Can Turkey Lead the Islamic World and Still Be a Western Ally?
ISTANBUL -- Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has been in power for 13 years, is currently gearing up for the June 2015 general elections. During his campaign tour of Anatolia, Prime Minister Davutoğlu attended a party congress last month in his hometown of Konya, a bastion of political Islam since the 1970s. Broadcast live on every television channel, this AKP rally featured a surprise guest: Hamas chairman Khaled Mashal. The Palestinian leader -- who was welcomed by a crowd of thousands chanting slogans like "We'd die for you, Hamas" and "Mujahid Mashal" -- described Turkey as "a source of strength for all Muslims," while also vowing to "retake Jerusalem and Palestine." To all appearances, Mashal's visit to Konya was a favorable omen for Davutoğlu and his fellow pan-Islamists, who wish to see Turkey become the leader of the Islamic world. In reality, however, Davutoğlu and his followers have little cause for optimism.
More:Can Turkey Lead the Islamic World and Still Be a Western Ally? | Behlül Özkan
