@Buddy Larsen: I’m sure you didn’t mean “Shalikashvili,” maybe too much of that nice Georgian wine? ; )

I concluded that Turkey ceased being an “ally” in the true sense of the word at least as far back as 2003. She (both the generals/”pashas” and the Islamists) have been playing a nasty double-game against us all along.

“Nationalist” Turks see themselves as the logical leader of “Turan,” an area that basically stretches from Turkey to western China. Many smart, good people in the US have naively supported Turkey as a “democratic” influence over those countries. It is just an imperial uber-nationalist plan. And recall that Mein Kampf has been a huge seller in Turkey in recent years.

The Islamists of course seek to revive the caliphate.

There are almost no normal power-centers in Turkey…Hence the shameless persecution of writers, journalists, actors, singers…”HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE IN A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY?”

Exactly.

Turkey has been playing us.