Monday, March 21, 2005
Bush wants Turkey to be his mideast model
Ideologue: Someone who hits the world with a hammer until it fits his vision.
I like Dr. Erhan's explaination.
Jax
In its campaign to spread democracy, Washington reckons one of the key players should be Turkey, which it holds up as an example of how a successful democracy can flourish within an Islamic society. But some Turks are wary of this close relationship.
Rain splattered on the dusty ground of the central Turkish hill town of Beypazari.
Huseyin Yulmaz, five years retired from the coal mines, withdrew money from a high street cash machine and headed down an alley, past the fire and the banging from a metal forge, to a café where we had agreed to go.
It was a place of thick cigarette smoke and gloomy colours, dark winter clothing, hard wood tables and rich brews of Turkish tea.
Huseyin and his friends were playing cards at the tables.
When viewed from Washington they are pretty much an example of what the US believes it is beginning to create in this part of world.
It cites Iraqi and Palestinian elections, people power in Beirut, changes in Egypt, an argument that societies can be both Islamic and democratic, the dream ticket that will put an end to terrorism.
And Turkey, it says, knows how to do it.
Except, the last thing Huseyin Yulmaz wants is to be held up as an example America can use. The prospect was met with disdain and shaking heads.
"What America wants to do is divide us into small weak countries so that we can be controlled from the Pentagon," said Huseyin.
While his huge hands gently cupped a match to light a cigarette, his friend Yinasi Ertugal agreed.
"America's trying to set a trap for us, wanting us to think that we, too, will become like Iraq if we don't do what it says."
I found the intricate explanation at the political science department of Ankara University. It turned out that where America is now heading, Turkey feels it has been before.
It does not like it and it knows what might happen.
"The nation state building in the Middle East is based on an anti-Turkish sentiment," said Dr Cagri Erhan.
"Because of the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Syria, other countries, accuse Turkey of keeping their lives underdeveloped for five centuries. So Turkey now has to balance its policies. We're not a Pacific island. We have troublesome areas around us."
Historically, Turkey has been a frontier or meeting point of Islam and Christianity. (Link)
I like Dr. Erhan's explaination.
Jax
In its campaign to spread democracy, Washington reckons one of the key players should be Turkey, which it holds up as an example of how a successful democracy can flourish within an Islamic society. But some Turks are wary of this close relationship.
Rain splattered on the dusty ground of the central Turkish hill town of Beypazari.
Huseyin Yulmaz, five years retired from the coal mines, withdrew money from a high street cash machine and headed down an alley, past the fire and the banging from a metal forge, to a café where we had agreed to go.
It was a place of thick cigarette smoke and gloomy colours, dark winter clothing, hard wood tables and rich brews of Turkish tea.
Huseyin and his friends were playing cards at the tables.
When viewed from Washington they are pretty much an example of what the US believes it is beginning to create in this part of world.
It cites Iraqi and Palestinian elections, people power in Beirut, changes in Egypt, an argument that societies can be both Islamic and democratic, the dream ticket that will put an end to terrorism.
And Turkey, it says, knows how to do it.
Except, the last thing Huseyin Yulmaz wants is to be held up as an example America can use. The prospect was met with disdain and shaking heads.
"What America wants to do is divide us into small weak countries so that we can be controlled from the Pentagon," said Huseyin.
While his huge hands gently cupped a match to light a cigarette, his friend Yinasi Ertugal agreed.
"America's trying to set a trap for us, wanting us to think that we, too, will become like Iraq if we don't do what it says."
I found the intricate explanation at the political science department of Ankara University. It turned out that where America is now heading, Turkey feels it has been before.
It does not like it and it knows what might happen.
"The nation state building in the Middle East is based on an anti-Turkish sentiment," said Dr Cagri Erhan.
"Because of the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Syria, other countries, accuse Turkey of keeping their lives underdeveloped for five centuries. So Turkey now has to balance its policies. We're not a Pacific island. We have troublesome areas around us."
Historically, Turkey has been a frontier or meeting point of Islam and Christianity. (Link)
