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Erdogan Veers Away From 'Reformed Moderate Islam'

Turkey's prime minister returns to his ideological roots with his emotional support of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi attend a news conference in Ankara September 30, 2012. Picture taken September 30, 2012. REUTERS/Yasin Bulbul/Prime Minister's Press Office/Handout (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - RTR38N60
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Egypt's then-President Mohammed Morsi attend a news conference in Ankara, Sept. 30, 2012. — REUTERS/Yasin Bulbul

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who appeared on a live program on Ulke TV, which is close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), couldn’t finish the program.

To understand why, let’s read a two-sentence news item that appeared Aug. 23 on the front page of the mainstream daily Hurriyet: "Prime Minister Erdogan, while listening to the farewell letter that Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed El-Beltagy wrote to his daughter, who was killed in recent incidents, could not hold back his tears. When Erdogan couldn’t stop crying after several minutes and continue talking, the program was ended."

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