The rise of Recep Erdogan, from street snack seller to Middle East Muslim champion

[yazdi]

Re: The rise of Recep Erdogan, from street snack seller to Middle East Muslim champio

@CM

I got bored. So I did a Google search with the phrase “Is erdogan an islamist?”. These are all the links I got on the first page. Some are from reputable sources and one or two are decent experts.

Daniel Pipes: Erdoğan: "Turkey Is Not a Country Where Moderate Islam Prevails" :: Daniel Pipes

Look specifically how he talks about Moderate Islam. (Note its something me, Captain1 and hanibal have been saying on this very website for years).

The Middle East forum: Does Prime Minister Erdoğan Accept Turkish Secularism? - Middle East Forum

I will quote what they say: "On March 14, 2003, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi, AKP), became Turkey’s prime minister.[1] While the AKP makes no secret of its Islamic roots, it describes itself as a conservative party that fully accepts Turkey’s secular system of government.[2] “A political party cannot have a religion, only individuals can,” Erdoğan explained.[3]

Some U.S. officials accept such assurances. Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried, for example, has said that he sees the AKP as the Islamic equivalent of a European Christian Democratic party.[4] But is the AKP merely the Muslim version of a Christian Democratic party? Is Erdoğan committed to democracy and Western values?"

BBC: BBC NEWS | Europe | Turkey's charismatic pro-Islamic leader
The Guardian: Erdogan's blind faith in Muslims | Seth Freedman | The Guardian
The Telegraph: tollbit-host.com

These are all the links on the first page of a 10 second google search.

At the end of the day he is an Islamist.

Bhai I completely endorse your moderate Islam. In fact Captain1, hanibal, and you have a stand with the exception of some minor details not very far from what we have been advocating. I have never seen anyone of you guys in favor of state imposition of a certain way of life.

The problem is not people like you.. the real champions of islamic ideology, sharia, in our country are not like you. These militant gangsters want more of a Talibanic sharia in Pakistan where you can get mobbed or killed for nothing. people like Shamraz and I are against opening this sharia pandora box in Pakistan because we feel that if this is opened than Talibanic mentality will eventually prevail instead of yours..

If you want Erdogan brand of Islamic system in Pakistan and you want to call it Islamist version.. I am with you, hanibal, and captain1 on this.. after name doesn’t matter.. as long as you respect basic liberties of the people.. without state interference..