TOUGH TIME FOR E.U. RELATIONS
By Deniz Ulke Aribogan
Turkish Press, MI
Published: 9/18/2006
AKSAM- Obviously one doesn’t see the same object if one is standing
at different angles. Our distance from that object, our angle
and direction determines in what way and how much we can see that
thing. The other element which affects our vision is the capacity
of our eyes. Our political vision is no different. Our angle, the
way we stand and the obstacles to our vision shape our stance on
political incidents.
Interestingly, when our eyes don’t see well, we use glasses or
contact lenses, but we have no doubt about the clarity of our
political vision. We sometimes have the harshest views about certain
issues that we can’t see. Maybe the more information we have and see
things from different angles, the harder it is for us to have a firm
opinion. However, it’s much easier to have a view before becoming
informed. What’s more, those who have a view talk the most. One can
feel the same situation in our country and other countries. In the
US, politics is talked, thought about and produced in Washington,
DC the most. Serious political discussions are held not only at
research institutions and universities, but also in restaurants,
shopping centers and taxis. The world’s information is compiled
there. Therefore, lobbies are very influential.
They’re trying to turn the results of research and the way they are
interpreted by politicians in their own favor. Particularly ethnic
lobbies are working very professionally and tcan have an impact on
many decisions.
However, Turkey is very weak on this. We’ve never managed to get
organized and do lobbying. The Greek, Armenian, Jewish, Arab and
Hispanic lobbies are very active. They have close contacts with
politicians.
However, nobody is working in the direction of Turkey’s political
strategy, except for a few Turkish researchers and some volunteers. We
have no sufficient channel to explain ourselves to the US, market our
vision in foreign politics and tell our problems about northern Iraq
and the terrorist PKK. These people don’t know us and know little
about us, but they know a lot about the issues which concern us. Up
to now the Jewish lobby has been able to close the asymmetry which
emerged through the Greek and Armenian lobbies and it also succeeded
in influencing the Congress on many issues. However, we don’t have
such a support following the visit of Hamas officials to Turkey.
What’s more, now the Jewish people have to turn back to issues which
concern them, because the lobbies think that Israel’s policies are
increasing the anger towards the US. In other words, they aren’t
as relaxed as they were in the past. They also have an interesting
stance about the terrorist PKK. They say that although nearly 3,000
US soldiers have died in Iraq, this news isn’t covered by newspapers
and that our nation is very insensitive about our own soldiers, and
so why should we be interested in yours? So they’re shortsighted in
terms of both time and place.
They also can’t see the consequences of an Armenian genocide
resolution. The Armenian diaspora turned this bill into a raison
d’etre, and it’s using all its power. The timing is also very
appropriate. It’s not allowing anybody to know about it, but it can
provide everybody with views in the US Congress. After it’s passed
by the US Congress, it would be no surprise if it creates a domino
effect and is adopted by other countries in short order. We should
hurry up now, before it’s too late.