I don't know whether Erdogan is motivated by religious/personal hatred of Israel or is trying to reestablish the once prominence Ottoman Empire throughout the Middle East on the backs of Israel's Jews; undoubtedly much of what he does is to curry favor with the other Muslim States in the region.
Erdogan has effectively wiped out the secular democratic influences within Turkey by destroying its free press and the influence and independence of the Armed Forces of Turkey. Several points re: the recent comments by political observers on Turkey's downgrade of diplomatic status with Israel.
The UN report, which Turkey did not want released, concludes Israel rightly and legally acted in self-defense in boarding and stopping the Gaza flotilla. While Israel should have used more restraint, Turkey should have made sure the passengers boarding in Turkey had not taken weapons on board.
Second, just recently Turkey killed over 150 Kurds with bombs and rockets in her continuing war to suppress Kurdish demands for an independent state. Meanwhile Turkey has forcefully occupied half of Cyprus following an invasion and war, because Turkey wants to; she claims Cyprus, an independent nation recognized by the UN, as Turkey property.
Finally, Turkey's efforts to ally with repressive Syria came crashing down when Turkey could no longer tolerate the slaughter by Assad of his own people. Turkey backed-off from this alliance, and is swamped with refugees streaming across the border from Syria. America better realize that having fundamentalist Muslim governments stretching from The Black Sea to the Mediterranean down The Red Sea on both sides of the Gulf of Aden is more of a threat to maritime shipping, self defense for Europe from missile attacks, and in the long run a greater theater for terrorist trainees than Asia. China understands this potential seat of power should the Muslim countries ever be able converge their ideologies if not their politics.
Dr. Harold Goldmeier is a writer, consultant to government agencies and small businesses on social and public policy matters. He holds a doctorate from Harvard where he was a Research and Teaching Fellow in the School of Education. He was an Assistant Prof. at Tufts Medical School, and a public school teacher in Chicago. He built and recently sold his own business employing more than 60 people. He can be contacted at hgoldmeier@aol.com
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