Turkey Only Misplaced - It Never Lost Its Islamicism

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jun 14, 2010 at 15:48

As much as I disdain the idea that would take this reader to a place of dissent with Dr. Pipes' assessment of why Turkey has distancing her politics from the West's, there are 4 other compelling reasons why such has happened, and myriad might be the reasons be; but one touched on by others appears to have the prevailing thought on – (I was going to say trend-but it is much more than that) - the inevitability. There is much to the saying cast about by many of the Islamic persuasion, and there is evidence that it has a true bearing, that once Islamic, always Islamic. It is a defective saying, but much can be pointed to that underscores why Islam is still in an ascendant phase, and the West appears impotent to affect the directions it is going. There is an applicable Biblical phrase for it, but I will refrain.

One cannot expect that a mere ninety years of secular governance is going to erase completely the hundreds of years of Islamic control that was the life force of Turkey to the generations before the fall of the Ottoman Empire. As a side note, had Turkey remained Islamic after the end of the First World War, one cannot imagine the change of circumstances the West would find themselves in now.

Turkey can also be pointed for another circumstance, that of a secular government trying to govern a religious people. Turkish demographics as mentioned by Dr. Pipes inclusion of the data of the population demonstrates not a minor indication that has plagued other societies trying to model a government that is supposed rule without observing the absolutes of truth in dealing with diverse populations. But Turkey's case, the diversities appeared to be more ethnic rather that religious, to a point. In the end, the Islamic sensibilities of those who have achieved power in these modern times have done so in spite of the controversies associated with their ascent to power, and no one seems to come to the final realization as to why. I resort to the only evidence that has insurmountable veracity of the things we see today, that Islam, in its seeking of enough power to dominate the Middle East under the auspices of the Islamic Revolution, wants back what it once had; nay even more. Turkey, in its critical position between the East and the West, is in the pivotal position it has always had, to control the Bosporus and all that entails. Turkey will be at the crossroads when the final push in attempting to diminish Israel in her own land is commenced. This could not be accomplished were Turkey not in Islamic hands.

Much like the Soviet control of the Russian empire had a sunset date, so too the vision that Attatürk is waning for the urge to remove the restrictions Muslims felt were improperly imposed upon Islam. Put that with the fuel of the intensity and fervor of support from other Islamic institutions and the inevitability of what we see happening is plain to see. Further, unless the reversion (not likely) is dramatic and traumatic, it is not going to go away. Like it has been mentioned by others, if there is the desire to keep it from spreading, no amount of appeasement or engagement in the 'hudna' process is going to work. To stop it will be, if determined of a necessity, in the order of something catastrophic. In that regard, only coming up against Israel will produce that result, and that remains to be seen.

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