IRAQ NEEDS HELP (WARNING: GRAPHIC PIX)

[HairOfTheDog]

I fear that this is going to spill over into Turkey. In any case, my Turkish friends are not happy, but I gotta say they know how to live. They enjoy good food and wine and other assorted spirits...but their Gov't is preaching that people need to party and drink less....They do have a large Muslim population, but I think Gov't wants to increase the number and it looks like the same guy (starts with E) is going to win reelection so I predict some kind of rebellion if they put religion to the test.

The Turks do seem to know how to live, blueberry. I dated a Turkish guy years and years ago when we both lived in Japan. He was a lot of fun and smart; he taught me some about the country and culture. I'd love to visit the country, especially Istanbul, some day. It's disappointing to hear your friends' account that PM Erdogan is looking to apply more repressive policies on women; I hope he steps back on that if it's true.

Turkey's really had its hands full over the last few years with internal economic slumps, Syrian refugees, and allegations against Erdogan in relation to his ambitious, but sometimes unsuccessful, national transportation projects. The Turks are voting today in their first ever direct election and, barring a huge upset, Erdogan is expected to retain leadership of the country.

I read sometime earlier this year that his goal is to position Turkey as a more powerful Muslim democracy and that he wants to restore the country to Ottoman era glory. I hope he's not like (my perception of) Putin; so hungry for old glory that he leads his modern country into undue hardship.

Anyway, Turkey's a long-time ally of the US. It's my opinion that the Turkish leadership would have quick US support if outside forces tried to invade it --like Jordan and Kuwait did.

Came across this map a couple of years back and saved it in my files. I don't have the source, unfortunately, but it's still quite accurate IMO (though I'd color Ukraine as a "new partner"). I love maps and charts and other images that can sum a lot up in one view.