The price of becoming “part of the West,” at least in the short term, is the occurrence of such attacks, which have the explicit aim to unravel efforts at greater cultural inclusion. Conversely, one of the stated benefits for “Brexiteers” is the supposed aim to eradicate such Islamist-inspired attacks. We are seeing Turkey enter the modern age — a membership that comes with privileges but also a steep price, as we saw in Istanbul.
Britain, meanwhile, is moving backwards toward a fantasy world where nativist politicians claim they can wall their countries off from the world’s barbarous outsiders. Make no mistake: a go-it-alone Britain is just as vulnerable as it was as an EU member (the culprits of attacks tend not to be immigrants but rather nationals). Turkey knows this from first-hand experience.
[Continue reading here]