You don't think Turkey's governing ideology is narrow also?
Turkey takes secularism to a militant level. They deny their people the same way Iran denies their people freedom.
The majority of Turkey's population is Muslim - if that majority wants an Islamic state through democratic means, the military will step in and stop that from happening. In essence, there is a form of dictatorship in Turkey also.
When people are BY LAW forbidden to cover their hair in government buildings you have some serious problems going on - particularly when, unlike the West, Islam and *hijab *are a deep part of Turkey's history and cultural development over the past 1400 years.
No my friend: any regime that deprives its people from basic freedom should not be encouraged. You may condemn overly theocratic states - in the same breath, you should also condemn overly secular states. ** As for Iran spreading mischief in surrounding countries, can you tell me one country which doesn't seek to have influence with its neighbours? Be that Saudi, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Pakistan the US, India... all countries have an obsession with ensuring they have influence in their neighbouring states.
Hardly a trait unique to a theocracy.**
Actually no. The country never makes these interventionist decision. To put it simply, if we see the state in its naked sense only a handful of individuals are making such decisions. Not "countries".