An Islamist in NATO?

Nato heads of government will this week try to defuse a rift with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish prime minister, over his government’s opposition to Anders Fogh Rasmussen becoming secretary-general of the 26 member security alliance.

Nato leaders had been hoping to appoint the Danish premier as successor to Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at this weekend’s alliance summit in Strasbourg and Kehl.

Turkey’s objections mean this may be delayed.

Nato diplomats say nearunity has emerged within the alliance that Mr Rasmussen is the best candidate for the post but Turkey has expressed objections because of the row in 2006 over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad printed in a Danish newspaper.

If we are lucky, what we really have here is the ghost of secular Turkey and not the instincts of Caliphate Ottoman tendencies.

“Reports about Turkey’s objections are worrying people,” said the diplomat.

“What alliance governments want to know is whether Turkey is raising fundamental objections which they will die in a ditch over; or whether this is a bargaining chip aimed at getting concessions on issues like the timing of Turkey’s accession to the European Union.”

The lead entity for training the Afghan Police is the European Union via EUROPOL. With all the need for additional help, why people ask, isn't NATO helping EUROPOL? Well, Turkey is why. Same thing is going on here, petty Turkish pettiness ... this time with an Islamist twist.

This will do nothing for Turkey's jump-the-shark bid to join the EU.