Project on Middle East Democracy

Project on Middle East Democracy
The POMED Wire


Middle East Progress: A Spotlight on Turkey

June 17th, 2008 by Sarah

Middle East Progress focuses on the Turkey’s impending constitutional crisis.

Ian Lesser warns that the likely court decision in Turkey may have dire consequences. “Turkey’s E.U. candidacy may be irreparably damaged, nationalist tendencies reinforced, and relations with the United States, already troubled, could be further compromised.”

The Economist calls the situation “a tragedy in the making,” and suggests that “the fallout at home would be serious, even if the AKP were reconstituted in a different form.” The article looks to Turkey’s teetering economy and unrest among Kurds that could spill into northern Iraq.

Pierre Atlas can see how Turkey’s likely court ruling may preserve Turkey’s secularism, but finds it hard to see how it preserves its democracy. He offers hope by suggesting that “this crisis can be overcome in a way that could strengthen the country’s democracy—if cooler heads prevail, and if the right signals are sent from Washington and the EU.”

Mark Almond warns that “neglecting Turkey is not only foolish, it is dangerous.” The war in Iraq “de-stabilized Turkey’s Western orientation more than the US cares to admit…and if the EU spurns them while speeding up entry for weaker candidates, Turkey may come to feel sufficiently strong and embittered to strike out on a new geo-political course.”

Yigal Schleifer discusses Turkey’s emerging role as a key regional mediator in the Mid East, while the Middle East Progress elaborates on the principles underlying Turkey’s constitution.


Posted in Iraq, PKK, Political Islam, Secularism, Turkey, US foreign policy |

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