[Kman]

Negative, its an oppressive country where criticising the state is against the law.

[Hypnogaja]

Aekos, each topic that you submit about Turkey unravels your hidden respect toward Turkey.

Negative, its an oppressive country where criticising the state is against the law.

Really? How's that so?

[Kman]

Really? How's that so?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_30 ... Penal_Code)

[eloweeth]

On April 30, 2008, article 301 was amended by the Parliament of Turkey, with the following changes:[28]

replacement of the word "Turkishness" with the phrase "Turkish nation" (in the phrase "insulting Turkishness").
reduction of the maximum penalty from three years to two.
requiring permission of the justice minister to file a case. The permission procedure of Article 301 will be carried out by the Directorate General of the Criminal Affairs of the Ministry of Justice where competent judges are seconded to the Ministry. Even if a criminal investigation is launched upon the permission of the Minister of Justice, the prosecutor still has discretionary power to decide not to prosecute

Although there still has to be improvements on freedom of expression issues it is unfair to say its an oppressive country where criticising the state is against the law.Moreover Turkey accepts European Courts of Human Rights as higher court and testifies if there is demand!

Aekos, each topic that you submit about Turkey unravels your hidden respect toward Turkey

He was Abdul Hamid II in his past life

[Aekos]

Aekos, each topic that you submit about Turkey unravels your hidden respect toward Turkey.

I've been found out!

He was Abdul Hamid II in his past life

Not funny, the guy killed hundreds of thousands of Armenians even before the Armenian genocide.

[eloweeth]

Not funny, the guy killed hundreds of thousands of Armenians even before the Armenian genocide

That explains your current commitment to their case...

I must admit I expected far worse results than the current result of the poll,it surprised me.

[Aekos]

That explains your current commitment to their case...

I wouldn't care about Turkey one way or the other if it weren't for my support for the Armenian cause. We kicked you out a century ago and your legacy has no meaning for our modern politics.

[Doomhammer]

The Turkish military should try again and stage a coup to get rid of the Islamists, who will turn Turkey into a dictatorship where women have no rights and where Sharia Law is the law of the land. Such a coup would be acceptable as it wold defend Turkey's secularism and democracy.

I like your style. Although it is unlikely Turkey will ever lose its strategic importance - much less fight a war against Israel.

Positive. I love turkey breast and turkey sausage. Turkey legs however Im not a fan of.

Why the hell would anyone eat turkey sausages when there is a thing called pork?

That's a good thing IMO

Quite.

Increasingly negative based on the AKP.

Hah! My cause is being vindicated Thank you.

Neutral: Just we need to take back some Greek land and deport their nationals from Europe, otherwise I respect and appreciate their people and history.

Meh. I understand your wanting to get rid of most Turks in Western Europe. They're not particularly desirable to be around.

Not funny, the guy killed hundreds of thousands of Armenians even before the Armenian genocide.

... which was carried out by your beloved Kurds. What up?

They shouldn't be given EU membership though.

Here we go again... why shouldn't Turkey be given EU membership?

We kicked you out a century ago and your legacy has no meaning for our modern politics.

Apparently, Turkey and Serbia are excellent friends now... which basically means that Turkey must have good relations with Montenegro

As usual, I will not deign to comment on Kman's and Captain Sam's posts.



For the record, I think we Turks are generally cunning and capable of good things, we're warm, we respect martial traditions and we tend to like whatever comes from the West (even if some of us refuse to admit it); Turkey is an ambitious country that is becoming increasingly more relevant in its neighborhood and the better days are yet to come. BUT... we are also capable of catastrophic stupidity with some of compatriots insisting on religious values and traditional ways, some of us resent our wish to destroy Ataturk's legacy and prevent Turkey's goal of rising to the level of contemporary civilization. I can also attest that most people here are inconsiderate and generally obnoxious (but who isn't). And yes, I personally don't agree with a lot of what the current and previous governments have done (defying me... that's a big "no-no" ).

[eloweeth]

we tend to like whatever comes from the West (even if some of us refuse to admit it);

I don't like everything that comes from the West (hate air conditioner for instance)

I wouldn't care about Turkey one way or the other if it weren't for my support for the Armenian cause

I think it would be better both for you and Armenians around you to have a more objective view of Turks.I heard many Armenians discussing whether they should eat something when they have to be in a Turkish house or whether they should greet to their Turkish classmates etc..There also are normal ones who neither adore Turks nor hate.(at least the current generation of Turks let's say)It would be better for you to hang out with the norml ones so that you wouln't wonder how others feel about those evil Turkish hordes and so on...

[Doomhammer]

I don't like everything that comes from the West (hate air conditioner for instance)

What do you have against air conditioners?

[eloweeth]

What do you have against air conditioners?

A giant cat who makes the weirdest sounds when I turn it on

[Doomhammer]

A giant cat who makes the weirdest sounds when I turn it on

That raises more questions than it answers...

[eloweeth]

[Aekos]

It would be better for you to hang out with the norml ones so that you wouln't wonder how others feel about those evil Turkish hordes and so on...

The vast majority of diaspora Armenians (the only ones I know) are the direct descendants of genocide victims who like Jewish Holocaust survivors who went to Israel carried with them more animosity for the perpetrators, so naturally they'd be more inclined to dislike Turks.

A giant cat who makes the weirdest sounds when I turn it on

Obviously this is some primitive barbarian air conditioner

[Political Interest]

Positive

Turkey is a wonderful country with a strong history and heritage. It was the seat of the Caliphate for many years and is sadly oppressed by the culture of secularist Fascism as instituted by Mustafa Kemal and preserved by the current military clique.

[Captain Sam]

Turkey is a wonderful country with a strong history and heritage. It was the seat of the Caliphate for many years and is sadly oppressed by the culture of secularist Fascism as instituted by Mustafa Kemal and preserved by the current military clique.

You honestly believe this? The belief in freedom of religion is a fascist one? I guess most of the world is horribly fascist then.

[Aekos]

secularist Fascism as instituted by Mustafa Kemal

Hah, PI, seriously? Without Kemal there would be no Turkey, all you'd have is a tiny powerless Islamic state somewhere in north-central Anatolia. Is that preferable to today's Turkey? (Well, to many it is, but I'm asking you specifically)

[The Immortal Goon]

Neutral.

Nation states are overrated.

[Political Interest]

You honestly believe this? The belief in freedom of religion is a fascist one? I guess most of the world is horribly fascist then.

Well would you call not being able to wear a headscarf freedom of religion? If Turkey is so secular and free, why must women who want to wear headscarves take them off in public buildings or when attending university? Do you know how many girls are losing oppurtunities because of this? Do not call it "Islamic fundamentalism", they are only exercising their right to practice their beliefs. Turkey is also a Muslim country, what they are doing has been done for centuries before.

Kemal's enduring Fascism was manifest in the early days of his rule. For example, the Turko-Arabic alphabet was replaced by Roman letters, which Kemal forced everyone to learn. Sometimes his police would arrest people who did not learn it. Then Kemal also banned the Fez, the symbol of the Ottoman Empire and something that was more Turkish than the western European suit he so strictly imposed. Most were already wearing at suit anyhow. "Ataturk" therefore had a very odd Fascism in that it was not really an expression of Turkishness, but more a western European identity he wanted Turkey to assume. While there was still that national pride of Turkishness, it was very much the Kemalist conception of the Turkish identity.

Hah, PI, seriously? Without Kemal there would be no Turkey, all you'd have is a tiny powerless Islamic state somewhere in north-central Anatolia. Is that preferable to today's Turkey? (Well, to many it is, but I'm asking you specifically)

How can you be sure, Aekos? What if the Ottomans had raised an army to resist the British, what if they armed the population?

[Nattering Nabob]

Neutral...