12 years on and everything that he said is still very relevant. I would have loved to hear his opinion on the situation today if he was still with us. RIP
I wish Hitchens were still alive. So much has happened since he died, and it would be interesting to get his opinions. He was one of the greatest intellectuals of our time.
A man whose ferocious intellect was only matched by his ferocious courage to fight against all that is wrong with this world and the way he faced his own demise.
Excuse me when did Europeans were looking forward to welcome Turkey ? I spent two years in Mars as an axchange student, probably I missed that one while I was living there.
I am listening Mr. Hitchens for some years. He is one of the best intellectuals in the world today, if not the best. He has great knowledge on current politics, history, society, religion and economy. Is his book 'God is not great' translated to other languages than english? It should be obligatory book in every religious society, so that religious people could see that they believe in Bronze and Iron age fairy tales.
i'm not an atheist, but i agree 100% with Hitchens. We can have good economical and political relationships with Turkey, but a EU membership is a bridge to far.if Turkey should join, should Morroco join or Tunesia?
+Khuda Vendigar thats not the point idiot it is a cultural and geopolitical thing having israel join would make more sense because our values are the same
sam guevenne Explain those values to me now. Are Turks some kind of alien monsters that are totally incompatible with Greeks for example? Come on, explain them to me.
As a Canadian I don't want to be in a military alliance with Turkey becouse of its human rights record and I want my country to withdraw from NATO based on that. If I lived in the European Union I wouldn't want Turkey as a member.
As a Turkish person I have Huge Respect for Christopher Hitchens,but he doesnt have a quite understanding on MiddleEast politics and its people,there is a lot of grey area for example Turkish people understanding of religion and nationalism is quite different maybe unique than rest of the world anyway but please get well Professor Humankind needs your thoughts more than your imagine please get rest and be well.
Until Turkey reforms a stable, secular and fully democratic government, there is no way it can be anywhere close to the EU with its islamist autocracy. It would rather be in the Arab League at this rate.
I just want peace in my country but i don't and never saw it with Erdogan. What did he expect? This is what happens. Of course you can have a point in telling me about the milliant nationalists of the left wing but these can be resolved. I'd much rather have a stable secular government than what's going on now. Peace...
"Turkey is a muslim country and turkey cannot run by non-muslim government" - Turkey is muslim in the same way USA is Christian. Secularism in Turkey was Ataturk's principle, surely you can understand a bit of the unrest when Tayyip makes distinct and categoric moves to give more power to Islam? Hitchens even cites his quote "democracy is a train that takes you to your destination, and then you get off.” If opposition to Erdogan wasn't so divided, he would be long gone. At least we are debating.
@laudrup90 I think there's a noticeable difference to be pointed out. It was pretty much Turkish government policy at the time of WW1 to eliminate christians within its borders. Ethnically cleansed and massacred Armenians as well as Assyrians to this end, to the tune of well over a million. When confronted with these facts recently, the Turkish leader threatened to deport the remaining Armenians from its country if it was mentioned again.. So I think that the comparison isnt a very good one.
How would Turkey's objection to Rasmussen be different to the tone of say, France's objection to Turkish EU membership? Hitchins' objections to Erdogan can be repeated with a number of European leaders and leaders elsewhere.
Christopher is stuck between a rock and the proverbial hard case. he is akin to Hephaestus (that will make his missus quite happy, if you know your Greek Myths) he is in a weakened state , no doubt, but he is aware that when sick, feeble men lie back and 'rest' they die. So ity is the exercise of his uppermost muscle that is making him better. How many recovering cancer patients do you see appearing in debates on campuses and TV? He knows why hes doing it.
Turkey, like most eastern nations has many problems to work out and no one set of idea's or ideal's will be enough to pull everything together because of how extreme each situation or issue is there. As for Chris, I guess thats the beauity/pitfall of freewill, you can choose not to know God, though I do. At which, the last thing Jesus commanded mankind to do was "love one another as I have loved you". If you love someone, you dont harm them and do whatever it takes to help them, simple enoguh.
Yeah but the EU gives 100% support for Erdogan since the first day he got elected. And believe me the true Turkish supporters of the EU accession, the secular Turks, are getting more angry towards the EU each day.
Wrong wrong wrong Turkey objected Ramussen not because of the cartoons but because of pro pkk Roj TV's broadcasting from Denmark. ANd that TV channel is banned my court recently in Denmark , because t is proven to broadcasting in behalf of pro-pkk violence. Now please listen what a man says from the man himself not from reported sources, they can be wrong...
They welcomed Turks in the North, in the realm of Starks. There are also Turks living with the Dothraki. But in the Southern Kingdom Turks were never welcomed.
@MattyJames25 Thank you for pointing out another good example of his one sided views,i have a tons of kurdish friends to..so?Did you ever talk Kurds who lives in Turkey do you really think they have any problem with Turks or just state policies?Do you know anything i mean anything about massacred Turks in cyprus,or massacred kurds/turks by armenians during ww1 Somehow christians doesnt want to see their state crimes while put shining light on others.Hyprocrys at its best.
@MattyJames25 No turks dont try to twist my words Middleast is unique in the world,people their relations etc.I will say that again you cannot compare with Kurdish Question with British-Ireland or Spain-Basque issues or Serbian-Bosnia Issues. Yeah we do thoose things everyone of us involved,even my 4 years old cousing killed couple of armenians back in 1915 with his bare hands. No need to argue here you show your real face have a nice day.
Why would I have replied if I did not understand? Stop accusing people of terrorism. another example of accusations you would make to oppress the people. You want no cooperation instead you label "terrorists". It's unacceptable this attitude you have, it's primed with militancy and exemplifies AKP's quest for islamic rule. Of course you are happy with Erdogan because you want the theocratic rule. What Hitchens feared has come true and Turkey is boiling as Ataturk's constitution is abused.
Whoever could take this man seriously, he likes to think nato "saved" Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo from "extirpation" by Serbians, yet he himself quite easily thought it "beneficial" for Christian Ethiopia to simply invade Muslim Somalia, to oust an unfavourable government. The only thing that really separates islamist revanchists in Bosnia and Somalia is geography, the jihadist ideology is the same.
I strongly against those people who turned this demonstration into horrible scenes which decreased the reputation of turkey in the world. There are many extremist within this protestors.All of them have different targets.I respect people who did peacefully their protest at the beginning but it is now out of their control.Now there is marginal groups who pushes local people to take down the AKP government from illegal ways.This is not about trees. They just want to create chaos across the country
The man proves his ignorance once again. He literally said that we saved Bosnian muslims from Christian fascists. Being historically handicapped has never prevented this man from making inflammatory statements. C.Hitchens has got to be the most famous example of the Dunning-Kruger effect, which says a lot about his fans.
Turkey is already secular country. Erdogan didn't change anything. He did great jobs for his country and now, there are some ignorant people who are standing against him for only stupid reasons. Can you tell me what you didn't like about erdogan? What Erdogan did wrong? Erdogan represents 50 % of his population so he has right to protect himself because public elected him as prime minister. If he resign then turkey will be more dangerous place to live in. I will be very happy to fight for islam.
He was a man who had balls bigger than any of those who blindly follow any made up god. He lived on his own terms and fought injustice everywhere he found it, no exceptions. He was a fearless man and he lived his life, truly lived it. I'm proud to have lived in his life time.
12 years on and everything that he said is still very relevant. I would have loved to hear his opinion on the situation today if he was still with us. RIP
More relevant now
I wish Hitchens were still alive. So much has happened since he died, and it would be interesting to get his opinions.
He was one of the greatest intellectuals of our time.
Maybe they wanted him gone
Hitchens would have been able to prevent a lot of things, including the withdrawal from Afghanistan
@@navylaks2 He would most certainly have some juicy comments on that episode, but prevent it? I highly doubt that.
A man whose ferocious intellect was only matched by his ferocious courage to fight against all that is wrong with this world and the way he faced his own demise.
I'm Turkish, he seems very well informed about turkish politics
No shit😂
Excuse me when did Europeans were looking forward to welcome Turkey ? I spent two years in Mars as an axchange student, probably I missed that one while I was living there.
How many of us look at Hitchens bookshelf in the hope he has a book on it we’ve read?
I am listening Mr. Hitchens for some years. He is one of the best intellectuals in the world today, if not the best. He has great knowledge on current politics, history, society, religion and economy.
Is his book 'God is not great' translated to other languages than english? It should be obligatory book in every religious society, so that religious people could see that they believe in Bronze and Iron age fairy tales.
i'm not an atheist, but i agree 100% with Hitchens. We can have good economical and political relationships with Turkey, but a EU membership is a bridge to far.if Turkey should join, should Morroco join or Tunesia?
+upwk7 Turks are Whiter than Morrocans and Tunisians though.
+Khuda Vendigar thats not the point idiot it is a cultural and geopolitical thing having israel join would make more sense because our values are the same
sam guevenne Explain those values to me now. Are Turks some kind of alien monsters that are totally incompatible with Greeks for example? Come on, explain them to me.
+Khuda Vendigar Greeks shouldn't be in the EU either. They're too Turkishish.
Or a tunnel too far... :)
As a Canadian I don't want to be in a military alliance with Turkey becouse of its human rights record and I want my country to withdraw from NATO based on that.
If I lived in the European Union I wouldn't want Turkey as a member.
Canadian talks about human rights meanwhile your country exterminated the native americans like usa
This is relevant now as the U.S withdraws
The statements in your comment are correct. This stuff should be common sense to anyone.
As a Turkish person I have Huge Respect for Christopher Hitchens,but he doesnt have a quite understanding on MiddleEast politics and its people,there is a lot of grey area for example Turkish people understanding of religion and nationalism is quite different maybe unique than rest of the world anyway but please get well Professor Humankind needs your thoughts more than your imagine please get rest and be well.
Which only underlines the fact that Türkey shouldn't be in the EU
@@navylaks2 Indeed we shouldnt ever.
Until Turkey reforms a stable, secular and fully democratic government, there is no way it can be anywhere close to the EU with its islamist autocracy. It would rather be in the Arab League at this rate.
Sheaiskl
The EU does not want Turks, good old European racism
Yeah things went to the dogs in turkey.
I just want peace in my country but i don't and never saw it with Erdogan. What did he expect? This is what happens. Of course you can have a point in telling me about the milliant nationalists of the left wing but these can be resolved. I'd much rather have a stable secular government than what's going on now. Peace...
"Turkey is a muslim country and turkey cannot run by non-muslim government" - Turkey is muslim in the same way USA is Christian. Secularism in Turkey was Ataturk's principle, surely you can understand a bit of the unrest when Tayyip makes distinct and categoric moves to give more power to Islam? Hitchens even cites his quote "democracy is a train that takes you to your destination, and then you get off.” If opposition to Erdogan wasn't so divided, he would be long gone. At least we are debating.
Bi ölmedi mk
@laudrup90 I think there's a noticeable difference to be pointed out. It was pretty much Turkish government policy at the time of WW1 to eliminate christians within its borders. Ethnically cleansed and massacred Armenians as well as Assyrians to this end, to the tune of well over a million.
When confronted with these facts recently, the Turkish leader threatened to deport the remaining Armenians from its country if it was mentioned again..
So I think that the comparison isnt a very good one.
Misunderstanding from my side, looks like we're on the same page about Kurdish independence.
very classy.
I guess you must've been, until just a few years ago people in Europe generally held Turks in high regard
God I wish the people who get a chance to talk to Hitchens would bother Subbing what he says.
How hard is it to put English subtitles under an English spoken interview? It was too hard to write down what they said??
Maybe you could do it.
If i cared enough i would have done so by now.
Your original post has two sentences and three question marks. You, in fact, do sound like you care enough.
How would Turkey's objection to Rasmussen be different to the tone of say, France's objection to Turkish EU membership? Hitchins' objections to Erdogan can be repeated with a number of European leaders and leaders elsewhere.
May I ask, What is the date of this interview?
Well before 2016 Turkish coup
2010 kardes
Considering he died December 2011, this is probably not too long before that. Maybe 6 months before?
You say "turn a blind eye" as if they're doing something "bad" by letting people wear headscarfs.
It clearly states out the politics of the west in the middle east.
Christopher is stuck between a rock and the proverbial hard case. he is akin to Hephaestus (that will make his missus quite happy, if you know your Greek Myths) he is in a weakened state , no doubt, but he is aware that when sick, feeble men lie back and 'rest' they die. So ity is the exercise of his uppermost muscle that is making him better. How many recovering cancer patients do you see appearing in debates on campuses and TV? He knows why hes doing it.
Turkey, like most eastern nations has many problems to work out and no one set of idea's or ideal's will be enough to pull everything together because of how extreme each situation or issue is there. As for Chris, I guess thats the beauity/pitfall of freewill, you can choose not to know God, though I do. At which, the last thing Jesus commanded mankind to do was "love one another as I have loved you". If you love someone, you dont harm them and do whatever it takes to help them, simple enoguh.
Yeah but the EU gives 100% support for Erdogan since the first day he got elected. And believe me the true Turkish supporters of the EU accession, the secular Turks, are getting more angry towards the EU each day.
And we are almost in war with Syria right now. Bad predictions...
And you speak turkish with an english keyboard and expect me to join you. Oglum sakin ol.
Well what can you say about a country that had 15 Couples since World war 2 ..... enough said
Wrong wrong wrong
Turkey objected Ramussen not because of the cartoons but because of pro pkk Roj TV's broadcasting from Denmark.
ANd that TV channel is banned my court recently in Denmark , because t is proven to broadcasting in behalf of pro-pkk violence.
Now please listen what a man says from the man himself not from reported sources, they can be wrong...
They welcomed Turks in the North, in the realm of Starks. There are also Turks living with the Dothraki. But in the Southern Kingdom Turks were never welcomed.
sorry but what's so funny about that? the kurdish parts of Iraq are by far "the best".
Turkey in the EU ?? God forbid !!! Christian God ok? NOT bleeding Allahuhaha
@MattyJames25 Thank you for pointing out another good example of his one sided views,i have a tons of kurdish friends to..so?Did you ever talk Kurds who lives in Turkey do you really think they have any problem with Turks or just state policies?Do you know anything i mean anything about massacred Turks in cyprus,or massacred kurds/turks by armenians during ww1
Somehow christians doesnt want to see their state crimes while put shining light on others.Hyprocrys at its best.
@TheFlameoftheWest You should leave now, there are several countries in NATO that do not have spotless records. Did you forget to look south?
@MattyJames25 No turks dont try to twist my words Middleast is unique in the world,people their relations etc.I will say that again you cannot compare with Kurdish Question with British-Ireland or Spain-Basque issues or Serbian-Bosnia Issues.
Yeah we do thoose things everyone of us involved,even my 4 years old cousing killed couple of armenians back in 1915 with his bare hands.
No need to argue here you show your real face have a nice day.
i think eu will end before turkey joins löl
Why would I have replied if I did not understand? Stop accusing people of terrorism. another example of accusations you would make to oppress the people. You want no cooperation instead you label "terrorists". It's unacceptable this attitude you have, it's primed with militancy and exemplifies AKP's quest for islamic rule. Of course you are happy with Erdogan because you want the theocratic rule. What Hitchens feared has come true and Turkey is boiling as Ataturk's constitution is abused.
Whoever could take this man seriously, he likes to think nato "saved" Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo from "extirpation" by Serbians, yet he himself quite easily thought it "beneficial" for Christian Ethiopia to simply invade Muslim Somalia, to oust an unfavourable government. The only thing that really separates islamist revanchists in Bosnia and Somalia is geography, the jihadist ideology is the same.
Very well said.
I've been in Kosovo and to even call them "islamists" just shows, how ignorant you are on the reality there
From 100 women 1 wears hijab.
I strongly against those people who turned this demonstration into horrible scenes which decreased the reputation of turkey in the world. There are many extremist within this protestors.All of them have different targets.I respect people who did peacefully their protest at the beginning but it is now out of their control.Now there is marginal groups who pushes local people to take down the AKP government from illegal ways.This is not about trees. They just want to create chaos across the country
The man proves his ignorance once again. He literally said that we saved Bosnian muslims from Christian fascists.
Being historically handicapped has never prevented this man from making inflammatory statements.
C.Hitchens has got to be the most famous example of the Dunning-Kruger effect, which says a lot about his fans.
His ignorance?
Turkey is already secular country. Erdogan didn't change anything. He did great jobs for his country and now, there are some ignorant people who are standing against him for only stupid reasons. Can you tell me what you didn't like about erdogan? What Erdogan did wrong? Erdogan represents 50 % of his population so he has right to protect himself because public elected him as prime minister. If he resign then turkey will be more dangerous place to live in. I will be very happy to fight for islam.
These words didn't age well.
See people! Cancer isn't all that bad, it has its positives ;)
He was a man who had balls bigger than any of those who blindly follow any made up god. He lived on his own terms and fought injustice everywhere he found it, no exceptions. He was a fearless man and he lived his life, truly lived it. I'm proud to have lived in his life time.
Could not agree more .
@@morriscasper7212
He did not fight injustice. He proliferated it.