by Craig Chamberlain

Turkey no Friend to U.S.

December 23, 2007 01:00 PM EST

During the Cold War the United States could count on Turkey as being its strongest ally in the western world. Not only was Turkey anti communist, it was secular, democratic, and had close ties to Israel. Now, one can't say any of those things apply to Turkey.

Democracy, and, more importantly, the rule of law have taken a pounding ever since Erdogan and the AKP took power. Since they took over they have become increasingly autocratic, encouraged intolerance to the countries ethnic and religious minorities, and have done everything to pack all levels of government with AKP loyalists. They control the parliament, Abdullah Gul- a stooge of Erdogan- is president, and the judiciary is packed with party loyalists who know nothing about the law.

As for secularism, that is dying a very painful death. On principle there is nothing wrong with public display of religion or talking about religion openly without fear of punishment. But there is a problem with religion taking over. Ataturk wisely took Islam out of the role of government, allowing people to make their own decisions about religion. Erdogan is working at a frantic pace to undo Ataturk's secularism.

Judges are being appointed with only a religious education, and only knowledge of Sharia law, not Turkish law. Why would Erdogan appoint such judges if he had no intention of ruining the democracy and secular rule of Turkey? Erdogan envisions Turkey as being another Saudi Arabia. This is the leader that says he prays for forgiveness every time he shakes hands with a woman. How can Turkey be considered a modern country with that kind of leadership?

Turkey was once the most pro American country in the Muslim world. Now it is one of the most anti American. Most people blame this turnaround on President Bush and the Iraq war, and while that might play a part in the attitudes of the Turkish people, Erdogan's party came to power before the Iraq war and ever since they took office they have been whipping up ant Americanism to consolidate their hold on power.

Now to rally people around the flag in his country he is launching a war against the Kurdish people, whether they are in Turkey or not. The Turks have long had a problem with the Kurds, even going so far as to deny their existence. Now to destabilize a free Iraq with a free Kurdish population, (something Erdogan can't tolerate) along with humiliating the United States, he is launching a war against the Kurds in Iraq.

The PKK is a terrorist organization, but it's not terrorists that Erdogan is interested in. He needs a war over the Kurds, it solidifies his position and allows him to stop the one group of people in Turkey who might be able to stand up to him.

If the PKK are that big of a threat, let the Kurds in Iraq handle them. Turkey does nothing but destabilize the region, but as long as Erdogan gets what he wants that's fine with him. The Kurds fought with America while the Turks have done everything in their power to hinder American progress. American allies or a nation that has made it clear that it no longer wants to be an ally, who should we side with?