"Recep Tayyip Erdogan
2010/06/18 18:35:00
By Oakland Ross Feature Writer
Say what you will about Recep Tayyip Erdogan — just don’t make him mad.
A devout Muslim in a secular state, he once chose to quit his job in the Istanbul municipal administration rather than follow orders to shave off his moustache.
He later avenged that slight by winning election to the mayor’s office, where he earned plaudits for easing traffic congestion, reducing air pollution and standing firm against bribery.
A lot of good it did him.
In 1999 — and still mayor — Erdogan was arrested for publicly reciting a poem with a militantly Islamic theme, a verse included in a volume that had been published by a government-owned firm and recommended for use in schools by the education ministry."
More:Recep Tayyip Erdogan - thestar.com
