By Lloyd Levy
LONDON — The Middle East seems to be descending into quite unfathomable turmoil and barbarity. My own country Britain, is seemingly pushing harder than anyone to arm the “rebels” in Syria, hence potentially handing modern armaments to the likes of al-Qaida and other extremists. Why the British Government is so intent on stoking the fighting in Syria is beyond my understanding.
Yet it is the situation in Turkey that is in some ways the most worrying for “the West”. Almost all commentators have held Turkey up to be the model for the so-called “Arab Spring” . 100 years ago, after the First World War and the dismantling of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, the Turkish Army under Ataturk turned Turkey into a modern secular democracy. There was to be no significant role for Islam in the politics of the country.
It was supposedly the one example that could be held up as justification for all the mayhem in the Middle East, in the hope that Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Libya etc, will emerge as Arab versions of a democratic Turkey .
Well it is a shock to see that Turkey, after 100 years of democracy, is rapidly returning to its Islamic undemocratic roots. The recent rioting has shown up a State that is rapidly putting democracy into reverse. Approximately 400 military leaders are in jail under trumped up charges; the Press is cowed, with apparently more journalists in prison than anywhere in the world: and demonstrators have been arrested in the thousands. It is hardly distinguishable from Iran in this regard.
This all reinforces the view of many, that democracy is incapable of flourishing in a Middle East Islamic state. Those that would have us believe that democracy is on the march in the area, are grossly mistaken. Which brings us back to the horrors of Syria, and the nonsense that if the “rebels” succeed, then somehow democracy will be established. If Turkey cannot sustain a lasting democracy after 100 years, then the future for a “western” style Middle East is truly slim.
Lets just face the fact that they have their own long traditions, and don’t want to be like “us”. Sometimes who can blame them ?
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Levy is a freelance writer who divides his time between business in London and Eilat. He may be contacted at lloyd.levy@sdjewishworld.com