Is Europe beginning to fight back?

'The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly yesterday that Turkey is unfit to join the EU, despite its punishing pace of reforms. The motion was a blow to countries such as Britain which have been pushing for Turkey to be given the go-ahead to join. In a heated debate, MEPs cited a long list of concerns, including torture, lack of democracy, imprisonment of political opponents, the influence of the Army, persecution of minorities including Kurds and Christians, fears that the EU would be overwhelmed by Turkish immigrants, and that Turkey’s membership would destroy the European Union. The resolution, passed by 211 votes to 84 with 46 abstentions, said that Turkey had not yet met the political criteria needed to start membership negotiations. The resolution is not binding, but is aimed at stopping the growing bandwagon behind Turkey’s membership bid, by making it politically embarrassing for member states and the European Commission to support it. Supporters say that allowing a Muslim country to become the largest member of the EU would help resolve the “clash of civilisations” by proving that the EU is not just a “Christian club”. '

Supporters like the British Foreign Secrteary Jack Straw, for example, who thinks the way to defend Europe against a terrorist campaign which aims to destroy the Christian roots of Europe's liberal values is for Europe to destroy those roots itself.