My Road to the Middle East

My road to the Middle East has been through Greece and Turkey even if these countries never have been part of the region in the strict sense of the word. But Turkey used to be a major power in the area and controlled Northern Africa,  and most of the Balkans. At one point they even threatened the Austrian Empire.

Detail from Hagia Sofia

Greece and Turkey have a difficult past. They used to live side by side on the coast of Asia Minor, in the islands and in the towns. After WWI the Greek and the Turkish population were interchanged between the two nations - a harrowing experience for many families.

Turkey has the same borders today as in the 1920s. In the same period there were conflicts with the Armenians and Turkey is today accused by the Armenians for genocide. (Cp. the debate in the French National Assembly)

The history of Tukey is complex and today the relation to the Kurdish minority is difficult. 

Thanks to my friends from these two countries I have learnt a lot about the region, and also developed an ardent interest for what is going on in the Middle East. Luckily I discovered Al Jazeera English  at the same time as the Arab Spring happened. Thanks to them I am able to follow what is happening in this part of the world. A news team of dedicated, intelligent, and well informed journalists.