Free Speech is not dead, it just smells funny.
Rasmussen proves to be another career-official who places his career ueber alles in der Welt. Disgusting! Are they ALL prostitutes?
To become NATO secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen will apologize for the Mohammed cartoons.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Denmark’s leader, was one of the few European politicians who refused to give in to pressure from fundamentalists in the Middle East when a Danish newspaper published the now infamous “Mohammed cartoons.” His attitude was welcomed by may Europeans, especially by conservatives. He was quickly promoted to “hero of the freedom of speech,” and became one of the old continent’s most popular politicians.
But then something changed. Rasmussen set his eyes upon NATO. He wanted to become the organization’s next secretary general. An ambitious man, he proved willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals.
One of those ‘things’: apologizing to the “Islamic world” for the cartoons.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip does not like Rasmussen very much (among other reasons because Rasmussen is anti-Turkey). So when the latter appeared to be the man most likely to succeed secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the former put up a fight. Turkey would not agree to let Rasmussen accomplish his goal, Erdogan said, unless Turkey got something in return and unless the prime minister would apologize to “the Islamic world.’
Rasmussen reportedly agreed. Dutch magazine Elsevier says he will do so tomorrow, in Istanbul.
If true, it’s a major blow to the freedom of speech the prime minister said he held so dear. Rasmussen should have stuck to his guns and defended Western principles. This is not about whether one agrees with him on every single subject, nor about whether or not one is a fan of his (country’s) policy towards Turkey. It’s about the freedom of newspapers to publish whatever cartoon they want, no matter how controversial they may be in some quarters.
It is not only a sad day for those who love the freedom of speech, but also for Turkish secularists; Erdogan presented himself once again as spokesman for the “Islamic world,” which would have been unthinkable only ten years ago. Lest we forget, Turkey was, for over 80 years, a proud secular country. Erdogan has done everything in his power to end that beautiful streak. The negotiations over NATO’s next secretary general are yet another step in the wrong direction.
Lastly, not all news is bad: a Turk will be appointed vice-secretary general (which is not a problem at all of course) and its generals will enrich NATO’s top command with their knowledge and experience. These are rather obviously good results, both for Turkey and for NATO.
The cartoon-deal, on the other hand, is terrible for all involved.
Read the comments, here. Very worrying!
Changing sides?
Atlas Shrugs:Denmark’s Rasmussen to apologize to ‘Islamic World’
What do you have to do to become the secretary general of NATO these days?
Apologize to the Islamic world for exercising your right to freedom of expression.
What a disgrace.
The “Islamic world” should apologize to the rest of us for the violence and murders that followed the publication of the dreaded cartoons of blasphemy. But we’ve arrived in the brave new world of Hopenchange, in which (relatively) sane people apologize for “provoking” the horrible behavior of others, and grovel before violent thugs and religious extremists.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
May as well throw in the towel right now. When is this going to stop? Never!
He did not make a real apology. And I do not want a bloody muslim as vice sec.gen. We will be at war with these creeps soon – no point in giving them additional gen..
Lastly, not all news is bad: a Turk will be appointed vice-secretary general
Are you joking
Should anything happen to Rasmmussen, see what I mean