In common with anyone who follows world affairs closely you would expect me to have some views on the way the interception of the aid ship Mavi Marmara was handled: I have however no intention of falling into the trap of airing them at this point, as like many others I prefer to await the outcomes of the Israeli governments own enquiry into an incident which is proving to be a significant rupture not only in a previously solid Israeli Turkish relationship, but is leading to a reassessment of Turkey´s newly assertive role on the world stage.
Like many Europeans (and rather less Americans) I have abiding respect and sympathy for secularists who take on the entrenched dogma of the religious right of whatever religion that tries to impose its dogma and agenda, over and above legitimate rights of human beings.
Modern Turkey would not be what it is today if Kemal Ataturk had not taken the vigorously nationalistic and secularist path, that led to the renewal and restoration of Turkish pride after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. There is now concern both in Turkey and elsewhere about the Islamization of Turkish politics.
However, it is the present leadership of Turkey whose efforts to join the EC were rebuffed by the French, Germans, and who else but the Austrians, who made it clear they would not accept Turkey´s full membership. While the ´Anglo-Saxons´ (what an ethnically inaccurate term for the U.S and Britain) were generally supportive of Turkey´s membership, the impression given but never openly stated was that Turkey was not eligible for membership of an essentially Christian club.
Is it surprising therefore that Turkey should reorientate and rethink its own policy to take into greater account its own extraordinarily significant geographical and strategic location, in the face of the EEC indifference amounting to rejection, and multiple threats to its own peace in a chronically unstable region.
As my readers will recognise, a constant theme of mine is how respect or lack of it drives international affairs and business for more than is normally recognised.
Religious fundamentalism, terrorism, and fanaticism has spread across the middle east from Iran to Afghanistan, claiming not only the lives of many young and brave Americans and Europeans, but an increasing number of innocent victims across a region where lives are blighted by the economic and political failure resulting from this toxic mix.
In the meantime, Turkey, a country that was told it was too economically backward to qualify for membership the 27 nation European club last week reported a growth of 11.4% (second only to China) compared with a European average of a little more than an anaemic 1% much to Turkey´s delight and the inexorable law of unintended consequences and lack of respect for a nation’s legitimate and reasonable aspirations.
Like many Europeans (and rather less Americans) I have abiding respect and sympathy for secularists who take on the entrenched dogma of the religious right of whatever religion that tries to impose its dogma and agenda, over and above legitimate rights of human beings.
Modern Turkey would not be what it is today if Kemal Ataturk had not taken the vigorously nationalistic and secularist path, that led to the renewal and restoration of Turkish pride after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. There is now concern both in Turkey and elsewhere about the Islamization of Turkish politics.
However, it is the present leadership of Turkey whose efforts to join the EC were rebuffed by the French, Germans, and who else but the Austrians, who made it clear they would not accept Turkey´s full membership. While the ´Anglo-Saxons´ (what an ethnically inaccurate term for the U.S and Britain) were generally supportive of Turkey´s membership, the impression given but never openly stated was that Turkey was not eligible for membership of an essentially Christian club.
Is it surprising therefore that Turkey should reorientate and rethink its own policy to take into greater account its own extraordinarily significant geographical and strategic location, in the face of the EEC indifference amounting to rejection, and multiple threats to its own peace in a chronically unstable region.
As my readers will recognise, a constant theme of mine is how respect or lack of it drives international affairs and business for more than is normally recognised.
Religious fundamentalism, terrorism, and fanaticism has spread across the middle east from Iran to Afghanistan, claiming not only the lives of many young and brave Americans and Europeans, but an increasing number of innocent victims across a region where lives are blighted by the economic and political failure resulting from this toxic mix.
In the meantime, Turkey, a country that was told it was too economically backward to qualify for membership the 27 nation European club last week reported a growth of 11.4% (second only to China) compared with a European average of a little more than an anaemic 1% much to Turkey´s delight and the inexorable law of unintended consequences and lack of respect for a nation’s legitimate and reasonable aspirations.
1 comments:
Totally spot on.. why are governments trying to turn solid friends into enemies...don't we have enough enemies already?
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