REF : The Turkish Experiment with Westernization

I read Mr. Habib Siddiqui's article in amazement: His tunnel vision on Ottoman history leaves out 95% of the facts, and fills it with fantasy.

Just two points, among hundreds of others that can be made, show how Siddiquie's "history" is warped:

"Glory" of the Ottomans along with their military might was long gone before any efforts to westernize the empire in 1800's. Westernization did not take the "glory" away.

Even during its heydays in 14th-16th centuries Ottomans adopted many institutions, inventions, customs from all around the world, and specifically from Europeans, who by this time were on a fast track for advancement in sciences and military institutions:


* Perhaps greatest of the Ottoman sultans, Mehmet the Conqueror was commissioning Italian masters to have his portraits painted.

* Mehmet the Conqueror, and many other earlier sultans, saw no problem in having European/Christian advise in advancing his military's might. His artillery was designed by a Hungarian engineer, and proved very valuable in wresting Constantinople --modern day Istanbul-- from the Byzantines.

Mr. Siddiqui should undertake a serious study of the annals of history before attempting to paint any picture of the history.

Ahmet Toprak
Director
San Francisco Turkish Radio
http://www.turkradio.us
San Francisco
USA

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