*Turkey Next Shit Hole To Go Up In Puff Of Smoke*

[Synthaholic]

Wow! That's impressive!

My favourite place in Turkey is Mt Nemrut:

I never got there. Looks cool.

Diyabakir isn't a particularly appealing place, but near there Sanli Urfa is gorgeous. Izmir is too touristy for my taste, and probably for yours too, by the sound of it!

You ain't kidding! I felt very unsafe walking through those streets. It's mostly Kurds, and I was there during (one of) the heights of PKK activity, in the first half of the 1990s.

Izmir is touristy but I would have loved to see the beaches.

A beautiful place is Sinop, on the Black Sea. Not much to do there, but it is picturesque.

I wouldn't call Izmir touristy. I lived there for 2 years because that is where the job was. Most tourists bypass Izmir because it has no historic or cultural places of any interest. However, as just an ordinary place to live, it is quite nice. It is on the Aegean Sea. From Izmir, you can travel up and down the coast to some the resort areas and historic sites, like Ephesus and Pergamum. There are also less well known places you can see on a day trip from Izmir. Living in Izmir is much like living in Europe, and the climate is one of the best in the world. The beaches and seaside villages south of Izmir are very nice; those less well known are much less touristy, but also a bit more unpolished. As you go along the coast, one town after another has ferry services to Greek Islands, so living in Izmir also meant doing a lot of traveling in the Greek islands. And, as you have noted, the interior and Eastern Turkey have a lot to offer. I don't have any interest in the Kurdish region, but the Aegean/Mediterranean region, the interior, the Black Sea area, Bursa, Istanbul, and Ankara are all worth seeing. I would rather live in Izmir than Istanbul because Izmir is on the sea and has better climate. Also, Istanbul has 13 million people and very bad traffic problems. Also would not want to live inland in Ankara or Bursa due to climate and being away from the sea.

I liked Ankara a lot but the air quality is atrocious, due to Ankara sitting almost in a bowl of mountains around it, and they burn coal for fuel. So the bad air tends to sit and hover over the city. I had coughs and sore throat the whole time I was there.

 

[Synthaholic]

I don't know, Pogo..............they sure don't LOOK happy with their government.

Widespread rioting is sort of how you tell people aren't happy with their government.

There's always a clue in a wingnut's post that he/she is clueless about what they are commenting on.

Turks are happy with their secular government, created by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk in 1921, which has survived numerous attempts by Islamists to change the country into another Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Sometimes, it's been via a military coup, as the military is sworn to uphold Ataturk's vision of a secular, Westernized Türkiye.

Turks are not happy with the PRESENT government, which is trying, once again, to make the country more Islamic, less secular.

The President, Abdullah Gul, set off a HUGE controversy a few years ago in Türkiye because he allowed his wife to wear a scarf in public. THAT'S how much Turks value their secularism.

I have no idea where anything you said contradicts anything she said. Even more bizarre is your wingnut statement in context.

You are an incredibly insipid hack, but then we already knew that.

Do you have reading comprehension issues, wingnut?


Here is the convo:

the people are happy with their secular government and want to keep it that way.

I don't know, Pogo..............they sure don't LOOK happy with their government.

Widespread rioting is sort of how you tell people aren't happy with their government.

They are rioting because they do not like the way their current gov't is turning away from secularism.

 

[Meathead]

There's always a clue in a wingnut's post that he/she is clueless about what they are commenting on.

Turks are happy with their secular government, created by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk in 1921, which has survived numerous attempts by Islamists to change the country into another Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Sometimes, it's been via a military coup, as the military is sworn to uphold Ataturk's vision of a secular, Westernized Türkiye.

Turks are not happy with the PRESENT government, which is trying, once again, to make the country more Islamic, less secular.

The President, Abdullah Gul, set off a HUGE controversy a few years ago in Türkiye because he allowed his wife to wear a scarf in public. THAT'S how much Turks value their secularism.

I have no idea where anything you said contradicts anything she said. Even more bizarre is your wingnut statement in context.

You are an incredibly insipid hack, but then we already knew that.

Do you have reading comprehension issues, wingnut?


Here is the convo:

the people are happy with their secular government and want to keep it that way.

I don't know, Pogo..............they sure don't LOOK happy with their government.

Widespread rioting is sort of how you tell people aren't happy with their government.

They are rioting because they do not like the way their current gov't is turning away from secularism.

We are not on the same level. I first realized that when you claimed Texas was landlocked. You've done nothing to dissuade me since

 

[Unkotare]

I never got there. Looks cool.


You ain't kidding! I felt very unsafe walking through those streets. It's mostly Kurds, and I was there during (one of) the heights of PKK activity, in the first half of the 1990s.

Izmir is touristy but I would have loved to see the beaches.

A beautiful place is Sinop, on the Black Sea. Not much to do there, but it is picturesque.

I wouldn't call Izmir touristy. I lived there for 2 years because that is where the job was. Most tourists bypass Izmir because it has no historic or cultural places of any interest. However, as just an ordinary place to live, it is quite nice. It is on the Aegean Sea. From Izmir, you can travel up and down the coast to some the resort areas and historic sites, like Ephesus and Pergamum. There are also less well known places you can see on a day trip from Izmir. Living in Izmir is much like living in Europe, and the climate is one of the best in the world. The beaches and seaside villages south of Izmir are very nice; those less well known are much less touristy, but also a bit more unpolished. As you go along the coast, one town after another has ferry services to Greek Islands, so living in Izmir also meant doing a lot of traveling in the Greek islands. And, as you have noted, the interior and Eastern Turkey have a lot to offer. I don't have any interest in the Kurdish region, but the Aegean/Mediterranean region, the interior, the Black Sea area, Bursa, Istanbul, and Ankara are all worth seeing. I would rather live in Izmir than Istanbul because Izmir is on the sea and has better climate. Also, Istanbul has 13 million people and very bad traffic problems. Also would not want to live inland in Ankara or Bursa due to climate and being away from the sea.

I liked Ankara a lot but the air quality is atrocious, due to Ankara sitting almost in a bowl of mountains around it, and they burn coal for fuel. So the bad air tends to sit and hover over the city. I had coughs and sore throat the whole time I was there.

Were you travelling with Michael Douglas? Just askin...

 

[Katzndogz]

Turkey is going to control the narrative as much as they can to maintain the storyline that the people want a secular government. EU membership depends on it. If these protests go on long enough they will become just like all the others. Sooner or later we will hear about foreign fighters coming in and the muslim brotherhood taking over the "revolution". Gaddafi is laughing in his grave. That's exactly what he tried to tell us was going on in Libya.

 

[Antares]

No they won't, Erdogan is part of it.

They have already signed agreements with Russia and Iran.......

Take your head out pf the sand, it is going islamist because its leaders are taking it that way.

The Turks will crush this thing like a broken egg shell. The Islamacists there are consolidating their power by provoking secular westernists to play their hands too early.

The Turks will be standing long after the US has collapsed from economic and demographic suicide.

 

[JimBowie1958]

No they won't, Erdogan is part of it.

They have already signed agreements with Russia and Iran.......

Take your head out pf the sand, it is going islamist because its leaders are taking it that way.

The Turks will crush this thing like a broken egg shell. The Islamacists there are consolidating their power by provoking secular westernists to play their hands too early.

The Turks will be standing long after the US has collapsed from economic and demographic suicide.

Roo, Erdogan is an Islamacist, so my anticipation of him consolidating power with the Islamacists is completely consistent with what you said.

Am I missing something in your post?

 

[Antares]

Nope, I misread yours, apologies.

No they won't, Erdogan is part of it.

They have already signed agreements with Russia and Iran.......

Take your head out pf the sand, it is going islamist because its leaders are taking it that way.

The Turks will crush this thing like a broken egg shell. The Islamacists there are consolidating their power by provoking secular westernists to play their hands too early.

The Turks will be standing long after the US has collapsed from economic and demographic suicide.

Roo, Erdogan is an Islamacist, so my anticipation of him consolidating power with the Islamacists is completely consistent with what you said.

Am I missing something in your post?

 

[JimBowie1958]

Nope, I misread yours, apologies.

No they won't, Erdogan is part of it.

They have already signed agreements with Russia and Iran.......

Take your head out pf the sand, it is going islamist because its leaders are taking it that way.

Roo, Erdogan is an Islamacist, so my anticipation of him consolidating power with the Islamacists is completely consistent with what you said.

Am I missing something in your post?

No problemo.

The Islamacists are on a huge roll these days.

 

[Antares]

Through it all Iran is the lynch pin.

Bad shit is coming.

Nope, I misread yours, apologies.

Roo, Erdogan is an Islamacist, so my anticipation of him consolidating power with the Islamacists is completely consistent with what you said.

Am I missing something in your post?

No problemo.

The Islamacists are on a huge roll these days.

 

[ekrem]

Sooner or later we will hear about foreign fighters coming in and the muslim brotherhood taking over the "revolution".

The Anti-Christ will rise from Istanbul.

 

[Political Junky]

Personally, I have been to every part of Türkiye except for Izmir and as far east as Diyarbakir and Erzurum.

There are unbelievably important historical areas. Tarsus is the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and where Paul the Apostle was born.

Wow! That's impressive!

My favourite place in Turkey is Mt Nemrut:

Diyabakir isn't a particularly appealing place, but near there Sanli Urfa is gorgeous. Izmir is too touristy for my taste, and probably for yours too, by the sound of it!

Looks fascinating ... I didn't see it. I did like Cappadocia, though.

 

[longknife]

See my post "A Truth About Islam" with quotes from the Turkish PM. This explains a lot about the current unrest.

 

[chesswarsnow]

Sorry bout that,


1. Turkey gets it shit bunched up and then wants to take revenge on Israel, muslims always blame Jews.
2. That's when Israel does some tricky shit to Turkey.
3. And then Russia,.....


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

 

[dblack]

So Secularists are protesting against an Islamist government, and you guys see that as a bad thing?

No winning with you, is there?

They really are clueless, aren't they?

What is so absolutely amazing is that they keep posting and posting and posting, despite the fact they are totally clueless and it has been shown over and over again that they are. People who have lived in Turkey and spent time there, who know the political situation, the culture, etc., explain the realities and these 'wingnuts' absolutely refuse to acknowledge or give a nod to any 'truth' but their own, which is grounded in nothing but fantasy.

The title of this thread gives me a chuckle, because a few years a back when my S/O suggested a vacation to Turkey my response was something along the lines of "Why would I want to go to some third world shit hole for vacation?"....

What can I say? I'm an idiot. Or was at least. Fortunately, my girlfriend is not and pushed me to go. It was a really eye-opening experience. Turkey is anything but a Muslim backwater. They're more adamantly secular than the US is and, in Istanbul in particular, every bit as cosmopolitan and open-minded as New Yorkers.

I can't say I know for sure what's going on over there. But the people I met on my trip were smart, educated and not at all interested in letting Muslim fundamentalism run their lives. They're just putting Erdogan in his place, is my guess. I seriously doubt this will result in any kind of meltdown. Just 'we the people' pushing back against arrogant leadership. Wish we could muster more of that in the US.

 

[dblack]

Personally, I have been to every part of Türkiye except for Izmir and as far east as Diyarbakir and Erzurum.

There are unbelievably important historical areas. Tarsus is the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and where Paul the Apostle was born.

Wow! That's impressive!

My favourite place in Turkey is Mt Nemrut:

Diyabakir isn't a particularly appealing place, but near there Sanli Urfa is gorgeous. Izmir is too touristy for my taste, and probably for yours too, by the sound of it!

Looks fascinating ... I didn't see it. I did like Cappadocia, though.

Did you do the balloon ride thing? We spent three days there. Wonderful stuff.

 

[Political Junky]

Wow! That's impressive!

My favourite place in Turkey is Mt Nemrut:

Diyabakir isn't a particularly appealing place, but near there Sanli Urfa is gorgeous. Izmir is too touristy for my taste, and probably for yours too, by the sound of it!

Looks fascinating ... I didn't see it. I did like Cappadocia, though.

Did you do the balloon ride thing? We spent three days there. Wonderful stuff.

No, didn't do the balloon ride. The guy that took me on the tour of Cappadocia had grown up in one of the cave homes. He also took Hillary and Chelsea on the tour, back when she was First Lady.

 

[Saigon]

The balloons were too expensive for me, but we rented a car and drove around rural Cappadoccia...just gorgeous. Amazing landscape.

And sleeping in the cave hotels was fantastic!

 

[Saigon]

Sorry bout that,


1. Turkey gets it shit bunched up and then wants to take revenge on Israel, muslims always blame Jews.
2. That's when Israel does some tricky shit to Turkey.

Turkey and Israel are allies, imbecile.

 

[Saigon]

Turkey is going to control the narrative as much as they can to maintain the storyline that the people want a secular government. EU membership depends on it. If these protests go on long enough they will become just like all the others. Sooner or later we will hear about foreign fighters coming in and the muslim brotherhood taking over the "revolution". Gaddafi is laughing in his grave. That's exactly what he tried to tell us was going on in Libya.

Ah yes....good old Qaddaffi. He was just misunderstood. He was kind to puppies. He loved peace.

And once again the extreme right wing decides that the enemy of our enemy is our friend.