In Reply to: re: should turkey join the eu? posted by Huh on November 28, 2006 at 06:59:53:

the government bans the wearing of vails by women in all public institutions, and the regions where women enjoy the least amount of rights are those to the east where the 'minorities' predominate. turkey is hardly alone in europe with regards to territorial disputes with its neighbours and its rich having european countries harping on about this point considering it was they who tried to carve up the remains of the ottoman empire between themselves.

admits to the armenian genocide? admits what? that genocide was carried out (and i beieve it did happen)under an ottoman sultan based in constantinople. why should a secular turkish republic government based in ankara admit to a hideous crime carried out under a ruler who they exciled from their country? should we ask the russian people to admit to and feel responsible for the crimes of the tsars or even stalin?

getting the army out of turkish politics is like handing the white house over to the evangelical right in the US. the army is staunchly secular and without it islamist fundamentalism could rise. now thats just want europe wants on its doorstep!!

the kurdish situation is deeply ingrained in the turkish psyche and will take time to be overcome but rights are finally being granted to them, including language rights, but a genuine dialogue is necessary with both sides cutting out the violence.

as for "insulting turkishness", i think this is ridiculous too and needs to be changed but at the end of the day turkey took religion and religious interference out of the running of the country and the making of laws long before ireland did (think about divorce, contraception...)its a unique country and doesn't deserve to be talked down to.