shares the beliefs of the Taliban–they are both Muslim.
The EU does not exactly share these hideous beliefs–but they are also not going to do much to oppose them.
Crusades Were Right says
‘Turkey has nothing that contradicts their beliefs’
Maybe all the church-stealing, ethnic cleansing and genocides have something to do with that? lol
GreekEmpress says
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Imo Erdogan is the most dangerous man on the planet.
Infidel says
I think he ties w/ President Xi Jin Peng
GreekEmpress says
George Soros is right up there, too.
David says
Soros is right up where? How about the new leader of Iran? I can’t remember his name. He’s right up there as well!
gravenimage says
Erdogan on the Taliban: ‘Turkey has nothing that contradicts their beliefs’
……………
Erdogan is no ally of ours, Everyone in the west should know this.
OLD GUY says
Erdogan is a repeat of HITLER. World domination is his plan.
ab says
You extremist westerners you don’t even know what you believe in.
Reading your articles is reading a pack of nonsense and contradictions. You are driven by hatred.
gravenimage says
Note that ab here considers condemning the vicious Taliban–who cut gay people up and set women on fire for “bad cooking”–is “hatred” and “extremism”. Just sickening.
And no–Jihad Watch is quite consistent in opposing the horrors of Jihad and Shari’ah. No contradictions here. But then, pious Muslims have never been rational. A rejection of reason willl do that.
Oskar says
Get to Turkey and see how intolerant and hateful Turkish people towards non-Muslim minorities, you are the real ones who are filled with hate.
tgusa says
No matter what, civilized human beings will always be proud of rejecting your homicidal, sexual assault ridden, kill your own mother or sister, the UN-personing of those that are not like you…culture. That is a winning system if i have ever seen one.