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People in the US probably don't hear much about this, but here in Europe there is so much trouble with Turkey now, a regular conflict between the EU, particularly Germany, and Turkey.
Really, I don't understand it. Turkey was booming up until just a few years ago, it was a kind of role model for the Muslim world, an upcoming tiger, educated Europeans of Turkish ethnicity were moving back to Turkey, founding companies etc.
Then all of a sudden and without any reason I know of, president Erdogan started his authoritarian backwards culture revolution, undoing much of the previous progress and the reasons for that progress. Meanwhile the indicators for the country are all down, investments is down, educated people are trying to emigrate, instability of all sorts is on the rise.
Is there anything one can learn from that mess in order to prevent the same from happening in other countries? I do see certain similarities between Erdogan's character and that of people like Putin and Trump, for instance. Turkey also had what was considered a solid democracy, but somehow Erdogan managed to wear it down without violating the law/constitution if I am not mistaken. (I am no expert on Turkey, mind you.)
I see the same similarities in the United States. If someone like Trump has wide appeal with conservatives, someone like Erdogan has wide appeal with Turkish conservatives. And one thing both groups have in common: Both are willing to sign away their democratic rights to a strongman who makes them feel safe, even if that alleged safety comes at the expense of civil liberties and freedom of expression.
The lizard brain is alive and well in both the United States and Turkey, as the recent electoral results prove.
People in the US probably don't hear much about this, but here in Europe there is so much trouble with Turkey now, a regular conflict between the EU, particularly Germany, and Turkey.
Really, I don't understand it. Turkey was booming up until just a few years ago, it was a kind of role model for the Muslim world, an upcoming tiger, educated Europeans of Turkish ethnicity were moving back to Turkey, founding companies etc.
Then all of a sudden and without any reason I know of, president Erdogan started his authoritarian backwards culture revolution, undoing much of the previous progress and the reasons for that progress. Meanwhile the indicators for the country are all down, investments is down, educated people are trying to emigrate, instability of all sorts is on the rise.
Is there anything one can learn from that mess in order to prevent the same from happening in other countries? I do see certain similarities between Erdogan's character and that of people like Putin and Trump, for instance. Turkey also had what was considered a solid democracy, but somehow Erdogan managed to wear it down without violating the law/constitution if I am not mistaken. (I am no expert on Turkey, mind you.)
You have that wrong, Turkey has boomed under him, hence his popularity.
If this is a nuance because we need Turkey on our side I would understand, but the statement by Trump could have been crafted better. The UN has been silent.
Trump is the only western leader to call Erdogan, so I'd say no it's not normal. Just like his meeting with al-Sisi of Egypt, Trump praises dictators.
Thank goodness he didnt have a Muslim Brotherhood freak, Morsi, in the Whitehouse like Obama did. El-Sisi's overthrow of Morsi was supported by the majority of Egyptians or it would not have been successful.
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