Ignorant Powell

Participating in a TV program shown on the German ZDF channel in Berlin, Powell said, "There will be an Islamic Republic in Iraq, just like the ones in Turkey and Pakistan. It will be according to a constitutional framework, according to the Sheri’a and the Qur’an law."

Powell said that the U.S. is hoping for a democratic, Islamic Republic in Iraq. "There is nothing that says that Islam and democracy cannot co-exist. Why should there not be other Islamic Republics like Turkey? Why should there not be democracy just like what Turkey has?"

During meetings last month in Washington, the Vice-Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug said that Turkey has no claim to the status of a model for the U.S.’s Greater Middle East Initiative. He added: "Concepts like that of an Islamic republic have been brought into the agenda. Secularism and a moderate Islamic Republic cannot exist together."

It is really scary to see that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell does not have any knowledge about its closest ally Turkey.

Though more than 99 percent of its citizens are of the Muslim faith, under its constitution Turkey is a secular republic, with strict separation of religion and the state.