Turkey, meaning Erdogan, wants to be the leader of the Muslim world. He has been doing a lot of things towards that position. Why is that country gaining precedence over Saudi Arabia?
Saudi has oil, that's it, nothing else. Many other sources for oil have been developed, so, Saudi is not unique.
Turkey has no oil but it has the Bosphorus! A strait that is in its territory and is an access/exit to the Black Sea and Danube. To understand the importance of the Bosphorus, one must understand the term 'land-locked country'. The black Sea has five countries, the Danube goes through nine (Romania and Bulgaria being common to both), so let us say twelve countries depend upon these two water bodies for their trade. Then the Don and the Dnieper rivers give access to the vast hinterland of Russia in addition to Belarus and Georgia. The count is now sixteen. Then land-locked countries neighbouring those that have direct access to these water bodies, also depend on these rivers and Black Sea for their trade. The count actually is closer to twenty five.
Turkey lords over the Bosphorus and can blockade it any time. To avoid such an eventuality, it is mollycoddled. It is a member of the NATO and a partner-nation of EU. Turks have had a very long love-hate relationship with Germany and a very large number of Turks are naturalised Germans. Turkey can massacre the Kurds and gets just a pat on the back of its hand (Compare this with China's Uyghurs). Turkey can crown itself king of the Sunnis if it wants!
Maybe it's time the Bosphorus is made an international zone like the Panama Canal.
Ditto with Suez Canal and Kiel Canal.
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Ten Things a Hindu Should Do While Using English Language
- Francois Gautier
1. Please stop using the term "God Fearing" - Hindus never ever fear God. For us, God is everywhere and we are also part of God. God is not a separate entity to fear. It is integral.
2. Please do not use the meaningless term "RIP" when someone dies. Use "Om Shanti", "Sadhgati" or "I wish this atma attains moksha/sadhgati/uthama lokas". Hinduism neither has the concept of "soul" nor its "resting". The terms "Atma" and "Jeeva" are, in a way, antonyms for the word "soul"(to be understood in detail).
3. Please don't use the word "Mythology" for our historic epics (itihaaas) Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rama and Krishna are historical heroes not just mythical characters.
4. Please don't be apologetic about idol worship and say "Oh, that's just symbolic". All religions have idolatry in kinds or forms - cross, words, letters (calligraphy) or direction. Also let's stop using the words 'idols', 'statues' or 'images' when we refer to the sculptures of our Gods.
Use the terms 'Moorthi' or 'Vigraha'. If words like Karma, Yoga, Guru and mantra can be in the mainstream, why not 'Moorthi' or 'Vigraha'?
5. Please don't refer to Ganesha and Hanuman as "Elephant god" and "Monkey god" respectively. You can simply write Shree Ganesh and Shree Hanuman.
6. Please don't refer to our temples as prayer halls. Temples are "devalaya" (abode of god) and not "prarthanaalaya" (prayer halls).
7. Please don't wish your children "black birthday" by allowing them to blow off the candles that are kept on top of the birthday cake. Don't throw spit on the divine fire (Agni Deva). Instead, ask them to pray : "O divine fire, lead me from darkness to light" (Thamasoma Jyotirgamaya) by lighting a lamp. These are all strong images that go deep into the psyche.
8. Please avoid using the words "spirituality" and "Materialistic". For a Hindu, everything is divine. The words spirituality and materialism came to India through evangelists and Europeans who had a concept of Church vs State. Or Science vs Religion. On the contrary, in India, sages were scientists and the foundation stone of Sanatan Dharma was science.
9. Please don't use the word "sin" instead of "paapa". We only have Dharma(duty, righteousness, responsibility and privilege) and Adharma (when dharma is not followed). Dharma has nothing to do with social or religious morality. 'Paapa' derives from Adharma.
10. Please don't use loose translation like meditation for "dhyaana" and "breathing exercise" for "Pranayama". It conveys wrong meanings. Use the original words.
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Today is the first day of the Malayalam month of 'Kanni'.
Our Chevy is almost ready. Should get it tomorrow.
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