Suleyman Demirel, 41, is a hardheaded peasant's son, a construction engineer who once worked with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, later amassed a private fortune as an Ankara contractor. He inherited the party and prestige of Turkey's slain strongman, Adnan Menderes, and adroitly harnessed the demirkirat, or iron grey horse, which was the symbol of Menderes' Democratic Party, for his own Justice Party.
In his campaign for leadership of the Turkish government, Demirel was attacked by his opposition as too pro-American. As it turned out, that seemed to be a compliment. Demirel last...
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