EU was ready to allow Turkey into EU as a full meber when they signed the declaration while Bulent Ecevit (Center Left - defender of Ataturk's modern, western, secular democratic values). This changed after the election of AKP and Recep Tayyip Erdoigan and his ultra religious rule.

The problem is that teh east (The Asian tigers) can only e tigers as long as USA is buying their products. Once USA stops their economy also comes to a halt. If you follow the oil prices daily you may notice that the months when USA is able to import more good from Asia (Mostly from China) and Brazil oil prices go up. When USA imports from them is down oil goes down too. The motor that is running the world economy primarily is still and will be the USA.

For now yes, but in the not so distant future http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRIC#BRIC_in_future This is not an estimation, or a secret, it is a rock solid reality.

EU was never ready to sign Turkey as a full member, by never, I mean, never. Turkey wasn't even recognized as a full candidate until 2005 that coincides 3 years after AKP came into power. I am certainly no fan of AKP but you simply can't understand everything from a AKP=islamist, islamist=AKP hence problems with EU, Israel point of view. Most problem comes from the fact that AKP is far more assertive and demanding in foreign policy comparing to it's preceddors and very little to do with its religious tendencies. Trust me, as a huge fan and follower of Ataturk, I know.

1. I am not an Isareli, I am and American living in New York. 2. I was born and raised in Turkey in 1950 still having very strong ties with people in Turkey. Some of my friends from my military service in Ankara were the children of political personalities who are still my friends. I am very well connected. 3. The entire AKP political views lie in the words and speeches of its leader Erdogan. The most disturbing one is when he said that for him democracy is a bus and he will get of the bus when he reaches the destination. These words do not go unnoticed in the western world and their political leaders. 4. The metaphor that Tom Friedman used for China and USA was that both sides are pointing a gun into each others' head is a pretty accurate one. However USA has vast land resources and a much smaller population which USA can feed and maintain without needing any imports. No other nation in the world can survive as USA can without outside resources.I know it very well because my wife is Chinese and I will be visiting my Chinese family in Wuhan again in 3 weeks. They know where they stand in this and they are much more realistic then you are. Japan understood this about 20 years ago and never underestimated USA. So is China and the other BRIC members. Even in Brazil the business leaders are trying to balance President Lula's behavior. But if you want to feel good today go ahead and read Serdar Turgut today in Haberturk. I read and had a good laugh.

David I never in my posts underestimated the USA, if it sounded like that that's probably my lack of english or my poor expression of myself. As someone who has been raised in Turkey during cold war, you probably know even better than me that for a very long time USA was almost all of Turkey's foreign policy. Beginning from Ataturk's death to 2000's, for about 60 years, governments almost never took a step "despite" the US, except the Cyprus operation of 1974 which we underwent embargoes as a result. What I pointed out was that's simply not a healthy foreign policy, perhaps it is so for porto rico but not for a country of Turkey's history and magnitude. I consider Turkey's western ties too deep and uncompromisable that I haven't mentioned it much, but I certainly didn't imply Turkey should be a country of east. A more balanced policy with connections throughout the whole world, improved trade is way to go. I will check out Serdar Turgut's article tonight, thank you.

you really had a point but got too excited hallucinating about how the US can survive without "outside resources"?! If what you say is true, why are we sending our 20-something to blown into smithereens in faraway lands?! Are you so delusional to think that is ALL for democracy, rule of law and spreading our shared values with the have-nots?! I'm glad you can still feel good and have a "good laugh". Keep it up, homie.

the original alphabet of Turkey was Orkhon. Good to know. Please don't get me wrong, I'm sure what Mostafa Kamal did for Turkey was beneficial in the long term. What I don't agree with the nostalgic crowd including you, who likes Shah Pahlavi although he put an end to the Iranian democracy movement espoused by Mossagegh with the help of CIA/MIx. Of course we wouldn't have the current mollah regime today if the US/UK had allowed democracy set roots in Iran in the 50s. I only have one problem with people like you who don't read people's posts, or if they do they miss the main poins. This is what I said, "Turkey has just found its way, and by ceasing to be the proverbial doormat for the US and NATO, it is going to grab its place as a nation of import in the ME." Nowhere did I mention the “caliphate”, leadership in the ME, etc. You need to start paying attention to comprehend what people post, in the meantime watch my fav movies. OK?

It is just a fact. The USA has the land resources to grow enough agricultural products, meat etc to feed its people and export the over production. USA has the human resources + Technology to produce all the industrial products that it needs if push comes to shove. US + Canada (The inseparable twins) have enough local energy resources (oil, Gas, nuclear and coal) to be self sufficient. These are facts that you can research and find for yourself. Neither Chine nor Brazil have the same resources or close to it. Chine with its huge population has the potential to become the worlds biggest consumer but that does not make China a totally self sufficient country if it would isolate itself from the world. In my upcoming trip to China my in laws asked me to bring them chocolate, ginseng , dried meat, vitamins because these items are hard to get and relatively very expensive over there.

Saudis and other Arab oil rich have been heavily investing on US bonds during the past few weeks. They have the choice to invest in Russian, Chinese or Brazilian instruments also but they prefer the US bonds. Just food for thought.

Antonis writes QUOTE:I say give back pals land to its indigenious owners. I say the pals land is in Arabia.Arabs came to the land of Israel to work.Israel is JEWISH LAND for over FIVE THOUSAND YEARS GIVEN TO THE JEWS BY THE ALMIGHTY.Check with the koran and bible.Give back the occupied TURKEY to the real owners and go back where you came from.

Don't be such an angry desert male dude go get laid or something.

Mehmet, I grew up in turkey believing in the same story that we are told as young impressionable minds in school: armenians who had been given all the liberties possible under turkish rule conspired with the russians and hit the turkish army from behind, committed unspeakable acts killing women, men and children in their revolt, and the ottoman government had no other option but to quell this unjust uprising.many people died on both sides, but it was war, not a genocide." I believed this version of history completely. Only when I got to spend a few years outside turkey and had the benefit of reading actual research on the subject did I realize we have been told a convenient lie. The truth is, directly and indirectly, the actions of the ottoman government resulted in the deaths of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of armenian civilians. That is the ugly truth we need to accept, make amends and move on.

Enough of Isreal and Iran using the Armenian Genocide as a tool. Enough, have some shame.