– Everyone’s very quiet about what Erdogan’s doing in Turkey. The man’s got something we need.
– Cheap sun holidays?
– No dickhead. A standing army of 350,000.
– Wait. Surely some of them lads is sitting?
– Fuck up.
– I’m no military expert but no one drives a tanks standing up.
– If you count the reservists and the part timers the Turks have the second biggest total army in NATO after the Yanks. Bigger than France, Germany and Poland combined.
– Ah ok. That’s handy what with Trump handing in his notice.
– It gets better. The Turks hate the Russians.
– Everyone hates Russians so that’s not really a USP.
– Fair point. But the Turks also helped the Syrian rebels topple Bashar Al Assad.
– Ok so that sounds like a good thing but I’m not sure it’s actually going to be a better thing.

– Why wouldn’t ending the rule of a brutal dictator be a better thing?
– Look. In the abstract, toppling dictators is a beautiful thing. The most wonderful thing in the world.
– But?
– But refer to Iraq. Refer to Libya. Etc et al.
– Yeah but ye gotta take the chance.
– I get it. But you know who’s definitely gunna take the chance?
– Who?
– The fifty different ethnic groups in Syria who all hate each other. STOP! Listen! I think I can actually hear millions of knives being sharpened…
– Either way the Dictator and the Russkies are out of Syria and that’s good.
– Grand. So what’s happening in Turkey?
– Right. The main opposition leader from Istanbul got fucked in jail on corruption and terrorism charges. And his thirty five year old degree has been annulled by a University. That’s stops him challenging Erdogan for the Presidency. Another President for Life in making.
– Him and Trump.
– Christ. Is it not my job to depress you?
– Ah keep the positive side out lad. It’s not the first time Constantinople got the works
– Yeah. And that’s what every European leader is saying – it’s nobody’s business but the Turks.