Watching the world: Which way is Turkey going?

This entry marks something of a new side of this blog, as I comment on articles and issues in our current world and not necessarily in Nigeria.

Turkey is of great importance to Europe and the West, though I rarely pay enough attention to what's going on there. A major tension is between its idea of a secular government on the one hand and Islamist forces on the other, striving for an Islamic republic. Of course, Turkey is trying to join the EU and is strategically located on the border between Europe and the Middle East. The article Crisis in Turkey by Daniel Pipes explains this conflict and highlights the recent events also covered in the NY Times article today, "Army Ebbs, and Power Realigns in Turkey."

Though Turkey has a secular (not Muslim) constitution and is supposed to be religiously neutral, there is still considerable hostility not only toward those who would spread the gospel there, but also toward historic Christian communities that have lived in the area since before Islam even began. See The Persecution of Christians in Turkey and Compass Direct News for more information.

(Map from Compass Direct News)