Milliyet, Turkey
March 9 2009
The Beautiful American
by Taha Akyol
Hillary Clinton has, I am certain of it, raised the image of America
in Turkey, which has been dragging along the ground.
Hillary is clearly a warm, smiling personality. Well, what is her
background? The answer of Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, who took part in
all of the discussions: "Mrs Clinton has gained great political
experience, first of all as "First Lady" [in English], then as a
Senator, and thereafter as a candidate in the Presidential
election. She has always concerned herself with foreign policy. She is
on top of the issues. Her strength comes not from her surname, but
rather from her personality and her experience. Her being open to
communication is very important."
A warm personality, and an open mind not set in concrete
ideologically, are no doubt harbingers of a better era in
Turkish-American relations.
[Former US President George W.] Bush, with his combative and
exclusionary policies, was the symbol of the concept of the "Ugly
American." But [current US President Barack] Obama and Clinton, with
their peaceful policies of dialogue, reflect the image of the
"Beautiful American."
In fact, the essence and the goals of American politics have not
changed, but in order to dissuade Iran from nuclear weapons, for
instance, Bush brandished threats of war, while Obama speaks of
dialogue, and is working to attract the forces in the region that
appear to be at Iran’s side -including Hamas [Islamic Resistance
Movement]!..
And this in fact has been what Turkey has been considering.
Policies Coincide
On Friday of the preceding week, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy
Adviser, Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, and Foreign Ministry Deputy
Undersecretary Unal Cevikoz had met with journalists. I am looking at
the notes I had taken at the meeting in the Konrad Hotel. Davutoglu
had said: "Obama’s foreign policy needs and Turkey’s potential
coincide. Turkish-American relations are going to enter into perhaps
one of their best eras in history!" From this standpoint, Davutoglu
said that "more areas of working in partnership" have come about
between Turkey and America for resolving the problems of the Middle
East, and that the relations would develop yet further. He also said
that, for this reason, he did not consider it very likely that Obama
would speak of [Armenian] "genocide."
At that time, it had not been known that Clinton would come to Turkey,
and, "within a month," Obama as well.
It is clear that the process is going to develop as Davutoglu had
foreseen. Indeed, when we look at Clinton’s statements, the views of
the two countries coincide in large degree on the topics of combating
terrorism, ending the isolation of the KKTC ["Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus"], energy issues, the EU [accession] process, and
resolving the problems of the Middle East.
"Moderate Islam"
And one very positive aspect of Clinton’s visit was its putting an end
to the paranoia over "moderate Islam."
The Bush administration as well had no policy of turning Turkey into a
country that "implements the shari’ah in a moderate way," but their
errors in terminology had given rise to a paranoia of this sort.
It was very good that Clinton put an end to this. She stressed values
like democracy, the secular Constitution, religious freedom, the
market economy, and the sense of responsibility, and said "we do not
categorize any country in accord with its religious identification."
Her conveying a message of "tolerating criticism" to the Prime
Minister was also very good.
Now we should study Turkey’s internal sociological dynamics and
Turkish-American relations as well without falling into the paranoia
of "moderate Islam."
The first steps towards peace in the Muslim Middle East can be taken
by putting paranoias aside and drawing Iran to the table, influencing
Israel towards common sense, and opening radicals to dialogue. It is
certain that, in this, the common efforts of Turkey and America will
play a major role.
[translated from Turkish]