So... which countries are our "friends"?

[Selcen]

Turks can easily vote out a party like they voted them in. We don't put parties above our nation like you do with your ARF, who expect more loyalty to themselves than to Armenians.

[Selcen]

By the what were you doing in Bilkent? I went to university there.
Do you have any friends here in Ankara?

[winoman]

Even the most conservative Turks appreciate secularism. There are no divisions as radar put it. Keep dreaming.

Now this is really dreaming. Obviously, living in Turkey you cannot hear folks openly cursing Ataturk and kemalism - but belive me it is happening (and has always been an undercurrent even from the very start of your Republic/National pact). Are you not familiar with the supression of the Kurds in the 1920s and 1930s? The Islamists went underground - but they have never forgiven...and the new dupes are buying it because the bankruptcy and corruption of your current facade of a government are apparent to any with open eyes...thus the alternative provided gains apeal...and if you (and others like you...and in higher places on the Turkish food chain) keep on with your heads in the sand - well I can't say I'll be sorry for you...but I certainly will miss the nude beaches, flowing Raki and Donner aplenty...

[winoman]

By the what were you doing in Bilkent? I went to university there.
Do you have any friends here in Ankara?

no doubt...and yes I do...

[radar]

You need to get out more. The bars in Taksim just don't cut it neither do the hallowed halls at Bilkent....

well, I accept that Islam is popular in Turkey nowadays. But it is not the same Islam that you watched at news of London, New York,etc. Rising Islam in Turkey is more likely a secular way of conservatism. If it was opposite, I would become the one who protest it.
You say that you visited Turkey. So you must observed that there is no fundamentalism rising on streets.

[winoman]

Turks can easily vote out a party like they voted them in. We don't put parties above our nation like you do with your ARF, who expect more loyalty to themselves than to Armenians.

Its because your parties are totally meaningless in terms of national political policy or anything of importance. They are stricly soma for your masses. BTW - what is your largest government agency in terms of funding and personel? I know the answer...do you?

[winoman]

well, I accept that Islam is popular in Turkey nowadays. But it is not the same Islam that you watched at news of London, New York,etc. Rising Islam in Turkey is more likely a secular way of conservatism. If it was opposite, I would become the one who protest it.
You say that you visited Turkey. So you must observed that there is no fundamentalism rising on streets.

I understand what you are saying...but I contend that your observations are superficial.

[Selcen]

The reason the AKP is in government right now is because there is no alternative center right party in Turkey right now. The previous coalition government lost face after the economic crisis in 2001 and the corruption scandals of each party most notably ANAP and the MHP, two center right parties. The other center right party discredited itself because of Prime Minister Çiller as did the Welfare Party under Necmettin Erbakan. As long as the AKP tries to move from a secular kind of conservatism to a religious orientated one that will be the end of them. They know themselves that they will disappear from the political landscape like the other parties.

[Selcen]

Its because your parties are totally meaningless in terms of national political policy or anything of importance. They are stricly soma for your masses. BTW - what is your largest government agency in terms of funding and personel? I know the answer...do you?

Do you have the Diyanet in mind?

[winoman]

The reason the AKP is in government right now is because there is no alternative center right party in Turkey right now. The previous coalition government lost face after the economic crisis in 2001 and the corruption scandals of each party most notably ANAP and the MHP, two center right parties. The other center right party discredited itself because of Prime Minister Çiller as did the Welfare Party under Necmettin Erbakan. As long as the AKP tries to move from a secular kind of conservatism to a religious orientated one that will be the end of them. They know themselves that they will disappear from the political landscape like the other parties.

ANAP has shown itself to be weak, ineffective and without any true policy. MHP is mostly fringe and will never (hopefully) apeal to many more then it does now. Virtue (or AKP now...) is Welfare party reborn - with smarter and less obvious folks runnign the show. Do they truly believe in democracy and Islam only as a sideshow? I'm not sure we (or anyone) can really answer this..and besides these are fluid things - personality driven, event drive..and reality can change in a day. And while I agree the rise of Isalm (at least on the national political scene) is - in part - due to the lack of viable alternatives...I also ask you if you really are so blind as to not see what is happening out on your streets - even in the cities - and among attitudes of people...and again - I contend that you are out of touch with (significant portions of) your population. Ignorance is bliss (and we Armenians can apprciate this Turkish ignornce when it comes to recognition/understanding your history beyond the well concocted myth)...so OK you are not worried...get back to me in a few years...I think you (and many other Turks) will be asking yourself how you could have been so blind...