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Answers to Ianus, hope to hear more opinions and from others

Reader comment on item: Kastelorizo - Mediterranean Flashpoint?
in response to reader comment: A question or two

Submitted by Alexandros (United Kingdom), Mar 1, 2012 at 11:41

Ok, Ianus your questions are really awesome and you could be actually more right than me, but here is my opinion based on facts, on the thoughts expressed in the book of the Turkish "Grand Master", on Brzezinsky's and Kissinger's books and opinions expressed from time to time and of course my own judgement.

You wrote "A neo-Ottoman and Pan-Turkic empire within a larger US protectorate over Eurasia is a viable and useful option for the US grand strategists, isn't it? What do you think?" i am going to answer with a question.

If you already have a neo-Ottoman empire why do you need to be a protectorate of someone who is so far away?

How i see things goes like this. You have correctly used the term thug, Turkey is supposed to be a democracy for a lot of years now, even though everyone new that the army was in charge and the army had decided to play the thug of the states so to gain interests against neighbour countries, this is what happened for example in Cyprus, this is what is happening in IRAQ. Since AKP came to power though things have gone a bit further. The Thug has become strong and acquired connections that the boss does not have. The Thug is not actually used by the boss, but is using the boss. Turkey has started to "blackmail" situations. Since a Muslim party won the elections against the odds, since the army, and the CIA probably, were clearly against such a thing, then Turkey could also change camps, except if they were satisfied, in this case they were still going to support the State's interests. Turkey began to practise absolutely independent foreign policy, no strings attached. Still though the Americans needed them and still do. Soldiers in IRAQ and Afghanistan, enhanced relations with IRAN since the islamic party came to power and with Pakistan, where the United States have probably lost any kind of influence made the situation even better for the Turkish side, the unexcused huge "fear" of Russia also was another advantage for Turkey.

As a result, they gained in military technology because of the extensive collaboration with USA and Israel, the AKP made more out of it and now they have launched a programme which enhances a lot the military independence of Turkey. Turkish warships, helicopters, tanks, long range missiles are already in progress and close to production. They also supplied a huge number of F-16s to Egypt and they started to do the same to Pakistan rebuilding and building very important relations and they are trying to trade weapons with Malaysia and Indonesia. They enhanced their relations with Iran playing the same game they are doing with Greece, they say we are friends lets solve all our problems and collaborate and then they enhance their Panturkic theories on the Northern Iran and they send warships going around the Aegean even close to Athens, respectively.

But collaborations are not enough, the new-Ottoman empire, which is an ideological expansion basically, but would not say no to any territorial gains, suggests that Turkey should make clear that they are the head of this formation, so this means that they have to prevail against the neighbour countries and for this they use any means they can, they exploit every situation.

Iran wants nuclear power and so does Turkey, if Iran constructs nuclear weapons this is going to be one more excuse for Turkey to have nuclear weapons, if the west decides to attack Iran, Turkey will play the supportive card and then as guarantor of the security they will ask to have nuclear weapons. They have also abandoned Israel in favour of Hamas and the support of the muslim world and especially the muslim brotherhood.

The Arab spring, now this is something. I believe that one thing is for sure, for some reason the West decided that these tyranny kind of reigns should end, was this intention for all of them? I do not know and the reasons could be many, and I do not want to underestimate the people's efforts, but i think that every revolution had a different story behind it. Egypt and Tynisia were according to plan and i assume this because the army did not want to support the regimes. In Lybia perhaps it happened sooner that planned? i mean it was obvious that the west waited to see who would be the successor and then support them except from France but this was because of arm deals that were in progress, in Syria they have failed. Turkey waited also to see how they could exploit this situation. They supported the muslim brotherhood in every country and especially in Egypt where they see a very strong ally, they already control them in military aspect, now they must gain political influence. In Syria they support the opposition because Asad was always hostile and suspicious towards them and because in this way there is no more Russia in the region, this is also good for the States. Additionally they will gain extreme influence on a future government in Syria since they would have helped them to prevail and instead of an opponent they will have one more government in their globe of influence. I also assume that is Asad falls then Hesbolah will either have the same future or they will extremely adjust so to keep control, all these are good for the States and Israel as well, are they truly though?Israel will have avoided 2 enemies, which already do not threat it that much and will have gained a surrounding from muslim brotherhood. Will the States and israel be able to control the nationalism in these countries, i doubt it. Israel will have to collaborate and probably compromise a lot.

Of course AKP acts inside Turkey as well, they have almost thoroughly destroyed any kind of political opposition, they arrested all political enemies, with the excuse of making the state more democratic, and they started to talk with the minorities in Turkey, since all of them are not dangerous any more, there is hardly any Greek or Armenian left in Turkey after the latest pogroms of the 50s, so the Patriarch is going to improve their image in the end without risking any danger for them. At the same time the prime minister announced that the goal is to create an islamic youth. You would probably wonder who would i prefer as a Greek the generals or AKP as heads in Turkey. nobody would be the answer because both of these sides are extremely nationalists, the difference is that AKP is even more ambitious. In any case both want to control half of the Aegean so for me it would be the same.

If Turkey and Egypt make a new Ottoman Axis and they have power over Syria, Palestinians and Lebanon and collaborate strongly with Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysia, what exactly do they need the Americans? How could Israel react? And how could the States control such a situation? There is also China and Russia to compete and EU. In the end Greece, Israel and Cyprus will have either to compromise with loss of sovereignty or to fight back. Is this fight going to remain political? i hope that all sides will come to their senses.

In any case i think that the Americans have not appreciated the situation correctly. For example, when the Greek government support clearly American positions, then there are a lot of voices that disagree with this, even though, Greece and Greeks belong sentimentally in the West and the majority sees a logic behind the State's positions and if these positions are agreeable with the Greek interests people do not react at all. Turkey on the other hand does not belong in the West, it is a society pressured from nationalists sentiments and forced into the West, as long the West agrees with the turkish interests they are handled, but a small failure in the interest alignment is of massive importance in Turkey. In the end exploiting their geopolitical position and their religion are not controlled by the West but they control the West. Another factor that enhances this situation is the failure of the State's policy in the region, the unreasonable confrontations that had as a result huge financial problems, the weakening of the armed forces and the incapability to engage troops effectively and this is going to last. If the same policy keeps on then the West will become addicted to Turkey and in the end the addiction will win, this is what happened to the Byzantine empire, kind of at least.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (70) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
10Kastelorizo is just a sign [583 words]AlexandrosFeb 27, 2012 11:47193708
3Florida of Europe [292 words]MozereFeb 28, 2012 10:26193708
6other benchmarks [45 words]the Grand Infidel of KaffiristanFeb 28, 2012 20:27193708
4Not exactly [724 words]AlexandrosFeb 29, 2012 06:19193708
14"Wounds which a mentally sterile Asiatic horde inflicted on Christian civilization still bleed after 500 years " [2725 words]IanusFeb 29, 2012 16:47193708
4A question or two [417 words]IanusFeb 29, 2012 17:47193708
3Answers to Ianus, hope to hear more opinions and from others [1445 words]AlexandrosMar 1, 2012 11:41193708
2regional cooperation [322 words]MozereMar 1, 2012 12:22193708
9Additional reply to Mozere comments [1856 words]AlexandrosMar 2, 2012 08:05193708
6Wrong side repenting and apologizing [902 words]IanusMar 11, 2012 12:07193708
1Islamic civilisation [635 words]MozereMar 13, 2012 11:57193708
3The so salled "Islamic civilisation" [59 words]Young MCMar 13, 2012 18:39193708
7"Islamic civilization" = the Skull Tower of Nis and the Skull Cathedral of Otranto [864 words]IanusMar 13, 2012 19:26193708
1Answers to both Ianus and Mozere. [444 words]AlexandrosMar 15, 2012 10:51193708
3Sackcloth and ashes while the hungry wolves are howling around [749 words]IanusMar 16, 2012 18:38193708
1Ianus [350 words]AlexandrosMar 18, 2012 07:28193708
4A prominent former board member of the American Turkish Council [2050 words]IanusMar 21, 2012 16:37193708
"Moved" was describing the action [14 words]AlexandrosMar 23, 2012 18:43193708
7Those who didn't manage to "move" [538 words]IanusMar 24, 2012 11:15193708
2Not what i meant [298 words]AlexandrosMar 25, 2012 05:13193708
6The Turkish massacres of Phocea 12.06.1914 [763 words]IanusMar 28, 2012 17:16193708
1I would suggest another book [70 words]AlexandrosMar 29, 2012 03:46193708
Thanks [99 words]IanusApr 1, 2012 16:30193708
2Not so easy! [209 words]Pantelis GiannopoulosJun 25, 2012 14:00193708
6EU Turkish Arranged Marriage Plans [263 words]RebeccaFeb 25, 2012 23:24193650
Give them blank cheques [69 words]MozereFeb 27, 2012 00:39193650
4Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo - a strategic bridgehead for the Second Ottoman Invasion of Europe ? [564 words]IanusFeb 27, 2012 18:23193650
3a shame [69 words]mythFeb 23, 2012 16:35193593
steady on [203 words]MozereFeb 25, 2012 05:24193593
4Washington and the Turkish octopus there [1584 words]IanusFeb 25, 2012 11:09193593
10Recidivist Turkey [1225 words]IanusFeb 26, 2012 18:12193593
Who is a cheat? [344 words]MozereFeb 27, 2012 02:31193593
16The slave hunters' state of the Crimean Tatars and a second disciple of Ataturk [1422 words]IanusMar 1, 2012 15:09193593
1Slavery [279 words]MozereMar 2, 2012 07:37193593
5Adampol (aka Polonezkoy) an moribund ethnographic zoo in Turkey and Nazim Hikmet vs. Ataturk's police state [1142 words]IanusMar 3, 2012 08:10193593
17Tripolitsa or from Lord Byron to Mozere the Turk [2270 words]IanusMar 4, 2012 17:30193593
4Islamic slavery then and now [1588 words]IanusMar 16, 2012 14:54193593
1Kastelorizo an Italian name [31 words]MozereFeb 20, 2012 08:44193512
1Criminal Minded State Propaganda [17 words]Young MCFeb 21, 2012 14:17193512
1Continental shelf [199 words]MozereFeb 22, 2012 06:12193512
23An outpost against Turkish jihad [1265 words]IanusFeb 22, 2012 11:16193512
5Bellicosity and Misleading Propaganda [275 words]Young MCFeb 23, 2012 09:36193512
7Islands have a full right to continental shelf [1199 words]IanusFeb 24, 2012 08:18193512
3Islands do not have an automatic right to EEZ [278 words]MozereFeb 26, 2012 04:08193512
3Continental Shelf and Mozere's "Vikings" [430 words]Young MCFeb 27, 2012 12:15193512
7Tyrkjaránið - An Ottoman slave-hunting raid in Iceland 1627 [1574 words]IanusFeb 27, 2012 16:48193512
4more details [62 words]the Grand Infidel of KaffiristanFeb 27, 2012 21:57193512
p.s. [18 words]the Grand Infidel of KaffiristanFeb 27, 2012 22:25193512
Law applies to everybody equally [143 words]MozereFeb 28, 2012 06:49193512
1Islands and constructed EEZ claims [461 words]Young MCFeb 28, 2012 11:51193512
7Turkey has implicitly admited to be a thug. [805 words]IanusFeb 29, 2012 13:56193512
6The biggest mosque in Kosovo to be built by the (Islamic) Republic of Turkey [167 words]IanusFeb 29, 2012 17:13193512
1Turkey can't pick and choose the territory it claims as and when it discovers oil and gas [377 words]Francis WilsonDec 25, 2012 08:14193512
10Imia [1045 words]IanusFeb 17, 2012 15:28193427
1game of interests [98 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
athinagorasFeb 17, 2012 09:06193421
8Another Crusade? = ... damn the locals [378 words]Kali SimpsonFeb 10, 2012 09:40193269
7Turkification through extermination [580 words]IanusFeb 17, 2012 10:43193269
1Dear Ianus - you say tomato, I say potato. [416 words]KaliFeb 17, 2012 21:50193269
11Clarification on EEZ map [220 words]HamiltonAFeb 9, 2012 19:55193256
4eerily similar to the 1970s and 1980s [192 words]JohnFeb 9, 2012 04:56193244
15Just a remark! [67 words]Jim Pap.Feb 8, 2012 08:09193200
re transport info [36 words]annmarieJul 31, 2013 20:45193200
1Kastelorizo - Mediterranean Flashpoint [119 words]JudithFeb 7, 2012 21:40193186
1reason for war [116 words]havasFeb 12, 2012 08:31193186
2"Not too different..." - In Your Dreams! [51 words]Young MCFeb 12, 2012 19:08193186
2The Reasons Are Plenty - Which One is the Most Tempting [206 words]M. ToveyFeb 13, 2012 13:44193186
26Israel, Cyprus and Greece are natural friends and allies [179 words]Andrew M.Feb 7, 2012 19:36193175
1Greece [95 words]Lujack SkylarkFeb 8, 2012 19:30193175
Remember the Name Kastelorizo; You Heard It Here First- Kudos Dr. Pipes [43 words]M. ToveyFeb 7, 2012 18:18193172
3Diaspora [79 words]NickLlewellynJul 26, 2012 11:29193172

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