Historically, Turkey has not been half-European. European populations were oppressed by Turkish janissaries and governors for centuries, yes, but that hardly counts. That's like trying to say Japan should be able to join a Chinese organization because they are "half Chinese" by virtue of their historical occupation of large parts of China.

To point to Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia and say that their example shows why Turkey should be let in is likewise twisting history. Let's not forget that those nations are predominantly Muslim today as a RESULT of Turkish occupation. Furthermore, do you see any of those states joining the EU any time soon? I don't.

As for "progress", I just don't see it. Turkey is still killing Kurds and calling them "terrorists" to justify the killings. Progress would mean that they stop trying to do to the Kurds what they did to the Armenians. That, coincidentally, brings me to my next point. I have seen ZERO progress on recognizing the Armenian genocide. Intellectuals who dare to speak out are charged with "insulting Turkishness" and the US President caved in to Turkish pressure and broke a campaign promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The Turks can't even bring themselves to call it a genocide - it's just the "Events of 1915" to them.

The only thing "impressive" about what Turkey (and its military secular establishment) has done is that it has let an Islamist party gain power and let the nation move one step closer to implementing an Iranian-style theocracy.