UI – Part 626 – Erdogan is No Ataturk

Turkey, Turkey, Turkey

What is going on in Turkey?  Turkey is the greatest example of a prosperous Muslim majority country.  It is modern and offers its citizens opportunity.  After WWI Mustafa Kamal Ataturk took a stance against Islam, recognizing its retrograde penchant to repress, demoralize and limit followers in achieving all they can. He was part of the 20th Century and did not want Imams and other Islamic scholars (ulema) to inhibit believers from freedoms possible in many other areas of the world. He also wanted to break away from the 7th Century cellar in which the fundamentalists continued to dwell.  He declared Islam no longer the sole governing mandate of Turkey, stripping the burkas and hijabs and opening libraries and minds to alternatives.  A secular government came to exist and the rays from the sunlight of the modern world descended on the people.  It was the dawn of a new Nation with the fall of the Ottoman Empire.  The Caliphate ended.  

Ataturk reached out to what is referred to as the ‘West’ where the colonizing British, French, Italians and Belgiums brought prosperity to third world areas.  The tactics used and the benefits to the indigenous peoples can be criticized, but without question the advances in industry and prosperity for those citizens, and businessmen, was obvious.  He wanted that for Turkey, not as a colonizing nation, but for Turkey alone.  In retrospect he may have realized the opportunity the Ottoman Empire had, but never took, to make the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire extending from Turkey south through Syria, Iraq into Egypt and along the northern African coast to Morocco, productive contributors to world growth.  Their oversight extended east as well into Iran, parts of Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula. But the areas remained stagnant.  People lived primarily in deserts.  They carried on practices of 7th Century Bedouin tribes moving from oasis to oasis, or command post to command post of a Sultan, Bey, vicar, Pasha, or minor-Caliph.  Their literature was relegated to the Quran, a document few could read, or even own.  They were subjects of their militant overlords and the armies they maintained.  They lived off whatever they could steal from each other, pirateering on the Mediterranean, kidnapping and ransom.  The education they received was from the pages of Scripture (the Quran) and hatred towards Jews and Christians.  Stories told were of successes in taking lands and materials, treasures, once owned by non-Muslims.  Jerusalem was always a target, a focus, to maintain a religious, more ideological, zeal, as an incentive to provide a degree of unity as Muslims.  The battles were mostly with their own, Muslim to Muslim, “true Islam” against “true Islam,” as decided by the dynasty in power. 

Infidel control was a concern for the sultan’s government as Ataturk’s influence took hold.  The declaration was that sovereignty belonged to the nation.  In contrast, in Islam sovereignty is in the ummah, or community, and with Allah. There are no nation-states. The Parliament formed by Ataturk was called the ‘true and only representative of the nation.’ The theocratic rule was ended and not considered ‘for the people’ as much as it was ‘for the elitist ideologues.’  But now we have on the scene a man called “Erdogan.’ Erdogan is not the secularist that was Ataturk, nor that of the leadership over the years that has enabled Turkey to become a viable, vibrant, democracy.  

Erdogan desires to be the sole dictator of policy in Turkey.  He would like to be the Sultan.  As Mehmed VI left Turkey in 1922, his sultanate abolished, Erdogan (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) would like to evolve as successor to what once was. He is currently, President of Turkey. He has taken steps to increase his power and term in office, and to instill more restrictive Islamist policies on the people.  He must dream at night that he is a Caliph. There is resistance, but he keeps pushing his agenda.  He has sidelined dissidents, individuals and journalists.  He only wants to hear what he wants to hear.   Erdogan is dealing with a crisis in Syria, as millions of Syrian refugees have entered Turkey.  He also finds Kurdish interests out of character with his own.  He wants energy resources for Turkey, but has been unsuccessful.  At the same time Israel has become more energy independent, even constructing a natural gas pipeline across the Mediterranean to the Greek side of Cypress, and then on to Europe (Greece.)  Erdogan is not happy with this, especially the Cyprus connection as Turkey still occupies the northern half, and Greece the southern half.  There is a tussle of wills on that island, which even NATO finds problematic. 

Erdogan has signed up with Russia, not always a friend of Turkey, on matters Syrian.  Also in Libya, where the oil resources draw Erdogan as a magnet to something he wants for his Country.  He is consorting with the devil he knows.  At the same time emerging ISIS copycats are coalescing, having been displaced from their hell-on-earth occupations in Syria.  The bullies are gathering together to continue to steal, rape, pillage and burn, all in the name of what? Allah?  Plying the Mediterranean also affords a chance to drill for oil and natural gas, but where, as Erdogan searches. A deal with the Libyan GNA challenges the exclusive economic zones of Cyprus, Egypt and Greece, giving Turkey questionable drilling rights. 

Erdogan shows his Islamic colors in joining opposition to the Trump Israel-Palestine Plan, my guess, without even reading it. He maintains his Jihadist instilled hatred for the Jews, especially any Jewish State.  Once Saladin recaptured Jerusalem after the Battle of Hattin it was to never go back as Promised Land for the Jews. But it is the Holy Land.  Who came first, Jews, Christ or Muhammad? His opposition may be linked to his OIC connection and desire to be the head of the Muslim world, as if the Ottoman Empire can re-emerge.

You wonder if at home alone he dons the Islamist traditional white thobe from his closet, the checkered headscarf (The ghutra – usually white, or checkered red/white or black/white) and parades before a mirror.  He may have a Bisht also to try on over his thobe. He’d be declaring, ‘I am the Caliph, the ruler of all of Islam.’ But is he really a turkey?

Idlib

Then there is Syria. This war torn town, Idlib, on the border of Turkey has hundreds of thousands of refugees wanting to go into Turkey. Erdogan is resisting. There are enough Syrians already in Turkey, whom he prefers actually return. His resistance creates confrontation with Russia, while he is trying to improve relations with Russia. This also involves Assad and what ISIS remnants that remain. Confusing, conflicting, contentious and constant. Don’t forget Iran, also on the battlefield. Russia, Iran, Assad against ISIS remains, pushing innocent refugees towards Turkey. The USA has departed this particular area. The UN is considering its potential role as a mediator for peace.

Erdogan is in a pit with many snakes at the same time he wrestles the bear.  He is inconsistent too, as in Islam borders should not matter. All Muslims are of one pan-Islamic ummah. The border is convenient when it suits him. 

The Economist (15 February 2020) noted recently that Syria’s war is slowing mainly due to a lack of enemies, related to the thousands and thousands of deaths over the multiple-year battles. The Assad regime is regaining control.  Idlib is the last pocket where those who fled for safety now must flee anew, mostly women and kids. Their preference for refuge is Turkey.

The Middle East is mired in civil wars, mini and maxi civil wars. The UN as peacekeepers keep trying, forming safe zones, but not peaceful resolutions. The safe zones become mobile, it seems, as civil strife encroaches and causes them to shift their defined areas to patrol. The history of Arabs is not a peaceful one. This nature has bled into Muslim or Islamic culture. Put out a fire in one place and soon, over the horizon, the light of another blaze is visible. Peace in the Muslim world will never happen.  There is no peace in Islam. It is what they do, to others and to each other, fight. Wars in Islam are not between nation-states, the Iran-Iraq war an exception. They are between tribes, clans, religious differences and dynasty builders. 

Erdogan accepted $6 billion from the EU to keep Syrian immigrants from entering the EU. Now, however, with pressure remaining to take in more, Erdogan is seeking to open his Western door to release thousands into Europe. Greece is the door and is resisting, filing holes made in their border by Turkey’s military and preventing entry at normal entry points. There will be a tussle. Erdogan is reneging on an agreement. Is he just an Islamist applying Takiyya, lying to advance the cause of Islam, or his own desire?

Erdogan says he will flood Europe with Muslims until the Crescent triumphs over the Cross.

OIC – Organization of Islamic Cooperation

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is a federation based on interests in Islam.  The nation-state, the Muslims as residents or immigrants (legal or illegal), are to put Islam first. Resources, information, and support provided to and through the OIC are for ideological orientation. That would entail on-going Islamic-jihadists brainwashing, to include infidel hatred. The need for a central control, the hub of Islam, is paramount to recreating the Caliphate for the world order.  Who will take the reins?

Erdogan realizes as long as Turkey remains a secular state it cannot vie to be the core state of Islam. The rise of Fundamentalism in Turkey serves his agenda. It aides in remaking Turkey into the center of the Islamic ummah. We can only pray the citizens of Turkey will resist so they can remain free, in thought and in daily practice.

Middle East

The Middle East effectively came to exist in the 100 years after Muhammad’s death as the marauding armies of the early Caliphs took the lands of Christians and Zoroastrians and Hindus as their own.  The Berbers and the Turks converted to Islam enjoying having the Muslim god as an excuse for their destruction, masochism, terrorism and bloodlust.  The Middle East was created by power hungry opportunists seizing the chance to take the treasure of unsuspecting people.  The territory conquered in the earliest aggressive years of Islam remain virtually the same today.  Islam conquered Spain in the early 700’s, only to be asked to leave.  The Reconquista of Spain from around 1400-1600 ended the presence of Islam in that Country. After Islam’s failure to take on Europe at Vienna in 1683, land in the Balkans that was occupied was reclaimed by the nations that were there before the jihadists took control. A map of the Middle East closely resembles a map of the territories aggressively, violently, and brutally taken by the Caliphs in the years 632 to 700CE.  The Muslims claim land once theirs shall always remain theirs. Any attempts to retake their property are considered aggressive acts against Islam for which they are justified to defend themselves. Allowing Islam to spread any further than that which they occupy as the thieves of Christendom and the Holy Land is an error.  

The Holy Land has been made less holy, certainly less peaceful, by the uninvited presence of Islam.

Global Islam and the Caliphate Empire

Islam is being enabled to spread.  Europe is a major concern to me.  The loss of its foundational base in Christianity, opening the doors to secularists, has made Islam’s historical want for access to Western Europe possible.  Unless there is a Great Awakening, a Christian movement, or a Great Muslim anti-Apostasy Movement, the dominos of Europe may fall to the OIC inspired Islamists, starting with France, then Germany, Denmark and Sweden and so on.  Britain is not exempt. This is tragic.  Erdogan is standing in the doorway to his vision as the head of the Islamic Snake, the Caliph of a new Ottoman Empire, from the lands that once were, now to include Europe.  

Erdogan is a globalist wanting a border free All for Allah world.  He is conflicted at times by Turkey’s borders, needing them to prevent the unwanted, the infidels, the less than ‘true’ Muslims, and the moderates from entering and tainting his objective.  It represents another possible picture of the future of Islam if it is not stopped.  Erdogan dreams of Constantinople being the headquarters for the re-established Ottoman Empire and the Imperialism of Islam, led by Jihadist marauders and political Muslim Brotherhood adherents in all corners of the Globe.  He would be the Sultan and they would be the Beys and Vicars.  Pockets of authority would be controlled from the Mosques and the Islamic Cultural Centers, the clerics in charge, the Quran their Scripture, and Sharia Law their Constitution.

Future Conflict

The Ayatollah is striving for an Islamic Revolution, his 1979 Iranian Revolution just the beginning. Will he come into conflict with Erdogan in their attempts to dominate the world for Islam? The Ayatollah has Iran. Erdogan needs Turkey. In years to come Sunni may meet Shiite in the ongoing civil strife for hegemony in Islamaland. The tinder box of spontaneous combustion may be Syria.

 Understand Islam.  

Grace and Peace.