Ex-Islamist Gul becomes secular Turkey's president

[Nordic Superman]

Turkey's new president Abdullah Gul formally took office Tuesday and pledged to uphold his country's secular system shortly after parliament elected him as the first head of state with an Islamist past.

It was a major victory for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and for Gul, whose first bid for the post in April was blocked by the army-backed secular establishment which contended the party had a secret plan to undermine the constitutional regime.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070828/ts_afp/turkeyvote

Turkey should never be part of Europe.

[headhuntersix]

France has been very vocal against them joining the EU. I think the Army is the trump card in ensuring these guys don't get to crazy.

[Hedgehog]

France has been very vocal against them joining the EU. I think the Army is the trump card in ensuring these guys don't get to crazy.

It's a two-sided situation.

The AKP has admittedly made several reforms towards democracy in Turkey.

You would be an idiot to not acknowledge the lack of democracy in Turkey during the 20th century.

The AKP has started to deal with this, and Turkey is starting to economically get into the race, so to speak.

The only problem with AKP? It's obviously that it has an islamic backbone, and there is fear, legit or not, that AKP could have some kind of hidden agenda, or that at least, fundamentalists within that party could have tremendous effect if given power.

I say: credit where credit is due.

But it's also important to remember that Islam and democracy are two entities that can never co-exist.

[headhuntersix]

Reforms are good...happy people don't tend to blame the West.

[Nordic Superman]

It's a two-sided situation.

The AKP has admittedly made several reforms towards democracy in Turkey.

You would be an idiot to not acknowledge the lack of democracy in Turkey during the 20th century.

The AKP has started to deal with this, and Turkey is starting to economically get into the race, so to speak.

The only problem with AKP? It's obviously that it has an islamic backbone, and there is fear, legit or not, that AKP could have some kind of hidden agenda, or that at least, fundamentalists within that party could have tremendous effect if given power.

I say: credit where credit is due.

But it's also important to remember that Islam and democracy are two entities that can never co-exist.

The problem is this: "the first head of state with an Islamist past". That is the key point, why now? What does it tell you about the demographic of Turkey? What does it tell you about the nation and it's peoples political affiliation and desires?

Such a country has no place in the EU.

[youandme]

Turkey has a immigration problem with Kurds correct? Comparable to the US and hispanics?

Hedge you seem to know alot about Turk.

Also the military, what kind of card do they play in all of this? They take over every so often and shut the whole democratical system down....

[Hedgehog]

Turkey has a immigration problem with Kurds correct? Comparable to the US and hispanics?

Hedge you seem to know alot about Turk.

Also the military, what kind of card do they play in all of this? They take over every so often and shut the whole democratical system down....

No, Turkey don't have an immigration problem with the Kurds. But there is a Kurd problem in Turkey, no doubt about that.

Kurdistan is a region that spreads from Turkey all the way over to Iraq, among other countries.

Kurds have always lived there, and have their own language (the use being extremely restricted by the government).

It's safe to say that the Kurds have been strategically persecuted, and harassed by the Turkish state. Kurdish politicians have been thrown in jail for 10+ years for even mentioning the idea of a Kurdish state.

Freedom of speech in Turkey? What a novel idea.

The Kurds have been forced to other measures, through the terrorist group PKK, similar to the situation for ETA during Franco.