Will Turkey lead a revived Islamic empire?
By Joel Richardson
WND: In 2005, the National Intelligence Council, or NIC, produced a report called, “Mapping the Global Future: Project 2020.” According to this report, within the next several years, we may expect to see the emergence of a fledgling caliphate, or revived Islamic empire.
For those unfamiliar with the NIC, below is a self-description from its website:
The NIC is a center of strategic thinking within the U.S. Government, reporting to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and providing the president and senior policymakers with analyses of foreign policy issues that have been reviewed and coordinated throughout the Intelligence Community. Our work ranges from brief analyses of current issues to “over the horizon” estimates of broader trends at work in the world.
What is interesting about the NIC’s “over the horizon” assessment is that the coming caliphate would not be built on acts of terrorism, but instead would be established through peaceful means. By claiming to provide the Middle East with stability, peace and security, the emergence of the coming caliphate will be viewed positively by much of the world. Yet the conclusion of the 2020 report states that even a limited and moderate Islamic caliphate would pose problems for the United States and her global interests of immense proportions.
The truth is, even if al-Qaida succeeded in its dream of reviving a caliphate, it would only give the U.S. military a clearly defined target. But how would the U.S. to respond if Turkey, one of our historically greatest allies in the region, emerges as an Islamist superpower? What will our relationship be with a neo-Ottoman caliphate? Now, it is doubtful of course that such a historically loaded term would ever be used. Far more likely, we will see the use of a far less threatening term, such as the title championed by Adnan Oktar, a Turkish Muslim intellectual who has been calling for a “Turkish-led Islamic Union.” Oktar, although a controversial figure, is highly respected in many circles and is the most published author in the Islamic world, with over 65 million of his works in circulation. I recently travelled to Istanbul to speak with Mr. Oktar about his vision for a Turkish-led Islamic Union. According to Oktar, the revival of a Turkish led-Islamic empire will be the defining development that will bring peace not only to the Middle East, but to the world:
Adnan Oktar’s Vision of a Turkish-led Islamic Union
We should not take Mr. Oktar’s vision lightly. For the past several years, I have been highlighting the merging of two very significant developments in the nation of Turkey – the first issue being the rapid Islamization of the nation. Much has been written concerning this development in recent months. But the second issue, perhaps of even greater significance, is Turkey’s re-emergence as leader of the region. For over 500 years, the Turkish Ottomans ruled the Middle East, and in the years to come, they will arise once again as a regional superpower. And much of the world will welcome this as a positive development.
I also believe that a Turkish-led Islamic empire is clearly prophesied in the Bible. In my book “The Islamic Antichrist” (which was originally written in 2004), I walk through the biblical basis for such a claim. Five years later, despite Turkey’s rapid ascension in the region and in the world, some still look with skepticism on such claims. Of course, time will either confirm or put to rest this idea. But for now, I want to bring to light some important voices that are confirming my predictions.
George Friedman is the CEO and founder of STRATFOR, the world’s leading private intelligence and forecasting company. In his recent book, “The Next 100 Years,” Friedman agrees in no uncertain terms that Turkey will soon emerge as a regional superpower: “[Turkey will] soon re-emerge in its old role, as the dominant force in the region.” Speaking specifically of Turkey’s coming leadership of a revived caliphate, Friedman makes the following very powerful observation and prediction:
The Islamic World is incapable of uniting voluntarily. It is, however, capable of being dominated by a Muslim power. Throughout history, Turkey has been the Muslim power most often able to create an empire out of … the Islamic world. …
According to Friedman, the past 80 or so years that Turkey has only controlled Asia Minor has been an anomaly. Soon we will see “Turkish power – the Ottoman Empire … begin to re-emerge.”
In recent times, the world has been shocked to see Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reveal his true feelings toward Israel. In a fit of rage, in Davos, Switzerland, Erdogan shouted at the Israeli president: “You are old and your voice is loud out of a guilty conscience. When it comes to killing, you know very well how to kill! I know well how you hit and kill children on beaches!” This is the same Erdogan who actually spent time in jail for the writing the following overtly radical poem:
[The] Mosques are our barracks, [the] domes our helmets, [the] minarets our bayonets, [the] believers our soldiers. This holy army guards my religion. Almighty our journey is our destiny, the end is martyrdom.
This was not written by Osama bin Laden. It was written by a man who is being taken seriously by much the world as one of the co-founders of the United Nations “Alliance of Civilizations,” an intercultural dialogue, the purpose of which is to “overcome … prejudice, misperceptions and polarization that militate against [unity between the East and the West]. … The Alliance seeks to … establish a paradigm of mutual respect between civilizations and cultures.”
Despite Erdogan’s obvious bias, as well as his anti-Semitic streak and history of radicalism, many, including our own president, still view him as an honest broker and mediator between Israel and the Middle East. And Obama is not alone. In February of this year, the famous Orthodox Rabbi Menachem Fromen made the following statements in the Turkish Press:
It is an irrefutable fact that Turkey is the most natural mediator between Israel and Palestinian society. Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Erdoğan are the only two who can bring regional peace about.
Rabbi Fromen has also expressed his strong support for Mr. Oktar’s vision of the Turkish-led Islamic Union.
And recently another very significant event took place that entirely escaped notice in the Western press. During a visit to Istanbul, Iranian President Ahmadinejad stood inside the Sultanahmet Mosque and prayed behind a Turkish Sunni imam. Ahmadinejad then stated, “The political meaning of this act is immense.” Many within Turkey and the broader Islamic world took notice. According to Oktar, this was a sign that Ahmadinejad and the Iranian government are supporting the emerging Turkish-led Islamic Union. In an interview with the Iranian Press, Mr. Oktar said:
This act of Mr. Ahmadinejad, performing his prayers behind a Sunni imam, is very, very meaningful. Above all it means “if a Turkish-Islamic Union is to be formed, I will abide a Sunni imam, I will accept him as an imam.” … This is what it means. … I mean it has a highly important significance.
So, has Iran truly expressed its support of Turkey’s emerging regional power? Will more gullible Israelis believe as Rabbi Fromen does, that Turkey and Prime Minister Erdogan represent the only hope for the Middle East? Will STRATFOR and the NIC’s vision of a revived Turkish Empire come to pass? Again, only time will tell. Next month, Prime Minister Erdogan will travel to Washington to meet with President Obama. As always, I’ll be paying very close attention.
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:11 am
Great Article Joel.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
If this is true, Joel, how does this fit w/Jack Kelly’s article regarding the King of the North (Iran-led grp) and King of the South (Eygpt led grp) internal competition to revive and led the coming Caliphate? Wherein, Kelly claims neither grp will achieve dominance, but one greater than both (the AC) will succeed in forming a “fragile” unification of the Islamic World?
How does what seems plausible in Kelly’s article square w/this event of Ahmadinejad praying behind a Sunni iman come into play? Is it deception to buy time to pretend that he will follow a Sunni iman tho’ Ahmadinejad is a devout Shia’? Frankly, this act of his does not pass the “smell” test and is suspect to me.
Thoughts, Joel?
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
About the only option the Western world (that is those countries which accepted at their foundings the merging of the ancient cultures of Hellas, Jerusalem & Rome) can play is one fraught with danger: continental preparatory regimes. For this counters the false piety of political correctness, and is as acceptable amongst the rudderless revisionists as Lord Monckton is to Climate Change alarmists.
Plus, I still have hope that those countries which have friendly relations with Ankara will have the scales drop from their eyes when they give an even handed analysis of this: http://www.worldthreats.com/?p=1750 For Ankara cannot have it both ways. Either peace, or friendship with Damascus. For those countries could accept the Borjomi Declaration as a common foreign policy, and provide a bulwark to defend life against the Sons of Allah who claim to be monotheists, but have a double standard when it comes to protection from, or redressing of, man’s inhumanity to man.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Good 4 U,
My opinion is that the “civil war” will break down along slightly different lines. On one side will be “the King of the North” / Beast Empire: Led by Turkey and including, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Armenia, Azerbaijan and most likely Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and possibly Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern Africa and several other Turkic nations, etc (all with some possible support from Russia).
The King of the South I believe is Egypt. Egypt is in league with what is often called the Arab block, which is essentially Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Gulf States.
I believe that Egypt will be conquered by Turkey and her allies as well as most of Israel. I believe that Jordan will escape from the King of the North’s hand. I also believe that Saudi Arabia will eventually be destroyed by the Turkic Alliance.
As always, God knows best.
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Lots of detailed information here Joel. Stratford’s Gearge Friedman does understand that trends do change in unexpected ways. But didn’t he say in that book that in the long run the Islamic terrorist problem would pretty much dissapear? Still seems like Turkey is drifting to far away from Israel but we will have to wait to see the bigger picture.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:07 am
God forbid Oktar`s vision of an Islamic Empire the way the map above shows. That would literally cover most of the known world exepct for the American continent, Australia and some parts of Africa. Quite shocking indeed.
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:15 am
Larry,
Friedman’s book is looking longterm, so he does say that Islamic Terrorism will cool down eventually, but certainly not Islam or Islamic power / imperialism. Its an interesting read. He says that Russia will eventually collapse again. Turkey will become a major world player and leader in the region. Poland will emerge as a strong player in the world. He puts less stock in China long term than most. And he believes the US will survive and eventually thrive again. These are all his own guestimations of course. One of the big factors that he takes into consideration is geography. America is poised on the Atlantic and Pacific. Turkey is perfectly positioned etc. One thing he does not have in mind is the return of Christ.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:26 am
Indeed, Joel…the return of Christ is the ultimate game changer that world event forecasting does not take into account. But those who only look around never bother to look up…
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:48 am
“Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon” will eventually escape out of his hand as we read in Daniel 11. While Egypt is formidable it is likely the Egyptians’ power will be undercut by civil war, an event which seems instrumental in turning them to the true God, as we see in Isaiah 19.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Sebastian Says:
God forbid Oktar`s vision of an Islamic Empire the way the map above shows. That would literally cover most of the known world exepct for the American continent, Australia and some parts of Africa. Quite shocking indeed.
I don’t see an Islamic Europe on the map apart from the obvious former-Yugoslavia.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I disagree with the Egypt connection. Daniel 11:40ff is talking about Caesar Augustus invasion of Egypt, through Syria, he bypassed Jordan and entered into Israel, making his alliance with Herod. Than invading Egypt, with the support of Libya and southern Egypt/Sudan/Ethiopia.
The purpose of the invasion was to take the wealth of Egypt that Julius Caesar started years before.
If you want to see this in history, pick up Augustus by Anthony Everitt. He shows the history of Augustus invading Syria and then through Syria invades Egypt, going through Palestine.
You are all looking for an event that already happened.
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:04 pm
As for this Turkish Islamic Union, I agree with. I believe it will mostly be made up of the Turkish countries as well as other “non-Arab” countries: Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan.
Look to Turkey to help withdraw America from Afghanistan.
October 24th, 2009 at 2:22 am
@karen
Forgot my beautiful europe of course:-) I somehow assumed that europe will not fall to islam in the first place
October 24th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
hello folks! and hello Joel!!
I’ve been offline a bit (health & circumstance)…I’ve missed your site! and very much missed the commentary! God bless you all!
a quick note: Daniel 11’s North King in campaign against the South King (with their confederacies/alliances/etc.), that leads to the occupation of Israel and the beginning of the final 3 1/2 years; THIS is clearly a WAR scenario occuring PRIOR to those final 3 1/2 years that do begin with Israel’s occupation by the AC and his forces…
whether the AC’s “Beast” Kingdom is a Turkey-led body (which I do believe it is for whatever it’s worth) or not, as the “Beast” Kingdom that is Warring during it’s Campaign against the King of the South (Egypt & Arab-bloc of pro-Western Muslim Nations) prior to occupying Israel according to Daniel 11; doesn’t this tell us that there is no “Peace” prior to those last 3 1/2 years?
doesn’t it indicate to us, this War Campaign against the South, that there is Regional War EVEN UP TO those final 3 1/2 years? and, not Peace? it does.
doesn’t it indicate to us that the years just before this end period (be they the first “half” 3 1/2 years of the 7 years total) are collectively a time of War? in which after the Campaign of the Northern King against the Southern King (however long it is and who ever is involved), that HERE is where the “fall-occupation” of Israel begins? it does.
basically, as Joel and others very well discuss overall and in detailed pieces just “who” this Northern King-Willful King-Little Horn is - YET, we still discuss “Peace” scenario’s prior to the “End” half of the 70th Week, those last 3 1/2 years…WHEN clearly there is War and not Peace that precedes this end…a War that leads to Israel’s Fall & Occupation for 42 months…is this Peace? or is it War? if War, then no Peace-Agreement to be broken…if War, then logical that Israel as “Fallen” and Occupied, was involved in it! at least I think…for whatever it’s worth…
thx all.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Reviving a islamic empire is only a dream.First take step to drive away poverty from the world and teach them to live peacefully in this world.Afterall we are born here to live.