Submitted by Flow (United Kingdom), Jun 20, 2013 at 08:42
Erdoğan's AKP government, whose foreign policy was "Zero problems with neighbours" seems to have cost Turkey pretty much all its ties with "friends", and that's not only international ties, but domestic ties as well.
America and the Corporations are clearly not happy bunnies with Erdoğans' total failure to "act and govern democratically while selling public property for pennies", Iran + Russia doesn't really like the Erdoğan attitude towards Assad as well as the USA "brohood in the neighbourhood", China simply just does not care. European Union never really wanted Turkey but played along to keep Turkey as a means of "border protection" (What? What do you think Europe would be like if all the migrant population of wartorn regions in the middle east didn't find safer haven in Turkey?). Then you've got Israel, which Erdoğan managed to -f*ck up- all diplomatic ties with. The ethnic minorities in Turkey already have voiced their less than flattering opinions of Erdoğan's government, despite the so called "solution", which is headed for a full on collision. Who else, oh yeah! Brasil! That's who! The people who also stood up against total disregard for the people. Jogar bonito my friends! (we loved the tear gas volley return!)
What's left is the "outer crescent" of the "greater middle east" populated with a thirst for non-secular, non-democratic (Yes! non-democratic! We know democracy for Erdoğan is a "Tool" rather than a "Goal" ! ), under educated, less culturally diverse and intellectual, less than skilled for any "future industries" such as creative industries, information technology, high-tech, space and so on. The remnants of Europe's sick man, really. Hence, Erdoğan being labelled "Neo-Ottoman".
But the real loss of "friendship" for Erdoğan's government is the one with the Secularists, the real creators of value in the modern world, who identify themselves as teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, artists, actors, writers, journalists, singers, thinkers, doers! But more importantly as The People! Not "Erdoğan fans" !
Atatürk's reforms were the foundation for partially (!) solving this very turmoil, which he had seen nearly a century ago.
Erdoğan made a huge mistake. He failed to address -all- of the people.
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".