Thus writes Ian Buruma (of Occidentalism fame) in the Los Angeles Times. His article is very much worth reading, but your Volgi would take exception to one assertion:

The prospect of joining the European Union has strengthened the democracies of central and eastern Europe, and of Turkey too.

While EU accession criteria have certain caused Turkey to adopt certain technical and structural reforms (some very worthwhile, some dubious but the kind of thing Brussels likes), however the on-and-off, patronizing, condescending process that has continually pushed them to the back of the line while admitting other countries no more qualified than they ahead of them (because of Franco-German fears of admitting a populous Muslim country) has done more than anything to feed the anti-Western mindset now dominating Turkish attitudes. Their hostility has been displaced onto the United States, given that joining Europe is still a national desideratum and viewed as their recognition as a civilized, first-rate country. The Volgi has long held that the U.S. should take up the Europeans’ slack in anchoring Turkey in the West with a comprehensive free-trade agreement, aid to their military, and cultural initiatives to increase understanding between our cultures (which do not understand each other well at all).

Second, even the New York Times chimes in that Europe had better get off the bench, or we’re in for an ugly time on the Russian borders. Alas, I don’t think it’s likely to happen. The fate of Georgia, Moldova, and any number of other countries simply aren’t enough to rouse Europe from its welfare-state sybaritic, post-national, post-military, soft-power opium dream. Heck, a hill of Bosniak corpses on their borders didn’t do it. Mourir pour Tbilisi? Mais non.

Via Shmuel Rosner

Confucius, Œc. Vol.

Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu.