The Turkish Summer?
June 4, 2013 By Ryan Mauro
Ive referred to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan as the king of the Islamists because of his ability to swoon the West, make Israel bend and maintain popularity while implementing Sharia using the doctrine of gradualism. He now faces his biggest internal challenge as protests against him enter their fifth day in what one expert compares to the eruption of a volcano.
The unexpected spark was Erdogans plan to redevelop Gezi Park in Taksim Square. Reuters explains that Taksim honors the secular legacy of Ataturk, while the other squares in the capital reflect upon the days of the Ottoman Empire. When Erdogan planned to transform the park into an Ottoman-theme shopping center with a mosque, apartment complex and model of Ottoman-era barracks, it was seen by secularists as a washing away of Ataturk.
Opponents of Erdogan had been looking for an opportunity, angered over the governments new restrictions on alcohol sales and advertising, the morning-after pill, the rejection of a gay rights law, and other moves towards Sharia governance. About 100 Turks publicly kissed in a subway station after officials said passengers must act in accordance with moral rules regarding public displays of affection.
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Dr. Daniel Pipes reacted to the landslide victory of Erdogans Islamist party in 2011 with a dire warning: Elections taking place today are likely to be the last fair and free ones in Turkey. With Turkeys leading Islamist party controlling all three branches of the government and the military sidelined, little will stop it from changing the rules to keep power into the indefinite future.
We shouldnt be surprised when an Islamist acts like an Islamist.
The Turkish Summer? | FrontPage Magazine
