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Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA
April 13 2005
Turkey? No problem
By Graham Fuller
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Who lost Turkey? That's the theme of a rash of articles in the U.S.
media over the past two months. Apparently, there's a growing
consensus in Washington that our old ally has been gradually becoming
more anti-American.
In 2003, Turkey denied Washington the use of Turkish bases only
months before the war on Iraq began. Just recently, Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld blamed Turkey's noncooperation for many of the
problems today with Iraqi insurgents.
A number of critics have pointed to the rise of anti-American public
sentiment in Turkey over the past two years. The Marshall Fund found
that 82 percent of the Turkish public was hostile to the United
States, one of the highest figures anywhere, especially for a NATO
ally. The Islam-oriented government in Ankara has harshly criticized
close U.S. ally Israel for its occupation policies in the West Bank.
And Turkey does not concur with Washington's efforts to pressure Iran
and Syria.
Although these events indeed represent a new Turkish reality, it
would be erroneous -- indeed dangerous -- to assume that Turkey's
widespread opposition to many of the Bush administration's policies
are symptomatic of a broader strategic hostility.
In reality, U.S. interests have been exceptionally well-served by
this Turkish government, which has brought broad democratic reforms
to the country as part of its explicit commitment to gain European
Union membership. Turkey has taken positive steps toward relieving
Kurdish dissatisfaction and has moved to improve relations with all
its neighbors, including longtime opponent Armenia. The economy is
moving forward, and inflation is way down.
The Turkish public, including those with no special desire for
Islamist policies, find the performance of this government to be
generally on the right track; politics have been more stable than at
any other time in the past decade. Most interesting, several of
Turkey's Arab neighbors are paying attention to its experience in
producing a competent Islam-oriented government -- one that can be
proudly independent yet democratic, reformist and a candidate for EU
membership. Nothing could be a more positive model for the rest of
the region.
Ankara no longer is automatically acquiescent to following the U.S.
lead, especially when it believes that U.S. policies run counter to
Turkish national interests. U.S. policy in Iraq, Iran and Syria is
seen by Turkey as adventuristic and needlessly destabilizing to
Turkish interests.
Right now, opposition to U.S. policies is the nearest thing to a
national consensus in Turkey. Major elements across the political
spectrum -- Turkey's strong secularists, nationalists, Kemalists and
leftists -- are even more harshly critical of Washington than the
government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Efforts by Washington to intimidate a popular, representative Turkish
government or to bring it in line with U.S. government policies will
almost surely backfire. In the new world order, unilateralism has its
limits.
Turkey is not lost to us; we just need to take a more realistic view
of the limits of our own power, be sensitive to the risks of ignoring
other states' nationalist feelings and interests, and adopt a
longer-term, more enlightened view of our own interests.
Turkey is doing fine.
Graham Fuller is a former chairman of the National Intelligence
Council at the CIA. His latest book is "The Future of Political
Islam."
April 13 2005
Turkey? No problem
By Graham Fuller
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Who lost Turkey? That's the theme of a rash of articles in the U.S.
media over the past two months. Apparently, there's a growing
consensus in Washington that our old ally has been gradually becoming
more anti-American.
In 2003, Turkey denied Washington the use of Turkish bases only
months before the war on Iraq began. Just recently, Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld blamed Turkey's noncooperation for many of the
problems today with Iraqi insurgents.
A number of critics have pointed to the rise of anti-American public
sentiment in Turkey over the past two years. The Marshall Fund found
that 82 percent of the Turkish public was hostile to the United
States, one of the highest figures anywhere, especially for a NATO
ally. The Islam-oriented government in Ankara has harshly criticized
close U.S. ally Israel for its occupation policies in the West Bank.
And Turkey does not concur with Washington's efforts to pressure Iran
and Syria.
Although these events indeed represent a new Turkish reality, it
would be erroneous -- indeed dangerous -- to assume that Turkey's
widespread opposition to many of the Bush administration's policies
are symptomatic of a broader strategic hostility.
In reality, U.S. interests have been exceptionally well-served by
this Turkish government, which has brought broad democratic reforms
to the country as part of its explicit commitment to gain European
Union membership. Turkey has taken positive steps toward relieving
Kurdish dissatisfaction and has moved to improve relations with all
its neighbors, including longtime opponent Armenia. The economy is
moving forward, and inflation is way down.
The Turkish public, including those with no special desire for
Islamist policies, find the performance of this government to be
generally on the right track; politics have been more stable than at
any other time in the past decade. Most interesting, several of
Turkey's Arab neighbors are paying attention to its experience in
producing a competent Islam-oriented government -- one that can be
proudly independent yet democratic, reformist and a candidate for EU
membership. Nothing could be a more positive model for the rest of
the region.
Ankara no longer is automatically acquiescent to following the U.S.
lead, especially when it believes that U.S. policies run counter to
Turkish national interests. U.S. policy in Iraq, Iran and Syria is
seen by Turkey as adventuristic and needlessly destabilizing to
Turkish interests.
Right now, opposition to U.S. policies is the nearest thing to a
national consensus in Turkey. Major elements across the political
spectrum -- Turkey's strong secularists, nationalists, Kemalists and
leftists -- are even more harshly critical of Washington than the
government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Efforts by Washington to intimidate a popular, representative Turkish
government or to bring it in line with U.S. government policies will
almost surely backfire. In the new world order, unilateralism has its
limits.
Turkey is not lost to us; we just need to take a more realistic view
of the limits of our own power, be sensitive to the risks of ignoring
other states' nationalist feelings and interests, and adopt a
longer-term, more enlightened view of our own interests.
Turkey is doing fine.
Graham Fuller is a former chairman of the National Intelligence
Council at the CIA. His latest book is "The Future of Political
Islam."