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PASTOR'S REPORT, April 23, 1979
Page 18
Moreover, Turkey's economic problems are staggering: the country has
been unable to pay its foreign debts on schedule, has a 50% inflation
rate, and a 20% unemployment rate.
However, Turkey has a number of differences with Iran which may prove to
be important prophetically. Beside the fact that Turkey has no oil,
Turkey also has a strong, radical fascist element in its politics. The
Russians have been the Turks' traditional enemies, and this has prevented
the leftist forces from making too many inroads. Thus much of the
violence over these past months has not been anti-government violence,
but the repeated clashes between right-and left-wing radicals. Finally,
Turkey contains a large number of Sunni Moslems who tend to support the
right, to partially offset the more leftist Shiite Moslems.
For the moment, the situation remains in precarious balance, upheld by
martial law. The current government of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has
made some overtures to Moscow, but has also stressed its desire to main
tain ties to the Euorpean Community.
Should Turkey, still bitter over the American arms embargo, eventually
sever ties with America, there are three possible powers with which it
might align itself: Euorpe, the Soviet Union, or the more radical
Moslem bloc which seems to be forming around Syria-Iraq-Iran. Any of
these outcomes would seem to be in accord with the prophecies of Obadiah
that Esau would eventually turn against modern day Israel.