Since the beginning of the July 3 military coup in Egypt, probably no other country in the world has condemned it as passionately as Turkey has done. Millions of Turks, on the streets and online, have boldly opposed the deposing of President Mohammad Morsi and the violent oppression of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Turkish government spoke rigorously against not only the initiaters of the coup but also their international allies — from Washington to Tel Aviv to Riyadh. Ankara canceled a planned military exercise with the Egyptian military and pulled back its ambassador from Cairo.
As a Turk, I must say that I, too, share much of this reaction to Egypt's coup, which has not only derailed a very nascent democracy but has also killed hundreds of peaceful protesters. I believe it is an illegal, illegitimate, brutal and tyrannical era in Egyptian history that does great harm to this pivotal Arab country.