Thursday, 22 March 2007View by Sedat LACINER (U.S.A.K.)
The religionist terrorism should have been the most crucial problem of the Muslim peoples because Al Qaeda-like terrorist organizations foremost challenge the Muslim values and very essence of Islam religion. With its incredible tolerance experience for the centuries, the Turkish Muslims in particular should have been very part of the struggle against the global terrorism. If not the direct challenge against the Islamic values could not lure the Muslim peoples to strongly oppose the Al Qaeda terrorism, the terrorists attacks directed to the Muslim states (Gulf countries etc.) should have been enough to put the Muslim masses off feeling attracted to the terrorists. As a matter of fact the Muslims did not enthusiastically support the terrorism, but they did not give enough support to combat against religionist terrorism as well. Osama Bin Laden is among the heroes in many Arab countries, Pakistan etc. Even if some Muslims do not see Osama Bin Laden as hero, they are happy with that he caused great trouble for the US. It is easy to blame the masses for their reluctance position in terrorism struggle. However the US and other states should first question their own policies towards the Muslim geography. Unfortunately the US' terrorism combat campaign characterized by intense desire and emotion is not fully shared by the Muslim peoples in the greater Middle East, Russian Federation, Africa and the Muslim diasporas in the West. Even it can be argued that the similarities between the Muslim masses and the religionist terrorists on Palestinian issue, Iraq problem, Afghanistan, Lebanon etc. are more than the similarities between the US and the Muslims. The foremost problem is that the US ignore or gives less important to the peoples' hearts and minds on this issue. The US has been obsessed with the terrorist attack fear since 9/11 assaults. In the past the US was not giving great importance to the peoples in the Middle East, yet it had relatively good relations with the governments. Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan etc. were among the most loyal allies to the US in the region, and the Governments in some degree were able to manage to control the massive reactions against the US. But now, even the most loyal governments perceive threats from the US. The US gives fear not only to its enemies but also to its ÔÇÝfriends' as well. The main problem here is that nobody in the Middle East (except Israelis) can trust to the Americans since the Iraq War, because what the American politicians said before war was understood later that false. The Congress reports, the UN papers and the later speeches show the entire world that some of the leaders lied to the world. The war was started by arguing that there were chemical and nuclear weapons in Saddam's Iraq. The US also defended that Saddam Hussein was behind the terrorist organizations. However the UN and U.S. officials found nothing showing the claimed weapons. Furthermore, Iraq under the US control became a terrorist school for the whole region. Al Qaida could not enter Iraq under the Saddam period, but now Iraq became the strongest wing of the Al Qaida.
All in the Middle East think that the US has secret agenda in the region. The US' global terrorism combat argument do not persuade any one in the Middle East. Time to time the US leaders let slip the some parts of this secret agenda, yet the complete picture is still a mystery. For instance, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made it clear in July 2006 that the United States is seeking major change in the Middle East. Rice said "As we deal with the current circumstances, we need always to be cognizant of and looking to what kind of Middle East we are trying to build. It is time for a new Middle East. It is time to say to those who do not want a different kind of Middle East that we will prevail, they will not."[1] Rice made her speech in Israel in a meeting with Israeli PM Olmert.
New Middle East means new borders, new regimes and new leaders. In another word all existing borders, regimes and leaders are subject to US change plans though none of the countries are in the position of decision-making with the US. The Saudis, Egyptians, Jordanians or Turks have no clue what the US plans for them. Even in Turkey, the majority of the people do not trust the US. They perceive that the US has plans to separate Turkish territories into many countries: Kurdish, Armenian etc. Leftists, Marxists, ultra-nationalists, nationalist-Maoists, conservatives and many more groups are not happy with the US' ÔÇÝglobal terrorism combat'. These anti-American people of Turkey are sure about that the US has a secret agenda and the ÔÇÝterrorism combat' is just an excuse created by the Americans to cover the ÔÇÝreal intentions'. Even the Government cannot persuade these people for moderate thinking about the US and the West. The US' Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan and other Middle East policies undermine the trust towards the US in Turkey and the entire region.
I do not know whether the US has secret agendas or not. What I know is that the US causes more doubts and fears in the greater Middle East than Iran or Al Qaeda causes.
21 March 2007
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NOTES:
[1] Jeremy Bransten, ÔÇÝRice Calls for a New Middle East', RFE/RL, July 25, 2006.
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Thursday, 22 March 2007
View by Sedat Laciner
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