BY NAIL GURELI
MILLIYET- Our society is known for its short memory. In the runup to July's general elections, we should work to counter this. In order to vote properly, we should remember what we have gone through and keep in mind recent developments.
Together we have seen what brought about the protest votes cast in the last general elections, in fall 2002: fighting, tension and uneasiness...
We've missed having the seriousness of a true statesman.
We've hungered for a proud foreign policy.
When you step into the voting booth two months from now, you have much to remember. We're reviewing some of this so voters will act conscious of their responsibility, and we'll share this with you throughout the campaign period.
Let's start at the ending:
1. Special anti-terror Envoy Edip Baser, after complaining that the US had failed to taken concrete steps to end PKK attacks, was removed from his post. The stance of the US, which for years has fed the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government with empty promises by taking the terrorist PKK under its wings, was clearly influential in the government's decision.
Now it's the voters' turn to remove them from office on July 22.
2. Even though the AKP has a large majority in Parliament, by stubbornly and arrogantly acting alone, it failed to elect a new president, and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan now accuses the opposition of fleeing Parliament.
But in fact it was Erdogan who fled Parliament indirectly by causing a crisis. The tension and uneasiness which emerged in the country was a bonus.
Voters have noticed these developments, and will form a new Parliament two months from now, one from which nobody will be able to flee.