Turkey's Problem Will Not Be With Islam Alone

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Sep 14, 2011 at 15:32

It is interesting to see that there is still confusion about what is really happening in the Arab and Muslim communities that are in 'upheaval.' But to think that 'throwing off imperialism' by western white imperialist Christian friends is what is happening lends to the confusion as well. Islam is not throwing off western white imperialism, something long ago made impure by the equally compelling avarice of those Muslim influenced countries who nationalized their oil resources and have used them to great advantage to press their own agenda. Iran is one of the better examples of how the Islamic revolution has changed the region towards its own agenda, strangely by emulating the western imperialists. Go figure.

The 'west' never really had control of the Middle East, only falsely thinking so because so much money was made and never really caring about the socio-political consequences of those things. So it was really easy for the military dictatorships that sprouted up to move in and take their share. Turkey was, and is not immune to such things.

But Turkey has a lot more to worry about than their efforts to be more Islamic in their relationship with the other Islamically trending countries in the Middle East; for as we have observed many times before, Turkey is at the crossroads and not all see Turkey in the same light as Turkey does.

Imperialism is a phrase thrown around indiscriminately by primarily socialist ideologies, the same mentality adopted by others who see opportunities in a failing social environment such as was seen in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria and others. The opportunities for the Brotherhood to incite unrest were quite overwhelming enticing in such a way that could not be resisted: but to what end?

It is said that the fundamentalist Muslim community is striving for the ultimate association, the 'ummah' of the world under shari'a influences, a situational condition that those of that ideology is necessary to rid the world of its imperialist ways: yet does that not introduce caliphate imperialism?

Many do not understand; and evidently this is a prevailing condition to all but a few. Turkey seems intent on being a leader in continuing changes in the Middle East, but Turkey's role in the ultimate sense is yet to be understood by those who are following that Turkish intention in light of the continuing confusion elsewhere around there.

So might one wonder about Islam being a problem for a Turkey intent on being a leader in the region; yet indeed Turkey is one to watch. The problem for Turkey is that in the end, they might have fared better had they let well enough alone and remembered their former Ottoman years as a thing of the past, and the past only.

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