You have to read between the lines to really appreciate what the Turkish Prime Minister is saying at this press conference. The Bashar Assad stuff, well, it’s standard Bashar bullshit. The man responsible for the iron-fisted control over Lebanon, the murder of any Lebanese leader or journalist who stood in his way, and the one about to reassert Syria’s control over Lebanon is constantly accusing Israel of not wanting peace. He speaks perfect Orwell. But he’s the sideshow once you reach this quote:
Erdogan, for his part, said Syria was Turkey’s “gateway to the Middle East and our second homeland, while Turkey is the Syrians’ second homeland and its gateway to Europe.
“There is a historical and cultural kinship between the two countries, and we have strengthened it through strategic cooperation at the highest level,” the Turkish PM said.
Did he just say that Turkey and Syria have historical ties because Syria used to be a part of the Ottoman Empire? Why yes, yes he did. Did he just say that the Muslim conquest of Syria is the reason he considered that nation Turkey’s “gateway to the Middle East”? Why yes, yes he did.
If there’s one thing you learn to appreciate after spending years reading statements from Middle East leaders, it’s the heavy use of irony.
But he also said that the Ottoman Empire was the heir of the Babylonian Empire since Nevuchadnetzar would have used Syria to conquer Turkey.
Without Israel, the Ummah would fall into ethnic and sectarian infighting within a decade that would make the current Middle East look like Canada.
Maintain the Pax Judaica!
Quite correct Eric. If Israel disappeared tomorrow and the Palis get their state (it would look much like Gaza)all the neighboring Arab states would turn on each other to take their share of the swag. Jordan wants the land west of the Jordan, Syria claims it all as “South Syria”, Egypt wants it as the gateway to the Levant and beyond (a 4000 year tradition in Egyptian foriegn policy, the oldest, continuously pursued foreign policy goal in world history). States further away, like Iraq, Turkey, and Iran would join in lest some rival become too powerful and to enlatge their own power. In the course of the wars the Palis would disappear as a people. And the bloodshed would be horrendous.
Merry Christmas to all Meryl’s Christian readers. Chag Sameach.