Editor's Note: Soner Cagaptay is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a GPS contributor. You can find all his blog posts here. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Soner Cagaptay.
By Soner Cagaptay - Special to CNN
Could Turkey really go to war against Syria? If it were to do so, Ankara would need to find a way to deal with the increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict in Syria and its potential ramifications inside Turkey.
The regime of Bashar al-Assad has enjoyed overwhelming support among Syria’s minority Alawite population. The country’s Sunni majority, on the other hand, is leading the anti-Assad rebellion. Turkey’s push-back against al-Assad has drawn attention to a possible risk for Ankara: A sectarian Sunni-versus-Alawite conflict in Syria could potentially spill over into neighboring Turkey, causing tensions between Turkey’s Alevis and the government in Ankara.
This is especially surprising since the Alevis are not Alawite. Despite semantically similar names - -both Alawites and Alevis derive their names from their reverence for Ali, a close relative of the Muslim prophet Mohammed - Alevis and Alawites represent different strains of Islam. Alevis are not Alawites, just as Protestants are not protestors.
Furthermore, the Alawites are Arabs and the Alevis are Turks. Even Alevi populations among the Kurds and Balkan Muslims pray in Turkish, testifying to the essentially Turkish nature of Alevism.
The Arab Alawites are a part of a syncretic and highly secretive offshoot of Islam, thought to be open only to men and, in this case, an initiated few. The esoteric Alawite faith is considered by some to be close to Shiism. Recently, the Alawite identity has evolved; following the Islamic Revolution, Iran reached out to the Alawites, disseminating propaganda suggesting that they are really Shiites, in the hopes of justifying Shiite Iranian support for the Alawite-backed regime in Damascus.
The Alevi faith, on the other hand, is a relatively unstructured interpretation of Islam, open to both genders and, historically, even to non-Muslims. Alevism is unique among Muslim sects, as it does not segregate men and women, even during prayers. The Alevi faith is also syncretic in nature, mixing Islam and Sufism, as well as harboring respect for some traditions of Christianity and the Turks’ pre-Islamic religion, Shamanism. Unlike the Alawite faith, Alevism lacks written traditions and does not emphasize religious practice.
An additional key difference between the two nearly eponymous sects is that while the Alawite faith might be considered an offshoot of Shiite Islam, the Alevis are neither Sunnis nor Shiites.
Around eighty percent of the world’s Muslims are Sunnis and another fifteen to twenty percent are Shiites. Other groups, such the Alevis, make up such a relatively small portion of the Muslim faith that many are simply unaware of them. This leads to a fallacy: Many assume that because the Alevis are not Sunnis, they must be Shiites, confusing them with the similarly named Alawites. This myth is common even among some Muslims who assume that the Alawites and Alevis are identical.
Surprisingly, this misconception even exists among the Turkish Alevis. It is not unlikely to meet Alevis who, due to their lack of religious education because of their deep secularization in the twentieth century, assume that Alawite is just another name for Alevi.
Turkish Alevis have historically defined themselves as a minority group persecuted by the majority Sunnis. Accordingly, should the conflict in Syria turn Sunni on Alawite; it is conceivable that religiously conscious Turkish Alevis will empathize with the minority Alawites in Syria.
So, even if Alevis are not Alawites, a Sunni-versus-Alawite conflict in Syria might resonate in Turkey, muddying Ankara’s Syria policy.
Some of this is rooted in contemporary Turkish politics. The Alevis, who constitute over ten percent of Turkey’s 75 million inhabitants, are secular and mostly pro-Kemalist, subscribing to a strict separation of religion and politics. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has reformed away from its hard Islamist roots and made inroads across all sectors of Turkish society, still fails to appeal to the Alevis. To put it bluntly, some in the AKP and many Turkish Alevis do not seem to get along.
Beyond the AKP, Turkey has had its share of sectarian conflict between Alevis and Sunnis, including attacks on Alevi communities in the 1970s. Things have improved recently. However, should Ankara intervene in Syria against the “Alawite” al-Assad regime and militarily support the “Sunni” uprising, some in the Turkish Alevi community might be inclined to view this as a “Sunni attack” against “fellow Alevis.”
All this might tie Turkey’s hands in Syria. Still, Ankara could have a way out of this conundrum, alleviating concerns that a Turkish intervention would serve sectarian Sunni interests to the detriment of the Alawites or Alevis.
This is why Ankara needs to reach out to the Turkish Alevis, informing them of the humanitarian nature of its Syria policy.
Turkey should also reach out to Syrian Alawites to build confidence among them, for instance ensuring that prominent Alawite members of the Syrian regime take refuge in Turkey when they defect.
Alawites are not Alevi, but that could easily get lost in translation lest Ankara pays attention to this delicate issue as it tries to deal with al-Assad.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Soner Cagaptay.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Very interesting and enlightning topic. Although it seems likely in various aspects as well as explain some short term history from another point of view, I certainly would need more concrete literature, evidence and study on such an important issue.May I suggest a DEFINITION ON ALEVIES AND ALAWITES to start from. Because the English translation for Alevi in various dictionaries still come up as Alawites.And than there is this slight variation in all religious divertions of a sact. Say Native Americans say hymes in blues rhyme whereas the African Chrstian Coptic have their own worshiping rituals. Can one say this create a difference in the essence of the belief? This article realy seems a bit "forced" to me. It touches some questions that require IN DEPTH STUDY, where as it connects it to such current worldly and urgent issues. Shall I read it politically or philosophically?
what kind of BS is that????
This article do not make any sense. there is one Islam and one religion.
Oner Cagaptay why are you making it so complicated?
it's really looking hard to find a BS.
.
What doesn't make sense is your grammar and sentence structure.
Ever heard of Sunni's? How about Shia? And where do the Sufi's come in to all this? It's not "one Islam", just like Christianity isn't one religion. They are fragmented into various sects.
Well, would you consider Catholics and Prodestants the exact same? Are all Christian denominations the same? Try to get them all to agree on doctrine. If you think a Baptist Church is the same as the churches of the Church of England... you'd be in for a surprise.
what are you talking about. Alawite's don't evern consider themselves Muslim, they have a completely different set of beliefe system. For example they believe in reincarnation, that a soul enters another Human baby when one is dead. I had that conversation with one of them and told him then if its true the world's population shouldn't change since once someone is dead, his soul is going to be in another baby. This is completely different from Islam, its really it's own religion.
they have nothing common with Muslims, they were a minority that France empowered during there occupation of Syria as a way to weaken the majority. I guess this is yet another example of the kind of problems that were created by the west for the middle-east and now they complain why is that area of the world full of problems
Muhammad. I find it hilarious how you blame the west for the middle east problems. im sure you claim your motherland when it is convenient, has there even been a time? Where is your Moon God in your hour of need?
The problems in the middle east are because of muslims...just like muslims are involved in every conflict in the world today.....has nothing to do with the west....
@JJ: Need to correct you. The problems in the World are not because of Muslims. The problems stem from religion, including "western" religions!
Ninja
There is nothing like the following in Christianism or Judaism
For a Muslim, sin is a private matter. The idea that one's sin is binding from one generation to the next does not exist. This is because Satan is the root of all sin; and Allah, who is all-merciful, will forgive those who ask for forgiveness. There is one sin, however, which is unforgivable, that of "shirk," the practice of associating anyone or anything with Allah.
Thus, the sin of Adam and Eve (Adam and Hauwa), was not really their fault, as they were tricked by Satan, and they asked for forgiveness. Furthermore, their sin is not hereditary. Adam, having repented, was made Allah's first messenger on earth. How could Allah entrust such a high office to an evildoer?
For the Muslim, salvation is attained not by faith, but by works, in observing the Five Pillars of Islamic practice, as well as avoiding the major and minor sins. Tradition indicates that on the Judgment Day, once the person is buried, the two recording angels appear, and the dead person sits up to undergo an examination. If he says the "Shahada" ("There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah"), he lies down peacefully and awaits his judgment. If he refuses the "Shahada," he is severely beaten for as long as Allah pleases.
Each individual is then put on a scale where his good and bad deeds, taken from their "book of destiny," are weighed. Yet, Allah reserves the absolute right to send the individual to wherever He pleases. If the book is placed in his right hand he is saved and crosses a razor sharp bridge as narrow as a hair.
On the other side is paradise, a perfumed garden of material and sensual delights, surrounded by rivers and flowing fountains, populated with black-eyed virgins, who are there to serve them with all variety of fruits (Suras 47 & 56).
On the other hand, a vivid hell (Gahenna) awaits those who fail the above test, a hell which consists of boiling water, gore and fire, a hell of extreme physical pain (Suras 4, 38, & 50).
I hope the moderator doesn't mind me telling you that you're retarded.
With all due resepct to all posts here I must take argument to those that suggest the West has nothing to do with the problems in the Middle East. If you look at the history, England has played a huge role in the past Middle East and India to the extent that they re-aligned countries when they left them. WHen they did this they created several areas where the mix of ethnic and relgions did not mix at all. It is in at least part why we have seen so much unrest in the Middle East. It is not to say that what England did is the sole reason but it certainly has been a negative contributor. I am an American. I suggest those who think otherwise do some research and educate themselves to become more aware fo the past in order to understand the present.
Are you implying that Islam is unified? Then why do some of the various Islamic sects ill one another. (By the way, Christians face the same challenges.)
Hey Mike, prove me wrong a ss wipe.
I think all religions are the same. Full of delusional cultists and are the cause of 99.9% of the problems in the world. A little smoke and mirrors and your the son of God. I personally favor the book of Narnia, far more realistic and insightful.
On the other hand,
According to Scripture, any sin is an abomination to a holy God, because it is, in essence, a rejection of His character. We believe, as Muslims believe, that Satan does tempt us. Yet, we are responsible for our own sins, and not Satan. We have the choice to reject Satan's tempting. But, the Scripture insists throughout, that the wages of sin is death, and since we are all guilty, therefore, we all deserve death. God, however, in His mercy, has not left us in that guilt, but has offered payment and forgiveness for those who receive it. He has sent His Son to die in our place, to take upon Himself our guilt. Therefore, those who believe in His redeeming death on the cross, and repent of their sins, are saved from eternal separation (John 3:16,17); while those who reject Him will be eternally condemned.
Before His ascension into heaven, Christ promised to return a second time to judge the world. He warned his followers against false Christs and false prophets, saying that the whole world will know when He comes again; and that He will come as He was taken up (Acts 1:11). When He returns, He will raise all the dead to life (John 5:28-29), and will separate those who believe from those who reject, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.
Those rejecting Christ, will live in eternal punishment, in total isolation from God; because, in rejecting God's Son, they have rejected God the Father and God the Holy Spirit as well, and no sin is greater than this (1 John 2:22-23).
Those who have truly believed in Christ the redeemer, will not fear Christ the Judge, and will have eternal life (John 5:22- 24; Acts 17:30-31). This does not mean that they will go into a garden full of carnal pleasures, which, as we know in this life, separates us from God, but they will go into the presence of God Himself, to live forever with Him in love and in joy. For, as it says in Revelation 21:1-7, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people,... He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain."
My God would never allow the abuse of a woman's body in his name.
No Turkey will not go to war with Syria. Nothing to gain by it and if anything she will lose a lucrative market of Iran. Syrias destine is in the hands of Syrians.
Correction: If I used a word wrong, it was not ill intendeed. English is not my mother tongue.
Your comment is fine! Good work!
Yep. Well done. There are plenty of people who's first language is English that don't express themselves this well. And those that would criticize you probably speak at least one fewer language than you.
In Türkiye, as Soner Cagaptay knows, we call the Alawites "Nusayri" to make the difference between Alawites and Alevis reasonable. So for nonmuslim this could be an alternative. Where is the "Mr. dictionary for English"?
This is not a commonly known fact in Turkey. I am glad that at least one party is totally conscious of the fact. I learned it today from this article but honour me that it will take me time to digest. Sorry but in my concept "after I read wikipedia" I see no diffirence. All Muslims rever the same Book. Any dispute on which successor was more holy does not defer from the belief or Allah or the Holly Book. Such disputes are against Kuran. Which basicly says their is no one betwean the man and Allah.
"Such disputes are against Kuran. Which basicly says their is no one betwean the man and Allah."
Ah, but you are confused. Because according to Koran Islam should never have attacked Christians either. Yet the Caliph did. The Prophet would never have tolerated that disobedience.
The key to the prophet wishes is understanding what muslim means. And once you understand it you understand it got nothing to do with a person saying he is muslim, but everything to do with how he begave. Thus even an Hindu could be more muslim than some who call themselves muslim, like Assad.
So Assad and his followers are bad not because they are Awalite but because of how they behave. They are 100% disbelievers. And unless they magically change their ways overnight, they will get what's coming to them.
In short, I would be gratefull if you refer me to a study done on the topic that would give me a general understanding. This may open up new perspectives I will privately be interested to look into. But as I say as a hoby in Turkey.
Ankara has legitimate concerns about the Alevis' resentment towards Turkey's supporting the Sunni rebels in Syria against Assad's Alawite regime. Although Erdogan had tried to reach out to Turkey's minorities – an important requirement for Turkey's EU membership bid – his efforts with the Alevi sect didn't bear fruit. No-one knows how many Alevis there are, because no official census has ever been authorised. Unofficial estimates put their numbers at between 10% and 30% of the population. They claim they have always been persecuted in the past for being heretics. Alevis don't pray in mosques and face Mecca, nor do they observe the fast during Ramadan, or the ban on drinking alcohol. Thousands were killed during an uprising in 1937-8. Although overt persecution had ended, there are still many grievances. Erdogan launched a so called "Alevi opening" in 2007 and commissioned a series of workshops led by the minister for religion to discuss Alevi demands for official recognition of their faith, but little progress had been made. They Alevis are highly frustrated with the official textbook in religious education – classes which are compulsory in all Turkish schools. Sunni Islam dominates, with occasional references to Christianity and Judaism, but nothing about the Alevi belief. Some Alevis had gone to court – both in Turkey and to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg – and won their demands that their children be exempted from these classes, but the verdicts have not been implemented by the Turkish department of education. They also resent the strong state resistance to giving official recognition of "cemevi" as places of their worship. This matters to Alevis, because they miss out on the state funding that goes to Turkey's 85,000 mosques, as cemevi don't have the same status as mosques. The official view is that the government has no authority to designate a place as a house of worship. It is the Koran and teachings of our Prophet Muhammad, which say what to practice, and where.
An important comment Syria Alwaite real historical name was Nusayri, there were name like this and practice their regouilg under this name for more than 10 centuries, the French was changed by the French in the late 1992s during the Colonization of Syria, they change the name to give the sec a more respective name among the majority, Syria Alwaite still practice the Nusayri faith. Sunni and Shiite Islam historically consider them AS INFIDELS, it was until The Iranian revolution 1970s thing changed and Shiite started considering them as an offshoot of Shiite, this statement still does not reflect reality and practice where all Syrian Alwaite still practice Nusayria faith as they celebrate with Christians, drink wine as part of the tradition, believes in reincarnation, doesn’t believe nor practice the five pillars of Islam including praying, fasting, pilgrim, Zakat and even Shahada, and they don’t believe nor read the holy book of Islam….
Turkey's intervention in Syria is based purely on its desire to go back to its Ottoman stronghold (bloody) hertiage. This article is not an in depth analysis of Turkey's conundrum with its many-many minorities, including the Kurds, Greeks, Armenians, Jews and many other offshoots of groups who have been subjected to forced assimilation and Turkification. As one glaring example, there are hundreds of thousands of Christian Armenians who were forced to convert to Isalm during the Genocides of the Armenians in the 1895 massacres and then in the 1915 massacres. Der el-Zor in Syria is the graveyard of Armenians. Shoud Turkey attack Syria, it better first recognize the Armenian Genocide, vear off its Ottoman roots of colonization of the Arab countries, come clean with its history of bloodshed and force with all its minorities. Otherwise, its hypocricy and so-called desire to help the opposition in Syria will trigger a war and its quick spread to Israel, Lebanon, Iran and who knows, perhaps even to the Balkans!
I'll tell you, 99% of Turkish ppl have no desire to attack Syria. The 1% that do are those b-kissers of US and a group of provocators like yourself who want to get Turkiye into trouble. Peace.
Your comment has nothing to do with this article. Please don't misinform people and change the subject for your own enjoyment and agenda.
Amen, I like it when smart people talk. Please keep on educating other with the reality and truth
Forced assimilation and Turkification? Really? Is that why Greece is still there with its religion, language, culture, music, kitchen after being ruled for 500 years by Turks? Same applies to tens of other nations in eastern Europe, Middle East, and northern Africa? How much can you twist reality? Turks provided more freedom to those under their rule than any other race. A Greek philosopher said that if they were ruled by the French for so long instead of the Turks, they would be French now. Your random accusations, one-sided twisted versions of history, and other lies and propaganda are really not welcome on here. Turks have no desire to go back to Ottoman times or gain more land than what they have like your nation does, nothing you post has to do with reality, you should be deeply ashamed.
So – I really do not care.
In America – we think about work and school.
And ways to keep our brave soldiers out of your nations fighting your freaking battles of war for you, you lazy asses.
What an ignorant and racist comment....No one invited US to fight wars in Middle East you stupid shiite..
As an American I think about world issues and how we are involved. It's not only work and school!
Dude, if you dont want to learn something new, then stay out of the conversation. There are just as many American who want to know about whats going on. If you want to send your sons and daughters off to fight some war you don't understand, then more power to ya.
It would also give Turkey a chance to march through its own Kurdish lands and not be condemned by the world.
What a racist article. "Even Alevi populations among the Kurds and Balkan Muslims pray in Turkish, testifying to the essentially Turkish nature of Alevism."
There a many alevi kurds who pray in kurdish even in Turkey. Soner maybe if you ever met or spoke to an alevi kurd (i doubt this as your sunni turkish chauvism would probably prevent you)
Unfortunatelly praying in a language you understand is a major barrier. Turkish prayers are in Arabic and I do not understand a word of it. As some Cristian prayers are in Latin. Listening to a Love Song in French or Italian is all right but I realy want to know what I pray about.
Correction:Unfortunatelly praying in a language you DO NOT understand is a major barrier. Turkish prayers are in Arabic and I do not understand a word of it. As some Cristian prayers are in Latin. Listening to a Love Song in French or Italian is all right but I realy want to know what I pray about
I can not understand how such vital two words were removed from my comment. It changed all context of my comment. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. This should not be the degree of altering Global Square Comments. This could only be in TABLOID understanding
Pls remove all my comments rather than changing the context. Or check through your monitoring machanisms. None of my comments infringed your rules.
town muslims countries going at war! great news... let's give free weapons (of mass destruction) to both side. there is no way that less mulsims is a bad thing.
Amen!
Don't worry us converts in the west will make up any numbers lost
Just another example of why we shouldn't be involved in domestic conflict in this area. The situation there far exceeds Jefferson's notion of just how convoluted "foreign entanglements" can be. Being deaf and myopic to the nuances of these conflicts, we end up finding out that our chosen good guy in the white hat is no more noble or tolerant than the supposed villain in the black hat. We now spend billions shoring up sectarian regimes around the world, with Karzai of Afghanistan hitting us up for a couple billion more if we want him as a friend. How many billions more will be needed to patch together a coalition of the suspect after the Arab Spring mess settles down. The government has the nerve to blame seniors for all the economic problems we have while tossing money down the well to assuage the feeling of gang leaders. Bring the troops home that are spread around the world in vain attempts to democratize corrupt, dictatorial regimes and don't send any more.
Sorry, Washington's notion of "foreign entanglements."
USA does tend to evaluate every culture after her own values. It is not done with bad intentions of the public. But being rhather short sighted may create some misunderstandings at the best and may cause the citizens to be misdirected to the worst.
It AMAZES me that neither Mr. Cagaptay nor any of the comments happened to point out that Turkey is a member of NATO. Any military confrontation between Turkey and Syria has the VERY REAL probability of drawing NATO into the conflict . Indeed, Turkey seems to be preparing the ground work for invoking Article V (mutual defense clause) of the NATO charter, which has only been done one other time in NATO's history - September 11th. I suspect that if Mr. Assad doesn't stop the butchering of his people and stop it quickly, he risk the very real possibility of being confronted with the full military might of the NATO alliance along with the long arm and memory of international law. Mr. Assad, THE WORLD IS WATCHING!
Syria is not going to attack Turkey, so the "mutual defense clause" wouldn't apply. Turkey isn't going to attack Syria, either.
But doesn't a severe refugee crisis affecting NATO members validate NATO action?
Yes if you choose to look at it from the stricktly legislative point of view it can easily lead to another world war. IF the world players of our day were as prim as the leaders of the world's history , the inhuman result would have been well...Turkey plays the role of a mediator rather than a club at the back of Syria. Although Turkey has a powerful army she also is in the position for a peaceful solution. Hey guys, stop playing so many computer games where bashing people give you points. Get real. At least get human. No one wants another global conflict.
The Turkish government has been bought by NATO. The Turkish people hate NATO and the west, they will support al-Assad to the end. Turkey will not attack Syria openly, if they do, it will be the end of the current Turkish government. This is a stupid article. Anyways, the Syrian military is not the one doing this to their people, that's the Israelis looking to provoke NATO "intervention" to procure more land along their border. Wake up people, there is only one evil in the Middle East: The filthy Jews!
You mean Moslems...I had to correct your spelling...
Your blaming the problems in Syria on the Jews?
I think your towel is wrapped too tight.
He is right on. You are a Jew and you know it too.
I don't see any Jews strapping bombs to thier chests to blow up innocents (aside from Iranian nuclear scientists).... must be an extremist thing... only extremists will destroy innocent bystanders and act like it expands thier goal. Not only muslims (although it sure happens alot, easy to convince the uneducated and unemployed youth) but anywhere in the world.
Israel fights with state terrorism and gets responded to with individual terrorist attacks. No difference other than labels. Jews kill far far far more civilians than Arabs that strap bombs. You aren't fooling anyone.
Turks are part of the west, an ally of US and Europe. And they historically hate the middle eastern crowd which they don't sympathize with or trust. That initial part of your post is far from reality. But I can agree the second portion which Americans are rapidly realizing too despite the heavy propaganda and brainwashing they receive through their Jewish controlled media and government.
I would not have commented on this if it was not so funny. How can NATO buy Turkey when Turkey is one of the first members of NATO.
Its raining outside.
Must be the Jews.
My bike got a flat tire.
Must be the Jews.
I lost my car keys.
Must be the Jews.
I spilled my beer.
Must be the Jews.
There is a Military dictator in Syria killing his people who want freedom.
Must be the Jews.
You Jew haters are pathetic.
Well said!
hehehe...
This article is all the evidence that I need to know that religon is destroying the world.
You mena the moslems want to take over the world and the rest of the world won't allow it to happen...I had to correct you...
You are just a pitiful soul.. There are a lot of intelligent comments on this article but you coming up with "I had to correct you" "You mean Moslems" etc. etc. shows how ignorant and racist YOU are.. If you can't contribute to the arguments and discussions on this article, please stay out of it as no one needs to read your nonsense one liner posts..
Yet another example of religion; segregating people and causing wars.
You mean that it is stil lthe same old issue that has been going ton for centuires...I had to correct you.
It was a thing of the past until Israel created hatred and polarization again to benefit from it. That way they make Americans eliminate their enemies, and they gain sympathy and receive billions of dollars aid per year on top. Americans don't need any enemies as long as they have such an "ally". US gets involved in wars in the middle east instead of living in peace, gains enemies, loses credibility throughout the world, many American soldiers die, the US economy goes downhill, US taxpayers' billions of dollars pour into Israel every year in addition to military aid. Israel needs the status-quo to continue so they keep threatening US politicians through their lobbies and with their votes. The clueless Americans fall for the Jewish controlled media and government propaganda and think that Israel is their friend and they need to protect them, sympathize with them. It's ridiculous. Wake up America!
We could only hope it would happen...
Really, you hope that a war would happen? Isn't there already enough violence in that region of the World?
There is no reason for propagating war. I don't understand the western countries and intelligensia's thirst for war and resulting massacres. Have not we learned yet? Have not we mowed down enough people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, USA, Europe etc. to be talking about war? Turkey has no reason to war with Syria. Every country has a state dept or foreign ministry or dilpomatic corp ....so let dialogue prevail.
Turkiye should not even consider becoming part of EU. Turkish people have a rich culture and legacy and all will be lost as consequence. SAY NO TO EU!
Yes, Turkiya has a RICH culture of destroying other cultures and peoples, and forcing their assimilation and conversion to Islam!
Turkey does not belong in the EU, anyway. At least not until it stops denying the Armenian Genocide of 1915, as well the many other genocides of Assyrians, Kurds and Greeks. Today's Turkish Republic was created on the historic lands of Greece and Armenia. There was no such thing as "Turkey" until the Ottoman empire collapsed in early 20th century. The Turkish people have never been taught their own history nor do they strive to learn it. Turks should learn the Arabic alphabet and read the (sealed) Turkish archives to learn their history. The latin letters in use for less than 100 years is a cover up of the real Turkish history, which is full of destruction of other cultures (including books, bibles, entire libraries) and bloody massacres of innocent people.
Yes, and before the Ottoman Turks arrived in Anatolia, the Armenians, Greeks and other folks came there in peace and from the Moon I assume.
Turkey was founded as a modern secular republic after the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
When Muhammad and his followers were about to attack Mecca to subjugate it to Islam, his adherents arrested Abu Sufyan, one of Mecca’s inhabitants. They brought him to Muhammad. Muhammad told him: "Woe to you, O Abu Sufyan. Is it not time for you to realize that there is no God but the only God?" Abu Sufyan answered: "I do believe that." Muhammad then said to him: "Woe to you, O Abu Sufyan. Is it not time for you to know that I am the apostle of God?" Abu Sufyan answered: "By God, O Muhammad, of this there is doubt in my soul." The ’Abbas who was present with Muhammad told Abu Sufyan: "Woe to you! Accept Islam and testify that Muhammad is the apostle of God before your neck is cut off by the sword." Thus he professed the faith of Islam and became a Muslim.
There are many sources which record this story:
Ibn Hisham, part 4, p. 11 ("Biography of the Prophet’)
"The Chronicle of the Tabari", part 2, p. 157
Ibn Kathir, "The Prophetic Biography", part 3, p. 549, and "The Beginning and the End"
Ibn Khaldun, the rest of part 2, p. 43 and on
Al-Sira al-Halabiyya, Vol. 3. p. 18
Al Road Al Anf, part 4, p. 90, by Al Sohaily
Please take your utter nonsense elsewhere. Your majorly failed nations, Greece and Armenia, always lose and accuse others for their mistakes afterwards. If you couldn't keep the land, it's your fault, some other nation would surely take it off of your hands if not the Turks. Besides, you took it from someone else as well, you can't just pick a certain timeframe from history and claim some land. Grow up please.
Your comment "Turkey does not belong in the EU, anyway" says Lucy (the racist) and Lucy's post vs "Could Turkey really go to war against Syria?" says it all about your intellect, Ms "racist" Lucy
I really want to know what the Turks did to you that you hate them so much? You keep posting your nonsense that has nothing to do with this article. If this was a televised discussion, iI wouldn't want to be sitting next to you...Do us a favour and post your rubbsh somewhere else..
and the so called "civilized" Greeks tried to grab the island of Cyprus in 1974, started a war killing Greek Cypriots and massacred the Turkish Cypriot civilians as late as 1974.. If it wasn't for the Turkish might dear Lucy, your so called "civilized" Greeks would have wiped all the innocent people of Cyprus... yet today everyone is blaming the Turks for coming to the island BUT deep down we ALL know the truth and who was the righteous in that conflict... The only excuse we hear is that Greece was run by a military regime.. A good excuse for their criminal acts... Go and learn something useful before you post your one track mind post..
Really off-topic!
Hear, Hear!!
The Turks are foreign land grabbers who have no connection to the lands in "Turkey" or the adjacent territories. This is simply an effort to reconquer the lost lands it previously governed including Turkish designs on the oil fields of northern Iraq that the British cut off. It previously used Iraq's internal problems to invade northern Iraq, and now it seeks to do the same in Syria – for the ultimate goal of reconquering its lost possessions. This is also well designed by the Jews in Israel who favor weakening Syria for its further domination of the region and its expansionist policies. Turks and Jews should never be trusted.
Wow, Turks as foreign land grabbers?? And all other nations on Earth were formed without any wars and land grabbing, right?
Turks are among the most peaceful people on earth surface despite having one of the most powerful military forces in the world and frequently being provoked by their neighbours. If one of those so-called peaceful neighbours were in Turkey's position, you would see all the attacks just like Israel, yet Turkey refrains from attacking anyone. But people like you from those failed states never fall short of showing up and accusing Turks of being violent. Get real. In the past, when those were the times, the more powerful ones grabbed the lands, nobody pitied one another, let alone Turks. Turks today, however, have absolutely no wish to gain more territory as they know the consequences of dealing with Arabs as remnants of the Ottoman Empire. Israel made many mistakes and continues to do so which they suffer the outcome forever. Turks and Jews are not at all comparable.
This is a perfect example of a Turk refusing to learn her own history and admit to the wrongs of her people as millions of Germans did and admitted to their ancestors participation in the Holocaust. Turkey is guilty of the Armenian, Greek and Kurdish Genocides. This is a historic fact, manipulated by polticians. Israel has not committed a genocide, although as a democratic state, it should treat its Arab and non-Jewish population with dignity and equality.
Stephanie: You are a perfect example to an anti-Turkish propagandist. Turks did not commit a genocide, thus they don't accept it. You can't accuse someone of something they didn't do and expect them to eventually cave in. Jews in Germany were peacefully living their lives when they were targeted and systematically massacred which was ethnic cleansing. Armenians in the Turkish empire sided with Russians, got armed, and started massacring Turkish women and children systematically while Turks were at their weakest time and Turkish men were at warfronts fighting against multiple nations. Armenians started a war against Turks thinking that it was the right time, they could win and create greater Armenia. They miscalculated and lost the war. Yet, you attempt to twist it all and compare the two which is a pathetic attempt and you should be ashamed to try. Turks also had wars with Greeks, many of them like any two neighbouring countries in Europe, yet none of them would be accused of genocides but Turks in your mind, right? And Turkish fight against PKK, a Kurdish terrorist organization recognized as such by EU, US, and the world, would also be qualified as a genocide in your propaganda text. You are absolutely ridiculous, your posts have nothing to do with truth and you have zero credibility as a result.
Is there a point to this dumb article or is it just more CNN garbage?
I think the real question is, If Turkey attacks Syria from the rear, would Greece help??
Would Greece help Turkey or Syria? Your question is not clear. Anyway, it does not matter since the Greeks would first solve their financial problems I assume before entering a war.
Turkey should pummel syria.....
Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said: "Peace at home, peace in the World"
Let them fight and kill each other then they won't mess with other religions
Citing John Lennon: "Imagine there is no religion."
No offense, but this is a somewhat shallow article. Would Turkey's main concern really be the Alevis in the country if there would be a war with Syria? This article really tries to over-simplify things.
Its like in the dark ages when protestants fought wars against catholics. Only now, its the Muslims still living in the dark ages.
I would beg to differ; I would posit that it the extremists who live in the dark ages. The select fringe extremist Christians who bomb abortion clinics also live in the dark ages. Yes violent M*slim terrorists live in the dark ages, but I think most M*slims are peace abiding peoples. If we could just send the extremists on a one-way trip to the moon, the earth would be a much better place!
Sir,
As an Alevi living in Dubai, please note that we are Shia, albeit not Twelver Shia.
Our beliefs are 'unorthodox' compared to other Shias, but our love for the Prophet's family and Ali, make us Shia-e-Ali.
Regards,
Muhammad
That is very informative. Thank you.
after reading all of the comments above, my conclusion as to Turkey attacking to Syria is well in the frame works of in the humanity. For how long we need to sit and watch Asaad slaughtering own people? in the Islam belief, is it oky to allow and let it happend your neighbor to be destroyed while you are in living room and enjoying your brand new flat screen TV. If that aligns well with you than you are no different then Asaad.
Anyone that knows Turkey and the Turkish reality is very well aware that such an attack will not take place unless Syria initiates it which would be suicide for Syrians. Turks are not stupid, they had the world's last major empire and rules tens of nations for centuries, they know what to do and what not to do, they are not a few centuries old random country that acts with impulse. Clueless third parties may assume and come up with scenarios which should be entirely ignored as they have no value whatsoever.
In the 16th century Protestants were protestors.
This article makes no sense at all. I was trying to be really patient and comprehend what the author was saying. If they both Pray to Allah, who cares what sect they represent. Do you really believe that on Judgement day God/Allah is going to have sections for Alawite, Alevis, Catholics, protestants, Mormons etc.?
The only people getting into heaven are the Hindus.
That is if there is no rule about greed or hygiene.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
The mention the terriost arming the rebels just not as much because to publizce thier actions would be just as good as condoining them .Media should never mention terriosim,only the military should fight it.
We're funding a regime change. Our government could care less about the civilians.
* * * * The West, Qatar and Saudi Arabia funds and arms the rebels. The mainstream media doesn't mention this important fact.
So, if the media doesnt tell you this, how do you know it ?
Al assad tell you this ?
another mess in the middle east...maybe the men from iran who know everthing can settle it.....
Turkey can liberation of Syria in 6 days .
Turks will not attack Syria unless Syrians attack them first, no matter how certain countries wish that such a scenario becomes real. And if Syria attacks, then it's not just Turkey, it's 27-nation NATO at war. Bursting your bubbles here.
When the army of Alawites in Syria fought ? They are cowards! Remember the 1967 war, Israel defeated the army of the Alawites in 6 days! It was the shortest war in history! Turkey can repeat the defeat of 6 days!!
Tony, that may be traditionaly true. If you follow the common beliefe.... Than afterwards they shall rest on the seventh day. I wander what would be chosen as the seventh day? The Global Sundat or the Islamic Friday? And I do appreciate your wor(l)dplay on Turnkey.
Alawites are not Alevi... Alawites are not Alevi... Alawites are not Alevi...
Turkey will never intervene in Syria, but Alevis are not the reason. It simply has no motive in such action. Although AKP likes to portray itself to the Arab world as the conservative, Sunni Muslim party, it truly isn't. This whole act of support for the Syrian uprising that Turkey is playing is nothing but a game for political points. Prior to this conflict, the Syrian-Turkish relations were in excellent shape. Turkey basically threw 'Israel' to the curb to go pro-Arab (which was a great move politically and otherwise), so why would Turkey sacrifice such good relations with its neighbors and basically its gateway to the Arab world? The only logical reason is that Turkey is just trying to take advantage of the conflict and use it for its own benefit, to rise to power and show the world that it is a major player in the region.
Wow. That would be wild The Ottoman Empire reborn, with the tacit approval of the west. I don't think the Saudis
would be crazy about that idea.
Turks are happy with the way things are, they are a G20 member with the 15th largest economy in the world with 2nd highest growth rate after China. They don't need more land, they have the best soil in the area, they have no interest in expanding to the desert and sparking a never ending dispute with Arabs. It's all an absurd made up nonsense that Turks want to go back to Ottoman Empire. What next? Italians want to go back to Roman Empire too?! Grow up people.
That was a nice point of view and nicely put as well. Can not imagine the current Italian senate in togas. But tourism-vise it might be lucritive. One just can not forget the nostalgia. Like a voyage back in a time machine
I knew nothing of these sects until I read this, so I am impressed in a way. The headline about Turkey going to war against Syria doesn't make any sense and is obviously just an attempt by CNN to get page views. All I can say is that these folks need to settle their differences by themselves and leave the American Eagle alone.
If Syria jumped Turkey from behind, would Greece help?
I guess that would depend on the natural running of human tendencies, interplay and seasonal hormones in part. For example the very peacful community of dears in the Richmont Park, London may get pretty aggresive in rutting season.
Alawis are not shia infact it has nothing to do with shia islam.
One group of religious nuts fighting another group of religious nuts fighting another group of religious nuts fighting another group of religious nuts......please, leave the rest of us alone.....
The united States is a grat nation has problems but less than the world because of our u.s constuituion we are the real democracy of the world not a monarch britan or a regime syria.
Mmmmmm...Turrrkeyyyyy.
The worlds going to hell in a handbasket. Repent!
BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY BLOOD MONEY
In 1998, Turkey massed 1 million troops on the borders of Syria. Turkey has threatened to occupy Syria in one week, if Hafez al-Assad did not hand over Mr. Ocalan, leader of the PKK, which killed 50,000 of the Turks and Kurds in terrorist operations. Hafez al-Assad has agreed to extradite Mr. Ocalan! The crisis ended.
What did the Turkish Alevis ?
Nothing!!
Majority of foreigners are clueless about Turkish reality. They assume that the Turkish society is not united and they might turn onto eachother like Arabs while this is not at all the case for Turkey. Everybody in Turkey is historically integrated part of Turkey and considered to be Turkish without discrimination, they love their country and would not act like those ethnic groups in other nations. Turkey is not just a random country, it has traditions of a millenium, Turks ruled tens of nations for centuries in the world's last major empire. Greece was ruled by Turkish Ottoman Empire for 500 years for instance. Then you people show up from a country that's barely over 200 years old and think you're better and assume things. Get over yourselves.
Your President Abdullah Gul said that the Syrians are our brothers. Well, you should go to Syria to save your brothers of the massacres. This is a moral duty to Turkey .
A win win situation!!!!!!!
Arabs and Jews are the same. They both reject Jesus.
Only Sunni Muslims who believe that Christ will return before the end of the world. They believe that the Antichrist will come out of Iran. They believe that the Antichrist will kill a lot of people until Jesus returns. They believe that Jesus will kill the Antichrist in Jerusalem. After that " Christ will rule the world "40 years" from Jerusalem as pelieved Sunni Muslims.
Mohammed has two books, "the Koran and Hadith." Mohammed said in his Hadith " If returned my brother Christ you " Muslims " must obey Christ because he will come with true religion. Brother, Christ will destroy all religions in the world. People in the world will live in peace with one religion. Child will play with the snake, the wolf will be with the sheep in peace. "This belief is Sunni Muslim. But the Alawites and Shiites believe that the Christ "myth." So they are criminals by nature. See what they are doing in Syria!
In the Jewish faith, Jesus did not fulfill the Messianic Prophecies, therefore there is no belief.
What is the Messiah supposed to accomplish? The Bible says that he will:
A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).
C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)
D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite humanity as one. As it says: "God will be King over all the world—on that day, God will be One and His Name will be One" (Zechariah 14:9).
The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic prophecies.
Christians counter that Jesus will fulfill these in the Second Coming, but Jewish sources show that the Messiah will fulfill the prophecies outright, and no concept of a second coming exists.
More regime change war fantasy. Where does it end? The US cherry picks who deserves democracy and is actively supporting oppression around the world. At least be consistant. If not, stay at home; US actions are doing far more harm than good.
This article was the most rewarding one I participated for some time. Most people were decent, wanted to contribute sincerely and did honestly add valuable information to the topic. In my view all our knowledge (including me) on our religion as well of other people are sadly lacking. We just repeat what we heard of others. But meanwhile I wander if there realy is a trustable address from where we can get true information on our religion and the other religions. This should not be done by the word of the tongue or by politicians. This should be done by a group of scientist from several branches. But realy thank you all.
The author has nothing to worry about. Erdogan lacks the courage to do anything about the Assad's slaughter. If it involved Israel, he would send in a flotilla.
agreed
Fifteen thousand (15,000) Iranian Quds force commandos have arrived in Syria to support Assad's regime.
How do you know this?
He is one of them.
Now a days even a street vendor became an expert. What a joke ?
The race of people who own planet Earth
are returning to take ownership.
Be prepared to vacate voluntarily or not.
testing
A large section of Alevis in Turkey are also Kurdish. This discussion has been very fruitfull for me. Can we also open a similar discreet and fruitful discussion on Kurdish people. Their history and roots as well as their current conditions... Not only in Turkey but across the World? I am well aware that it will draw a lot of "promotional talk" from all around but it may also bring in valuable contribution and information as well. I know it will take extra work of monitoring for GPS but Kurds and their Alevi beliefs can not be disregarded.
How ironic would it be fpr the Turks to intervene in Syria only for that action to cause sectarian conflict at home?!!
Ninja
As far as i am concerned, i prefer those of blue eyes at HEAVENS.
on a more serious notes, may i suggest & remind all of you, that, all major religions originated form the Middle East, & Geographically from old Syria, this might answer partially, why, this area of the world have always been unstable?
There is no bound between Alawites and Alevis ! Please do a better research bevore writing.
There is no record and no historical connection ! And when you have one, it is just fake !
The people and beliefs of the whole worl are all mingled.