neTTurkish

The EU ambassadors in Ankara are getting accustomed to having working lunches with Prime minster Erdogan, enjoying fine Turkish cuisine, where Mr Erdogan openly and with much politically correctness slams the Union’s activities related to Turkish Republic. Latest one of these lunches took place yesterday, where Erdogan bluntly put in simple terms for the EU ambassadors when he said “the time to question Turkeys European membership has passed”. Despite his infamously fierce bluntness, Erdogan has a point there. Turkey is on accession process since the decision was made to do so in 2005. No other country’s accession process has ever end in failure. And, the Turkish one should not either. But then again, we do not live in a perfect world (Europe).

Furthermore, with the help of the Greek Cypriot lobby,  European Parliament may successfully have passed  the annual Turkey report on Wednesday urging Turkey to be constructive in Island’s unification effort, and calling immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops from the North. Nevertheless, this unfortunate report, ignoring the  Turkish support for the unification talks for last five years, was naturally not welcomed in Ankara in either sides of the spectrum of politics. As a matter of fact, it was interpreted as an insult in Turkish capital who, in turn of supporting the unification, lost political grounds domestically. Initiated by the “influenced” European Parliament, this report was a slap on face to the pro-unification circles in Turkey, almost a direct attempt sabotage to the unification efforts of Turks. as another puzzling act of failure by the Union. At this point, one has to question if the Union is really interested in unifying the island divided between two distinct group of people for last thirty six years, or dividing it forever, at the cost of  peace in Southern Europe. I appears that Greek Cypriots are relentlessly working on a self-fulling prophecy of political failure in long run taking Turkey down with themselves.

At the end, one day, when ever it may be and that day may be very soon, Turkish officials, suspecting an open discrimination to Turkey’s membership endeavor for years, will eventually  start accepting the fact that the Union has drawn its physiological borders to include the Christian countries only, leaving their country out in cold after 50 years of defending the continent from Soviets . Yes, this is an acceptable scenario to many, including some Turks, who only wait for an open “No” from the Union in order to end their adventure into this institution of Christianity. However, neither the Union as a institution, nor the majority of leaders of the sovereign EU nations have morals to say “No” to Turkey on cultural and religious grounds.  After all, just 60 years ago, millions were murdered in Europe just for being culturally and religiously different. As a result, the European capitals, and the European Parliament in coordination with Greek Cypriots are trying their best to find an alternative excuse to exclude Turkey from the membership; may it be a minor incident of human rights abuse (as we all know that the rights of minorities in the EU is perfectly protected), or occupation of Cyprus.  In fact, soon,  if Turk farts on the  street of Istanbul without saying “excuse me”, it will be used as a possible reason to disqualify the nation state of 70 million with an incredible appetite for service and industrial economical growth.

This ever growing European short-sightness has been brought to attention by many in the Financial Times to the Economist editorials in various occasions. Yet, it is really hard to get into the minds of euro-racists who hard wired themselves into the Union’s institutions to do the right thing.

It took a horrible civil war to mature the United States to be a true integrated nation state. We hope that the road to maturity will be less bloody and more civil for the Union.

PA for NT

Many speculations were made on why President Obama snubbed the annual US-EU submit; from EU’s the lack of commitment to a possible embargo on Iran,  to lack of commitment to Afghanistan.

Perhaps, all of the assumptions and speculations are in deed correct. Yet, one other reason is being ignored by ever savvy European media; the EU’s  openly practiced discrimination against Turks in Turkey’s accession process, led by France and Germany, mostly due to racial and cultural differences of Turks. In fact, it is widely known in diplomatic circles how President Sarkozy snubbed President Obama last year, when latter urged Sarkozy to support Turkish accession to union which resulted in French president warning Obama to” stay out of Europe’s business when it comes to Turkey’s EU bid”. Nevertheless, President Obama, unlike agenda driven French president, is very well aware of the alternatives to the EU for Turks, and he is not happy. Turkey has already started to implement its “plan B” in case the EU decides to come out of closet and openly rejects Turkish bid. It is no surprise that Turkey’s approach to Iran and Syria, at the cost of its alliance with Israel, is taking place when some of the senior leadership in the EU capitals start questioning Turkish membership very openly, with no diplomatic sensitivity.

We all know how good the Europe in making bad decisions that resulted in catastrophes fore  rest of the world.Obama is aware of the problem created by some, mainly by Sarkozy. He is also well aware the ethical issues arising from rejecting Turkey for cultural and religious differences. After all, as an African-American, he has probably suffered from similar treatment which Turkey is facing today during its endeavor to be member of the European Union.

We always hope that someone in Élysée can read this  and stop  misbehaving.

NT

Originally Published in 2003:

So what if Turks missed $6 billion in grants and $20 billion in loan guarantees. What is the price of the dignity for a nation? Better or worse, so called the inexperienced administration of libero-conservative/religious administration of AK Party has done a great job handling neo-Con pressure from DC.  In fact, it was the Bush administration who showed total lack of experience and ignorance in international diplomacy since the beginning of this latest world crisis.  Now, Turkish political elite who had been taken the country into an unknown future in last 50 years is gone,  there is a whole new attitude towards world politics now in Ankara. Turkish capital is no longer under the spell of  the “real-politik” of a quazi-democratic military regime who blindly followed an outdated Kemalist ideology which was created long after the death of  one the great  leaders of the Twentieth Century, Kemal Ataturk.

Islamic or not, Turkish people want change. Based on the analysis of last general elections, pity to Turkish politics, only one part offered that change. That party was no other than AKP led by the Islamist mayor of one of the largest cities in the world, Istanbul. Long time ago, some one told me that things can only get worse so much, at the end it only gets better. It is time for Turkish nations to get better now. Perhaps, once a country bashed by the rest of the world could very well be an example of democracy to the rest of the world.

Originally published in 2003:

The ongoing war in Iraq for the liberation of the Iraqis and implementation of a decade old DC based ideology called “The new American Century” continues. The desserts of Iraq are under control of Amero-British forces. Yet, Baghdad, which its five million plus population, is far from being controlled by the allied forces from the both sides of the Atlantic. The Amero-British forces are stuck at the out skirts of the largest city in the country. The war is just starting now. It is like no other war Americans forces have ever fought. Israelis and British are quite familiar with this kind of war. Ask British who got kicked out of Palestinian territories in 1948, as a result of Israeli terrorism, or better, ask Israelis who have been fiercely fighting Palestinian uprising for decades. Fifty plus deaths that American forces have suffered so far might be acceptable to public in the United States who so far unconditionally supported heir leader under the auspicious of “patriotism”. However, it is highly unlikely that an continuing invasion of Iraq will be welcome by American people if and when Iraq turns into an other and  much larger West Bank and Gaza. To avoide that possibility, President Bush has much to count on the United Nations, an institution he and his extreme republican gang once  bashed so harshly.

Moreover, the question of Baghdad remains wide open, until the every street and citizen of the secured. The chances are that Baghdad be secure for even a US soldier is as likely as for an Israeli soldier enjoys a sip of  Turkish coffee in Gaza Strip.

Originally Published on 11/25/2002:

Finally, EU decision makers have come to the point of self realization and the moment of truth. So called “European Values” of equality and human rights, which are actually post-War (WW2) American exports to the Continent, do not seem to have a firm grab on EU mentality in practice.   So called “Copenhagen Criterias” which were supposed to be precondition to any candidate state’s accession talks are bluntly ignored for some states yet presented as an obstacle against Ankara.
Yet, the weak Turkish stance against EU’s double standard is one of the main reasons Turkey has been treated like a beggar at the door steps of Brussels.  It is not clear when if ever, Turkey with its potential voting power of 68 million Muslims will ever be admitted into the EU. A strong and determined government which will no longer compromise to EU is a must to show Turkish determination to force Europeans keep their promise, which was put onto paper in Ankara Agreement of 1963.
Ironically, the way the things look nowadays, EU members neither vision nor leadership quality to create another power house in the world for 21st Century.  Perhaps, by realizing their short comings in fairness and bigotry, Europe can avoid another continent wide disaster which caused the Second World War.
First step is to get rid of “socially and politically challenged” leaders like Parodi and Giscard d’Estaing, and replacing them with more visionary counterparts.  We think Germans and British have much to work on this issue. (NT 2002)

The dispute between the two NATO members began in early 2001 when Turkey threatened to block the EU from using NATO assets over fears about any possible future deployment in the Aegean region or in Cyprus. In late 2001, the US, the UK and Turkey agreed the Ankara Text, allowing Turkey a say in such operations. Greece immediately rejected the Ankara Text, again threatening the EU Rapid Reaction Force.

In fear of endangering permanent division of Cyprus and loosing NATO assets by Turkish wrath, Brussels said on Friday that Turkish membership of the European Union would not destroy the grouping, as asserted by the man who is chairing the convention on the EU’s future.
Such downplay of statements from prominent leaders of Europe is common behavior by Brussels. Brussels is in immediate need of Turkey’s good will in solving the Cyprus issue before the divided island becomes a full member of the EU. In fact, many in EU do not want to have a divided island into the institution.
Moreover, Turkish blessing is needed to put European Rapid Reaction Force into effect, since most of the Europe’s military assets are locked in NATO and Europeans are not willing to spent a dime on armament. Yet, Turkey has absolute power in vetoing the usage if those assets by EU. Therefore, Brussels has been constantly downplaying Euro-Christian statements to not to upset Turks. Yet, it is widely believed that, even Brussels has no genuine intention in admitting a predominantly Muslim country with a weak economy.

Originally Published in 2002:

Former French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing told Le Monde newspaper that people who backed Turkey’s accession were “the adversaries of the European Union”. “Its capital is not in Europe, 95% of its population live outside Europe, it is not a European country,” he said. Asked what the effect of including Turkey in a future wave of European enlargement would be, he said: “In my opinion, it would be the end of Europe.”
To many, Giscard d’Estaing’s recent anti-Turkish statement is simply an honest opinion shared by the all wings of EU yet not spoken out loudly, for Cyprus and NATO assets sake. NeTTurkish believes, once EU secures the usage of NATO assets and a pro-Greek settlement in Cyprus, Turkey will face a blunt NO from Brussels.

Originally Published in 2002:

On November 3 voters delivered a devastating rebuff to all the parties that have dominated Turkish politics for the past two decades. None of the parties in the previous governing coalition cleared the 10 percent vote needed to secure parliamentary representation. The opposition Party of the Right Path (DYP), led by the former head of government, Tansu Ciller, also failed to get into parliament. The election result is an expression of the growing anger and discontent on the part of substantial layers of the population in relation to the country’s corrupt political elite. Turkey has experienced a worsening economic crisis over the past 18 months. Two million workers have lost their jobs and the value of the Turkish currency, the lira, has halved against the US dollar. It is above all lower and middle-income workers and their families who have shouldered the brunt of unemployment and inflation.  Widespread social discontent has resulted in an electoral victory for the Islamist Party of Justice and Development (AKP), which will occupy nearly two-thirds of the 550 seats in the Turkish parliament. The party will play the leading role in the new parliament although it won just 35 percent of the vote. Its absolute parliamentary majority is a result of the failure of most of the other parties to cross the 10 percent hurdle. When one compares the hopes and expectations which Erdogan and the AKP encouraged in their election campaign with the party’s rapid adoption, after the election, of the course advocated by the IMF, the US and the EU, then it is evident that this election victory is only a temporary stage in the continuing political and economic crisis in Turkey. The anger and discontent which swept aside the Turkish political establishment will inevitably backfire on the AKP.