World press on US war planning for Iran and communist idea in modern Turkey (May 1-2, 2012)

The Washington Times published an article on the situation surrounding the US-Iran conflict. "The US military is discussing significant changes in its war plans to adhere to President Obama’s strategic guidance that downplays preparing for conflicts such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and counts on allies to provide additional troops," the author of the article, Rowan Scarborough, says. "US Central Command believes it can destroy or significantly degrade Iran’s conventional armed forces in about three weeks by using air and sea strikes, according to a defense source familiar with the discussions," the article reads. "This option could be a response to Iranian strikes on U.S. and international ships in the Persian Gulf and attempts to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported."

Hurriyet published an article by Mustafa Akyol headlined "Turkish communism: Why is it still alive?" "Istanbul’s Taksim Square was filled with tens of thousands of Turks yesterday, who all rallied for Labor Day with posters in bright red. Besides various trade unions, there were also a variety of socialist groups, ranging from Marxists to Marxist-Leninists, Stalinists, Maoists, Trotskyites, and God knows what else," the article reads. "Communism is an ideology that has been tested, and tested well. Its results have always been tragic, if not outright horrific. The gulags of Stalin or the killing fields of Pol Pot have shown the world some of the purest manifestations of evil. In its milder forms, communism created authoritarian states and stagnant societies. That is why it has collapsed everywhere, and its few relics - such as Cuba or North Korea - are really not the nicest places on Earth," the author underlines. According to the author, "just like Kemalism, communism is a “secular religion” in Turkey. It gives its adherents a sense of meaning, purpose and morality. It even gives one the sense of devoting oneself to a Higher Being called “the Revolution.” Once you subscribe to this secular religion, whatever happens in the real world does not influence your dedication. You never “lose hope.” And so you rally to Taksim every Labor Day, to prove that you are still a believer."