Turkish leader promises reforms but to what end?

News out of Ankara, Turkey which makes me quite suspicious. From the AP:

Turkey’s prime minister on Friday laid out a policy vision for the next five years that focuses on pursuing European Union membership and defending the state’s secular and democratic principles.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who won a second term in July elections, also said in his speech to parliament that the government will press ahead with economic and judicial reforms, overhaul the constitution, and establish “zero tolerance” against torture.

His speech came three days after his close ally, the Islamic-leaning Abdullah Gul, won the presidency in a parliamentary vote after months of confrontation with the military-backed, secular establishment. Gul approved a new Cabinet comprising politicians with Islamist and secular backgrounds, underscoring the government’s commitment to winning EU entry.

“Our government sees the EU entry talks both as a way of integration and a reform process to improve political, economic, social and legal standards,” said Erdogan, a devout Muslim.

This all sounds good on the surface, but knowing what I now know about the mind of the typical Muslim leader, I am not going to do any cartwheels. I am struck by the one common thread throughout Islamic history that can not be underestimated, and that is that Islam is always furthered at the cost of it non-Muslim neighbors. I fear that these continuing attempts by Turkey to gain acceptance into the EU are nothing more than a ploy and that the ultimate cost to Europe should Turkey ever gain such acceptance would be the destruction of Europe itself one day.

Turkey may still be the best of Muslim majority states in terms of its historical alliance with the United States, but we can never afford to lower our guard.

Erdogan’s speech made no mention of any measures to lift a ban on Islamic-style head scarves in schools and government offices, a polarizing issue in Turkish society.

Even so, many Turks remain deeply suspicious of the government’s long-term intentions, fearing it will seek to impose Islamic values now that it has a virtual lock on power.

Legislators from Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party are working on a draft proposal that will overhaul the constitution to make it more democratic, the government has said.

In his speech, Erdogan also vowed to eradicate torture, which human rights groups say has persisted in detention centers despite vast improvements in the country.

He promised to continue reforms to boost the economy, maintain fiscal discipline and fight corruption. The government’s policies, backed by the International Monetary Fund, have helped bring down soaring inflation to single-digit figures in the past five years.

I strongly advise Europeans to stand firm and never allow the entrance of Turkey into the European Union.