The secularists in Turkey haven't underestimated religion, they just made the mistake of believing they could control it with the power of the army alone.
These political movements flourish on the margins of Turkish society because of poverty and because of the people's feeling that they are not being represented.
The challenge is to lend conviction even to the voices which advocate views I find personally abhorrent, whether they are political Islamists or officers justifying a coup.
Well, on the one hand the Turks have the legitimate need to defend their national dignity - and this includes being recognized as a part of the west and Europe.
