With Turkey's prospects for joining the European Union stagnating, the country is reaching out to Muslim and Arab countries as an alternate form of political and economic support. In this light, Turkey can serve as a role model for the Muslim world and for neighboring Arab countries. Although Turkey is not without its problems, it is unique in being a secular, Islamic democratic nation that should set its own course, without looking to the European Union. Motivated to join the E.U. for decades, Turkey has implemented many democratic reforms to meet the acceptance criteria. Since 2000, the country has passed a plethora of modernization laws to meet the level of international standards,...
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