Zakaria: is the arab world ready for Turkey to join Europe?

Fareed Zakaria: In a way, if Turkey would join the European Union, it would be a greater philosophical problem for the Islamic fundamentalists than for the Europeans. Because the Islamic fundamentalists have always argued that it is impossible to be a devout Muslim, and a religious Muslim, and be allied with the West, part of the West, part of the modern world - this would be the most powerful symbol of....02.14:00...the alliance between modernity and Islam. Of democracy and Islam, of liberalism and Islam - and it would be working, it would be succeeding. How do you explain that? You know, just as the Muslim fundamentalists have a very difficult time with a place like Dubai. How do you explain Dubai? This very modern, glittering city that is yet Muslim. Turkey would be a much larger refutation of that kind of thesis, ... ...because it is a large country, an ancient civilization, and you can't argue that it is peripheral.

Watch the entire doc @ http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/35446086/ (Dutch subtitles)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• democracy
• turkey
• zakaria
• secular
• state
• arab
• europe
• politics
• vpro
• backlight
• islam
• muslim

[TheArabicDream]

i grew up in eurup and they hate turkish ppl

turkey will never be an eurupian country

[kuzey03]

talk for yourself! I dont want turkic union!

[oliveparadise]

Dont worry most of us Turks are not so keen on joining your damn union anyway, please keep your union for your self. Its just the politicians who are willing to go on with the process.

[SorrybutJebiga]

turkey cant join there is 95% european agains him.

[RisalePsTutorials]

Did any of your realize that there are no muslim countries in european union?

it seem to me that EU is the new ''Rome'' or a new modern byzantine?

okay those were all personal idea's so it could be wrong,

could you imagine that the Ottoman Empire would be a part of the EU? i don't think so.. and the reality is that we the citizens of Turkey are the grandchilderen of the Ottoman Empire makes everything clear...

EU Doesn't want us , like we don't relaly want them...

[psmx7]

How can you can't be muslim and yet part of europe? mr zakaria, in albania and bosania and serbia and bulgaria live many NATIVE muslim, and those muslims are european, they didn't came from asia, so why does europe see itself as pure christian? when in states like Norway France and UK, 60% of the population sees itself as atheist, ain't that ignorance?

[emrelupus]

@kuzey03 Türk Birliğini istemeyenin aklını , beynini , anasını , Çinliler , Ruslar , Amerikalılar ve Avrupalılar siksin ! Babasıda bu yolda Araplara avrat olsun !!

[emrelupus]

Türk Birliğini istemeyenin aklını , beynini , anasını , Çinliler , Ruslar , Amerikalılar ve Avrupalılar siksin ! Babasıda bu yolda Araplara avrat olsun !!

[nagamora]

@cryfreeedom damn right !! lmfao

[TPS996]

Why don't we invite China to become part of Europe too? That would be really good for the economy right? Lets make the EU more like "euro"vision and open it up to israel, azerbaijan, african countries etc..

How can one even consider allowing a backward country like Turkey join the EU when they don't even recognize basic human rights? Converting to another religion other than islam will land you in jail for years. They claim they are a civilized sociiety--- a joke.

Europe for europeans only

[Pashtunlad]

Turkey should forge a Union with all the Turkic speaking countries like Turkomanistan , Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakistan, Kirgizkistan and Tajikistan. With this union they wont need to join europe and also they will form a Turkic/Arab/Aryan alliance of Islamic Union.