tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post6139693714656231286..comments2024-03-20T01:06:12.181-04:00Comments on MEI Editor's Blog: Thoughts on the Turkish Protests and ErdoğanUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-69196499404500636282013-06-04T21:30:36.630-04:002013-06-04T21:30:36.630-04:00Loved the background about Selim the Grim, the Saf...Loved the background about Selim the Grim, the Safavids and he Alevis. Have passed it along to several folks interested in that period, including my wife.<br /><br />I have a former U.S. Foreign Service friend who lived in Istanbul for many years when Erdogan was mayor and who even visited Erdogan when he was jailed by the military. My friend says part of the problem is Erdogan still thinks of himself as the Mayor of Istanbul and can't help micro-managing the city. David Macknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-25212841334132650602013-06-04T01:16:43.272-04:002013-06-04T01:16:43.272-04:00Well said, anonymous.
Well said, anonymous.<br />Michael Collins Dunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07398326467953722017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-71376519126514146762013-06-03T19:10:32.057-04:002013-06-03T19:10:32.057-04:00SAVE THE DATE: June 30, 2012.
That is when demon...SAVE THE DATE: June 30, 2012. <br /><br />That is when demonstrators in Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia are all supposed to protest illiberal ballot box “democracy.” The parallel with the Tunisia and Egypt is not so much the “Arab Spring” uprisings, but the aftermath….non-Islamists dealing with a government that feels it does not have to represent anyone but their own constituency…”ahl wa ‘ashira”. Turkey’s problems crystallized after the AKP gained enough seats so they did not require allies in passing legislation, leaving them to do much as they please. And then there is Erdogan’s personality…. <br />The parallels are interesting: the AKP shows as much respect for organized labor or the unemployed as the FJP. It is crony capitalism blessed by God. No surprise that Khairat El Shater spends a good bit of time there with his business counterparts. The lack of any sensitivity to the feelings of minority citizens, in this case, the Alevis, is familiar as well. Sadly, there is no party in Turkey that is any better than the AKP in most respects. It is worth remembering that both the secular and the religious wings of the body politic are equally intolerant. This leaves the country’s liberals, especially the human rights community with no significant representation in the system. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com