Global economic crisis, giant banks and conglomerates that collapse, and an upside-down world order are something but the foreign policy of the US is the real thing. All countries around the world keep their eyes on and stretch their ears to President Obama’s program and actions. Each state is shaping up its own order and making future plans, though through different methods, in line with the new US policies.
In such an environment. Ms. Hillary Clinton, the USA’s Secretary of State, paid a visit to our government in Ankara. We had welcomed her before and she is quite familiar with Turkey. In her visit this time, her every single message was the outcome of an approach which was seeking conciliation and peace, and keeping a careful eye on the balances. She needed to diligently emphasize this message even when she asked her coffee to be “mildly sugared”. She informed that President Obama would visit Turkey next month.
Turkish people have got very favorable messages of friendship and solidarity from this visit. Harsh winds of war are now replaced with soft breezes of conciliation.
As we all closely follow, President Bush dragged the whole world toward a challenging period because of his militaristic and strategic actions. There were certain recent developments that greatly disturbed the Islam communities. Palestine was invaded. 40-ton tanks, chemical weapons and all kinds of heavy arms were used to attack against poor landowner Palestinians, whose weapons were nothing but a tiniest stone. Children were killed and the Palestinian lands were occupied.
Mr. Obama is expected to change this bloody landscape, and create a world not unlike the one we have seen during President Clinton era where conciliations are possible, peace is possible, economic development is in fast progress, and various ethnic people and religion devotees may leave together in harmony.
The springboard of Mr. Obama should be the human rights and freedoms before anything else. Plans for a potential attack to Iran should be destroyed. Certain actions based on human rights and freedoms should be organized for the sake of peace; everyone should act sincerely and steps that would give hope to world people should be taken.
There were times of occasional conflicts and frictions between the USA and Turkey who have been friends and allies for 50 years and who together enjoyed many nice experiences. President Obama needs to look at Turkey from a different angle when he shapes up the US foreign policy. Thanks to its geographical position, Turkey is a real and natural bridge between the Western and Eastern civilizations. It is a country that actually enforces the Alliance of Civilizations.
President Obama should not overlook Turkey’s effective role in the Middle East, and her proximity to Iran, and her contribution to Syria-Israel peace, her weight in Afghanistan and Pakistan issues and her exemplary role in Georgia and Palestinian issues where there were hot recent developments and the attitude displayed by Prime Minister Erdogan in Davos, which simply astounded the world.
We should repeat very loudly that Turkey is a country of balances; that unless she is overlooked, we can see a more influential US in both the Middle East and Eurasia and that we can set up a powerful alliance in the axis of Iran and Syria.