In Turkey to Strengthen Ties, Biden Refuses to Ignore a Host’s Economic Boast

Source: NYT

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. came to this ancient city that spans Europe and Asia to talk about building bridges between the United States and the Islamic world. But on Saturday, he felt compelled to brush back a challenge from his Turkish hosts.

Mr. Biden was a keynote speaker at an annual gathering of students and young entrepreneurs that President Obama inaugurated last year as a way of encouraging American-style business in Muslim countries. This entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Biden said, had helped to fuel the political uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa.

But while the vice president was here to reach out, and did so in a later meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he got a taste of how the economic travails in the United States and Europe have bolstered the brashness of emerging powers like Turkey, which has so far avoided the troubles in Europe and the United States.

Ali Babacan, a deputy prime minister of Turkey who oversees the economy, delivered a confident address about Turkey’s future and its status as a model Muslim democracy. He attributed Europe’s spiraling debt problems to its lack of political leadership.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/world/europe/biden-parries-turkish-officials-economic-boast.html

"so in a later meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he got a taste of how the economic travails in the United States and Europe have bolstered the brashness of emerging powers like Turkey, which has so far avoided the troubles in Europe and the United States."

Circumstances in Turkey can change quickly. Very quickly.

Mr. Babacan said that with 7.5 percent economic growth projected this year, Turkey, not the larger but troubled economies of the United States and Europe, was poised to win in the 21st century. “The fast fish, not the big fish, eats the small fish,” he said.

First he took issue with Mr. Babacan’s competitive tone, saying, “I am going to suggest that we, all nations, are in this together.” Then, even as he was acknowledging economic difficulties, he pointedly reminded the audience that in a sea of young sharks, the United States was still the whale.

“The fact that our economy is three-and-a-half times as large as the next-largest economy, and larger than the next four combined, does not make us immune from what’s happening around the world,” Mr. Biden said.

In other words, fuck you guppy.

this is how diplomats speak, as they must, this is the way of the world.

Mr. Biden then got up to speak, and after declaring that he did not plan to talk about the American economy, he did just that. First he took issue with Mr. Babacan’s competitive tone, saying, “I am going to suggest that we, all nations, are in this together.” Then, even as he was acknowledging economic difficulties, he pointedly reminded the audience that in a sea of young sharks, the United States was still the whale.

“The fact that our economy is three-and-a-half times as large as the next-largest economy, and larger than the next four combined, does not make us immune from what’s happening around the world,” Mr. Biden said.

One headline and we're all off to the races around here, usually. It's getting easier and easier for people to react instantly, what with a 140-character and sound bite culture.