Turkey for the EU!

[Sheilbh]

Also we let the bloody Greeks in.  I'd take Turkey over Greece any day.

[HVC]

Turkey only has 400 murders a year?

That can't be true, surely?

Letting Turkey in is right because they deserve it once they've made some more of the necessary changes to solidify their democracy.  On the other hand we should kick out the Cypriots.

Edit: And the Baltics and Romania and Bulgaria.

Once you let in greece it became hard to keep turkey out. They're the same, excpet the turks are less annoying.

[HVC]

Also we let the bloody Greeks in.  I'd take Turkey over Greece any day.

Great minds!

[Josquius]

It really is quite ironic how much the Turks hate any mention of Kurdish independance yet without the Kurdish areas Turkey would be a pretty decent developed country, in the EU long since.

[DGuller]

I call BS on the murder figure.  No fucking way it is 400 in a country of, what, 70-80 million?

[Viking]

Baltimore should import kurdish shitfuck fanatics... might make the place more peaceful...

[Agelastus]

Hmmm...

(1) I need to reread articles before I post (see my error above.)

(2) According to 2004 statistics, Turkey should have around 4500 murders a year. However, given the massive jump over the 2002 and 2003 statistics, I suspect that Turkey actually has around 2800 murders a year.

In comparison, Britain has around 1200 murders a year, based on the same source.

[grumbler]

Turkey only has 400 murders a year?

That was my sole reaction to this otherwise pedestrian piece.

I have no opinion, actually, on the main topic (TU to the EU). Too many imponderables.  The EU is either a composite of all the Eurocentrism that Europe has always been, or it sees itself as a civilizing element.  I don't know which is true, or which is desirable, but the distinction drives the whole "Turkey for the EU" debate and until Euros decide what they are my opinion matters not, so I won't have one.

I think the Euros should base this decision on self-interest alone.

[Jacob]

I think the Euros should base this decision on self-interest alone.

I'm pretty sure they will.

[Sheilbh]

I think the Euros should base this decision on self-interest alone.

I'm pretty sure they will.

Alas I think a significant portion will base it on a dislike of Muslims, foreigners/outsiders and browner people.

[Martim Silva]

Letting Turkey into the EU is the best way of making sure the non-freaks remain in charge in Turkey. I consider that a laudable goal, don't you?

Unfortunately, taking into account those who are in charge of the EU now, I suspect being into the EU is the best way to ensure that the biggest loons get to rule the country.

I think Turkey should be allowed into the EU, but maybe that's because I worked alongside a secular Turk for several years (who kept trying to set me up with a Japanese girl she knew, but everybody has their little foibles after all...)

1. No point on wondering, Europe today is WAY too broke to accept anyone, no matter what.

2. I'm divided on the issue, because rejecting Turkey would be the same as saying that Constantinople is not European (and giving up Cappadocia and Bythinia, for that matter), and that is really not accceptable.

3. I take it the Japanese girl was not your type. Did you made any gaffe while talking to her? I suspect you did your best to look good.

[MadImmortalMan]

Also we let the bloody Greeks in.  I'd take Turkey over Greece any day.

Under the circumstances, swapping them out looks like a pretty good deal. 

[Zanza]

I call BS on the murder figure.  No fucking way it is 400 in a country of, what, 70-80 million?

Germany had 318 successful and 376 attempted cases of first degree murder in 2008. There were also 338 successful and 1184 attempted cases of manslaughter and other homicides.

So if they just count the successful first degree murders, 400 seems to be a possible number for a country the size of Turkey. 

[Zanza]

2. I'm divided on the issue, because rejecting Turkey would be the same as saying that Constantinople is not European (and giving up Cappadocia and Bythinia, for that matter), and that is really not accceptable.

Why? I would not admit Russia (any time soon) and would still say that Kaliningrad or Moscow are clearly European.

[Syt]

I call BS on the murder figure.  No fucking way it is 400 in a country of, what, 70-80 million?

Germany, with a similar size of population, had 370 homicide victims in 2008, and again as many attempted murders. Also, 97.6% of the cases were solved.