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In Brief: News and Trends That Affect Your LifeContributors: Don Hooser and Darris McNeelyTurkey's Government Embracing Militant IslamTurkey has been a longtime strategic ally of the West—including Israel—having the second-largest military force in NATO. But Turkey is "signaling it's leaving its Western friends" with its "embrace of extremist neighbors" (Jill Nelson, "Switching Sides," World, Nov. 21, 2009). After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, the democratic Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923. Since then, Turkey has tried to maintain a secular government—one not controlled by the dominant religion of Islam. A turning point came in 2002, when the AKP, a Muslim-oriented political party, gained power and installed Recep Erdogan as prime minister. As he had promised, Erdogan pushed for full membership in the European Union, but now it's obvious that he has given up on that goal. Some of the reasons? Many Europeans oppose full EU membership for a large Muslim nation (with 97 percent of its land mass in Asia). And Turkey's old ally, the United States, is showing major signs of weakness. Lately Erdogan has been blatantly announcing his support for the Muslim world, including Iran and terrorist organizations like Hamas. It seems the West is in denial about this geopolitical earthquake. Church Leaders Sign Manhattan DeclarationCiting conscience issues with several social trends, 145 religious leaders have signed what they call the Manhattan Declaration, saying they will not cooperate with laws that could be used to compel their groups to participate in or support abortions, same-sex relationships or stem cell research. "We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence," it says. A mixture of evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox leaders signed the document, which is aimed at stirring support for what they call the three most important social issues facing American society today. It appears to be an effort to rally Christian support at a time when the historic religious foundation of American culture appears to be cracking. The so-called Moral Majority of the past has been disbanded, shattered by the very political system it sought to enter. The culture wars have made significant inroads into the moral and ethical behavior of Americans. Is this the last stronghold of conservatism against the postmodern culture? The document says, "We will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent." A Kingdom Built on SandWorld markets went into a near panic during the recent Thanksgiving weekend over news that Dubai World, a key subsidiary of the nation of Dubai, could default on $60 billion of debt. It appears that Dubai's oil-rich cousins in the Persian Gulf region will step in and prevent a total collapse of Dubai. Dubai has become a major site for banking, real estate and other financial transactions in the region. Although the debt is comparatively small, it has wider implications in investor confidence, so Dubai is "too big" to let fail. Dubai has become the luxury shopping mall of a region known more for its religious fundamentalism and ethnic sensitivities. By building islands shaped like palm trees and indoor ski slopes, Dubai has given a new name to conspicuous consumption. It is completely out of place, overbuilt for the neighborhood, and a magnet for envy and anger among the extremist elements of the Islamic world. Dubai has no oil wealth, so it is reliant on the kindness of the neighboring oil sheikhdoms, who will not let its materialistic excesses bring down the region. Dubai will survive. But the temporary panic and concern from the major financial centers of New York, London and Tokyo should be a lesson not to look only at the weaknesses of a place like Dubai. The risks are even greater in the major developed nations. Bigger companies and nations, including the United States, face greater risk than that of Dubai. That this is not acknowledged by world leaders should send an alarm that not only are many financial structures built on sand, but that many of the wise have their heads stuck in the sands of denial. WNP
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