Yea as long as you pay the special taxes for those who dont worship Islam. There is a term for that which the MAFIA use, Protection money.
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I think you will find that with Turkey so close to European membership the likelihood of Executions being brought back and their country becoming yet another barbaric state (yes you too USA) is as likely as a Martian asking you for directions to your neighbors house.
I take it you're an American? I'm not saying you're intolerant to Muslims, but i am saying you're ignorant when it comes to countries like Turkey, and especially when it comes to cities like Istanbul. Istanbul is a very liberal city, like any other western city. Blonde chicks (yes, blonde turkish chicks exist) in bikinis on the beach, wild crazy parties, gays, lesbos, transexuals, no problem.
I always find it somewhat sad when an American says or thinks something ignorant, simply because they are fead/programmed disinformation. I know it's not your fault, you can't help it, but it is sad.
Amsterdamage, not sure if your post is directed at me but, my post wasn't meant to be against Istanbul, Turkey as a whole or any other Muslim nation. Just pointing out the fact that the Korran is NOT tolerant. Just like the Christian bible is not as tolerant and peaceful as some may think. No worries my friend, I hate all religions equally!
Paul Semitist Daley
Just keep an eye on who's elected president in Turkey. Not saying it's a probability, but a fundamentalist couldn't care less about being a member of the EU.
30 years ago, who could have foreseen that a handful of mullahs would turn a 'modern' oil rich country like Iran into a Islamic fundamentalist dictatorship??
Revolutions have a strange way of tipping 'conventional wisdom'.
Makes me wonder how many of the worlds transsexual population are escorts or prostitutes. Not saying anything against what these women chose to do (because that's their business).
In fact, Erdogan is turning towards Turkeyīs Muslim neighbours. EU membership seems to have lost its priority in current Turkish policies. Remember Erdoganīs speech at the Davos conference (aimed at Shimon Peres) where he took his chance to present himself as a leading figure in the Muslim world, playing with Muslim sentimentalities in consideration of Israelīs Gaza operation. Iīm not familiar with the Turkish political system, so I canīt tell if the Erdogan government is conservative or fundamentalist but even Westerners notice changes in a country that used to be pretty secular. Those big cities like Istanbul might still be liberal but Turkey is pretty much a rural country and Erdogan represents the views of rural, ultraconservative and unenlightened people.
Considering Iran, letīs not forget British and US involvement in all those political cataclysms before, during and after Mohammad Mossadegh. When he tried to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company owned by the British, he was simply overthrown and a monarchist dictatorship installed. Democracy is bad for business. Many other US-backed dictatorship all over Asia and South America were to come. The islamists took their chance by presenting themselves as national liberators and implemented an even worse tyranny.
Those people never had a chance for change and revolutions. Their rulers could never stay in charge if not backed-up by leading global powers. Where there is no change, no reforms, no freedom of speech, one cannot expect a consciousness for questioning traditions, authority and tribal rules to emerge.