Istanbul Demonstration

A few days ago, thirteen Turkish soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack by Kurdish extremists who claimed credit for the attack. This same day we'd gone on a beautiful cruise on the Bosphorus and learned that Hilary Clinton was also in Istanbul this day. Of course we hoped that we'd encounter her somewhere, but that didn't happen... When we got back to Beyoglu, we saw groups of protesters clustering and as our bus neared our hotel, I noticed riot police with shields standing on a side street. An undercurrent of tension was noticeable...Soon the main street was filled with thousands upon thousands of demonstrators who were carrying Turkey's distinctive red flag. We were told that it was a protest against the Kurdish separatists in reaction to the death of the soldiers. However I noticed a large sign that included the word "Amerika" on it. I asked a Turkish man what it said, and he shook his head as if reluctant to tell me. "It's a problem," he said, "America and Israel."
Until the start of the Iraq war, the US has had a fairly good relationship with Turkey, whom we regard as an important ally in the Middle East. Though this is a secular nation, nearly 97% of the people are Muslim. There has been a turn to fundamentalism in the past few years which disturbs some in the educated circles. Nearly everyone agrees there has been a decline in American prestige and influence in Turkey. The protest was loud, organized, and large. I stood on the steps of our hotel as suggested by Ali, our guide, as I watched and took photos. Later I learned that the police had to use tear gas to disperse the crowds as Taksim Square. We shall see...

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