Turkey and Europe

In Turkey, businessmen used to be eager to join the European Union to lift up their own economy. Now, with their own economy growing at 7.5% this year, they are turning against the idea because they don't want to get caught up in Europe's disasters.

Public opinion in Turkey has already turned away. According to surveys by the German Marshall Fund, 73 percent of Turks saw membership as a good thing in 2004, but only 38 percent felt that way by 2010.

Turkish politicians are looking back toward the Arab world, where they hope that democracy in north Africa and the impending (they think) fall of Assad in Syria will open up new markets and provide them with new democratic allies.