Turkish Press
Feb 9 2005

Rice’s Pax, And Turkey
BYEGM: 2/9/2005
BY YILMAZ OZTUNA

TURKIYE- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, ‘Each of us [Ankara and Washington] . . . have a
responsibility with our publics, because we have democracies to speak
out for how important and central [our] relationship is to both of
us; to remind all of us and our people of the long history that we
have together, of what we have achieved together, of what we have
supported for one another, and of what a prosperous future we have in
working on the many difficult and complicated issues ahead, as well
as the bright opportunities ahead.’ Rarely have I heard such sweeping
sincere sentences from a politician. Rice reminded us that during the
half-century of the Turkish-US partnership, we defeated Soviet
communism and pushed Russia back to its borders. She meant that from
now on, we could reset the political balance, reestablishing it by
continuing our strategic partnership. She wanted to say that the US
was not planning on benefiting solely from opportunities, but rather
sharing these with its strategic allies. Rice also suggested that
only countries ignoring their best interests would turn this down.
She was telling the Turkish people that both it and the American
people can prosper by taking advantage of these opportunities, and
called on our government to quell the soaring anti-American feelings
in Turkey.

Rice won’t retreat from the Pax Americana. If Washington can’t do
this with Turkey, it will instead work with Kurds, Armenians, etc.
She will eventually become the secretary of defense and command the
US armed forces. She will become a candidate for the Republican Party
leadership and perhaps run against Hillary Clinton from the
Democrats. Hillary is seven years older than Rice and still a New
York senator. Whoever wins will protect the Pax Americana. Only their
styles are different. Those who have difficulty understanding this
combination should reconsider and expand their horizons.