I don't understand why Turkey, a military dictatorship with a state religion that has no relationship to the west, is on that list. What is the historical argument for including Turkey in Europe? I thought that Istanbul was the Gateway to Europe (or The East, depending on which way you're going). Surely during the cold war, when NATO wanted radar stations and air bases on Russia's southern border, it made some sense to include Turkey in the discussion. At this point it's asking for trouble.

For example, is it even possible to think of open borders with Turkey?