AhlulBayt News Agency

source : TNA
Sunday

23 October 2011

8:30:00 PM
273991

Aziz Shahmohammadi:

Erdogan, a friend or a foe in the Mideast?

Erdogan is the Middle East proxy for the US, misusing the position of Turkey in the region to push American plans forward.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) -  Erdogan is the Middle East proxy for the US, misusing the position of Turkey in the region to push American plans forward.

It is suggested that the current foreign policy pursued by Turkey is in fact inspired by "The Theoretical Framework of Turkey's Middle East Policy" by Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, published in 2001, a year ahead of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) took power in the country. The book could be summarized in that the international value of a country is to be sought in its geostrategic and its historical depth.

Turkey is a country with Middle Eastern, Asian and Balkanian nature hence it is in search of a policy to guarantee the domestic, regional and consequently its national security.

The book undermines six principles out of which the policy of eradication of issues with the neighboring countries was highlighted and the inspirations of Erdogan cabinet were interpreted within the framework of naturalizing its relations with Greece and Armenia.

However throughout the past few months and contrary to the recommendations given in the book by Davoutoglu, there relation between Ankara with Tel Aviv and Damascus have been marred, hence it seems that the foreign relations of Turkey has its provocative's in issues beyond the book by the country's foreign minister.

In order to shed more light on the issue, the following examples are brought.

1-  Following the appearance of the consequences of the US attack to Iraq and Afghanistan, it was announced in the US that the country's attack of Iraq was baseless and that the invasion was merely an excuse to meet the interests of Israel. Based on that for the first time in the US political debates, the topic of supporting Israel was distinguished from a support for the Israeli leaders.

2 - The release of the news on scandals like Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, increasing US crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, crimes committed by Israel in Gaza and publication of polls regarding US publicity in the region, proved US a detested and isolated government in the region. It was taken to the point that Henry Kissinger, veteran American Diplomat, announced that his country needed a 20-year period to revive its reputation among the Middle East public.

3 - US once more backed criminal leaders of Israel during the 33-Day War with Hezbollah and all out support of the US for the Zionist regime against the Lebanese civilians, also during the Operation Cast Lead in late 2008 and early 2009 and the antihuman crimes carried out in the region, and as a result regional status of Washington faded out again. During the worst days of the Gaza War, US Congress passed a resolution in support of the Zionist regime of Israel which except for five of the members, it was signed by senate members.

4 - Thought the Israeli leaders were the first aims of the international rebuke regarding the crimes of the Zionist regime, some American and European supporters could not evade the reprimand.

5 - Explicit support of American president and politicians and official backing of European heads like Tony Blair, former British Labour Party politician and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, for the crimes carried out by Israel have strategically weakened NATO position and the west ending in a loss of their influence in the region.

6 - The West and NATO, during the past decades, have been backed by some corrupt regimes which have been undermined since 2011. This is while they have missed their public reputation among the Middle East nations since 2001.
 
7 - In other words the US and NATO have no credit either in Palestine issue or in democratization and it is not unlikely that any interference on their side becomes counterproductive.

8 -  In this situation the behavior of Turkey, as a Euro center country and a member of NATO, is brought into focus. Turkey under Erdogan, like that of the US under Obama (and not a republican America), does not oppose Israeli government but it is in opposition with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Zionist regime President Shimon Perez. On the one hand it opposes Netanyahu and on the other hand it boosts its ties with Tel Aviv.

9 - Erdogan takes benefit from the situation of Turkey in the region to trace the American projects. Under the mask of NATO, Turkey during the time of Bulent Ecevit , country's communist prime minister raided Afghanistan and during the time of Muslim Erdogan it attacked Libya. The pressure over Syria remains to be told.

10 - Under no excuses can a Muslim country become an ally of NATO in attacking another Muslim country. If Turkey joined NATO six decades ago, NATO used to be a defense shield against the former communist Soviet Union.

The same reasoning is applicable for the discussion of basing the missile shield in Turkey.
 
Erdogan is after maintaining its reputation in its relations with NATO.
A look at some domestic views over the issue seems to be quite appropriate.

Devlet Bahceli, leader for the Nationalist Action Party says Erdogan is trying to misuse it's so-called animosity with Israel, prevent some serious reactions of the Turkish society towards construction of a missile shield in the country.

Birgul Ayman Guler, Deputy People's Republic Party: The system is aimed at protecting Israel against missile threats of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the permission for that is issued by the Justice and Development Party and not the Turkish nation.

Mr Kurtu Lemoch , leader of the Voice of people voiced his opposition with the lunching a NATO base within Turkish borders and said;" On the one hand Turkish government rejects Israeli policies and on the other hand it cooperates with the missile shield plan which is a plan to protect Israel. This is an prominent contradiction and Turkey is obliged to announce its evasion for more cooperation with the plan.

Mustafa Kamlak Leader of the Muslim Saadat party in Turkey said: The so called plan is a plan to scapegoat Muslims and should Turkey take part in the plan, it will lead to widening gap between Turkey and its neighbors.

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