[Forbes] Asli Aydintasbas - For us Turks, watching Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan storm out of the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday after a loud exchange with Israeli President Shimon Peres was nothing new. Temper tantrums are not new for the Islamist leader, who was greeted to a hero's welcome back in Istanbul a few hours later. Erdogan has increasingly become more belligerent, lashing out at reporters, columnists, aides or members of the business community. Here in Turkey, each of his outbursts has increased Erdogan's aura of awe and authority. With public rebuke or court cases against members of the media, he has effectively silenced major criticism of his policies. During the recent crisis in Gaza, Erdogan has led the most vocal opposition to Israel from the Muslim world. Turkey today values its relationships with Russia, Iran and the Arab world almost on equal footing with its traditional ties to Israel and the West.
2009-02-02 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive