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ARABS ARE APPLAUDING BUT ADMINISTRATIONS SKEPTICAL
By Mehmet Ali Birand, [email protected]
Hurriyet
Sept 13 2011
Turkey
The Prime Minister's greeting when he landed in Cairo was featured
as a victory in our media. I am sure the prime minister did not take
very seriously the demonstration of love from thousands of Egyptians
who were applauding and cheering him. These types of demonstrations,
especially in Egypt, are specially arranged. They are constructed by
administrations and used so that the visitors are pleased or dissuaded
from conveying a negative message.
The Arab "streets" up to now have applauded countless persons but
after that they have also wiped the floors with the same leaders.
Erdogan is not in the same position.
He actually is a leader liked by the people. But this should not be
counted on too much. Because those governing these countries have a
different view of Erdogan.
The Turkish Prime Minister is being applauded in public statements,
his cheeks are being kissed. But when the doors close, the talk starts
with statements such as, "These Turks, now, have gone too far."
Erdogan's Gaza passion and his stance for smashing Israel and moving
Turkey to the forefront are bothering some other Arab countries.
Erdogan is both stealing a role from the Arabs and demonstrating
their incompetence in the Palestine issue.
This stance, starting with Cairo, does not serve the purpose of most
of them but they also cannot raise their voices.
Let's get used to it.
This is how the game is played in the Middle East.
We are also going to play it as such.
We should not be surprised if tomorrow the wind blows from the opposite
direction in the Arab "streets."
Athens should not use the Israel card
Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman, according to media reports, has
stated that he was preparing to use the cards he has in his hand to
bother Turkey.
1. Assisting the PKK:
It is said that Israel, by giving arms and training, will assist
the terror organization to make Turkey bleed more. Up until today,
a lot has been said about Israel and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party, or PKK, relationship but nothing has been proven. To provide
an open and huge support to a terror organization, however angry they
may be at Turkey, does not suit this country's long-term interests.
Consequently, it is very difficult for the foreign minister to play
this card. At most, he will be restricted to offering some trivial
intelligence and training assistance. Moreover, the PKK has reacted
to Lieberman's statement. Murat Karayılan said Israel first has to
apologize to the PKK for its role in capturing Abdullah Ocalan and that
the PKK was not an organization that would allow itself to be used.
2. Cooperation with Armenian lobbies:
Nobody doubts it. Israel will find huge support from the Armenians
in this area.
Especially at this time when the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events
is nearing, Israel can do everything it can for a genocide bill to
pass in the U.S. Congress. But this is directly connected to the
Obama administration's attitude. The Israeli lobby and Washington
would not very easily join the Lieberman campaign.
3. Greek-Greek Cypriot card:
Before anything else, we have to highlight that it is not known how
much these anti-Turkey initiatives of Lieberman are approved and
adopted by the Netanyahu government.
Now, let's look at the possible stances of Greece and southern Cyprus.
It is unreasonable for both Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration
to become a card in Israel's hands and let themselves be used against
Turkey.
Especially in this era when bilateral relations have entered a positive
stage, it does not serve any purpose for Athens to set off to make the
Turkish public its enemy yet again. Even for the sake of supporting
its brothers because of domestic policy reasons, Athens should not
take such a risk in view of Greek Cyprus' exploring for oil in the
Mediterranean together with Israel and Turkey's opposition to this.
It is difficult to believe that Greece, going through the worst
economic crisis in its history would opt for strategic cooperation with
Israel and join an anti-Turkey front. Prime Minister Papandreou is a
realistic person. I doubt he would participate in such an unnecessary
show that would not yield any results.
When we come to the attitude of the Greek Cyprus administration;
while the region is experiencing storms, joining Lieberman's game and
wishing that Turkey be cornered would be just about the same level
of a wrong calculation.
I think Greece and the Greek Cyprus administration, for domestic
political reasons, may wink at Lieberman but will not go any further.
Even if Greek Cypriot President Christofias, considering the upcoming
elections, sets off to flirt with Lieberman, there is a low probability
that it finds the support it expects from Athens.
This is what is expected of Papandreou.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=arabs-are-applauding-but-administrations-skeptical-2011-09-13
By Mehmet Ali Birand, [email protected]
Hurriyet
Sept 13 2011
Turkey
The Prime Minister's greeting when he landed in Cairo was featured
as a victory in our media. I am sure the prime minister did not take
very seriously the demonstration of love from thousands of Egyptians
who were applauding and cheering him. These types of demonstrations,
especially in Egypt, are specially arranged. They are constructed by
administrations and used so that the visitors are pleased or dissuaded
from conveying a negative message.
The Arab "streets" up to now have applauded countless persons but
after that they have also wiped the floors with the same leaders.
Erdogan is not in the same position.
He actually is a leader liked by the people. But this should not be
counted on too much. Because those governing these countries have a
different view of Erdogan.
The Turkish Prime Minister is being applauded in public statements,
his cheeks are being kissed. But when the doors close, the talk starts
with statements such as, "These Turks, now, have gone too far."
Erdogan's Gaza passion and his stance for smashing Israel and moving
Turkey to the forefront are bothering some other Arab countries.
Erdogan is both stealing a role from the Arabs and demonstrating
their incompetence in the Palestine issue.
This stance, starting with Cairo, does not serve the purpose of most
of them but they also cannot raise their voices.
Let's get used to it.
This is how the game is played in the Middle East.
We are also going to play it as such.
We should not be surprised if tomorrow the wind blows from the opposite
direction in the Arab "streets."
Athens should not use the Israel card
Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman, according to media reports, has
stated that he was preparing to use the cards he has in his hand to
bother Turkey.
1. Assisting the PKK:
It is said that Israel, by giving arms and training, will assist
the terror organization to make Turkey bleed more. Up until today,
a lot has been said about Israel and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party, or PKK, relationship but nothing has been proven. To provide
an open and huge support to a terror organization, however angry they
may be at Turkey, does not suit this country's long-term interests.
Consequently, it is very difficult for the foreign minister to play
this card. At most, he will be restricted to offering some trivial
intelligence and training assistance. Moreover, the PKK has reacted
to Lieberman's statement. Murat Karayılan said Israel first has to
apologize to the PKK for its role in capturing Abdullah Ocalan and that
the PKK was not an organization that would allow itself to be used.
2. Cooperation with Armenian lobbies:
Nobody doubts it. Israel will find huge support from the Armenians
in this area.
Especially at this time when the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events
is nearing, Israel can do everything it can for a genocide bill to
pass in the U.S. Congress. But this is directly connected to the
Obama administration's attitude. The Israeli lobby and Washington
would not very easily join the Lieberman campaign.
3. Greek-Greek Cypriot card:
Before anything else, we have to highlight that it is not known how
much these anti-Turkey initiatives of Lieberman are approved and
adopted by the Netanyahu government.
Now, let's look at the possible stances of Greece and southern Cyprus.
It is unreasonable for both Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration
to become a card in Israel's hands and let themselves be used against
Turkey.
Especially in this era when bilateral relations have entered a positive
stage, it does not serve any purpose for Athens to set off to make the
Turkish public its enemy yet again. Even for the sake of supporting
its brothers because of domestic policy reasons, Athens should not
take such a risk in view of Greek Cyprus' exploring for oil in the
Mediterranean together with Israel and Turkey's opposition to this.
It is difficult to believe that Greece, going through the worst
economic crisis in its history would opt for strategic cooperation with
Israel and join an anti-Turkey front. Prime Minister Papandreou is a
realistic person. I doubt he would participate in such an unnecessary
show that would not yield any results.
When we come to the attitude of the Greek Cyprus administration;
while the region is experiencing storms, joining Lieberman's game and
wishing that Turkey be cornered would be just about the same level
of a wrong calculation.
I think Greece and the Greek Cyprus administration, for domestic
political reasons, may wink at Lieberman but will not go any further.
Even if Greek Cypriot President Christofias, considering the upcoming
elections, sets off to flirt with Lieberman, there is a low probability
that it finds the support it expects from Athens.
This is what is expected of Papandreou.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=arabs-are-applauding-but-administrations-skeptical-2011-09-13