HURRIYET- Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on Turkey’s difficult situation concerning the Iraq crisis. A summary of his column is as follows:
Parliament is about to make a decision that will affect our future in the long run, and even our grandchildren. Will we make things easier for the US, which insists on ignoring international law and attacking Iraq, or won’t we? On this issue, unfortunately Parliament doesn’t have any real free choice, because Turkey was taken hostage by the US, just like some innocent civilian. Even if it tries to resist this despotic force, it can’t. It knows that if it does what the despot wants, it would mean acting against its interests and wishes. Therefore there is one solution left, that is, doing what the despot wants and then at the first opportunity, breaking away from captivity and acting freely.
Yesterday Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan reminded one politician calling for rejection of the proposal that this year Turkey has to repay loans totalling $73 billion. Maybe he meant between the lines, ‘Do you know how much a “no vote” would cost?” The things US President George W. Bush said to Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and State Minister Ali Babacan at the White House last week unmasked this despot. ‘If we’re unable to get the support that we expect from Turkey, then we’ll act together with the groups [meaning Barzani, Talabani and other Kurdish groups] in northern Iraq,’ he told them. In other words, he meant, ‘If you don’t play with us, an independent Kurdish state will be established. If we don’t act together, the IMF and the World Bank will turn their back on you. And when that happens, don’t come knocking on our door expecting us to help.’ In other words, he was talking about the debt that Erdogan mentioned, but he saved the main issue for last: ‘You know about the Armenian bills in various US states. These bills might make it to the House of Representatives. The Armenian lobbies are looking forward to such a development.’ In other words, he meant, ‘If we officially recognize the so-called Armenian genocide officially, think of what will happen to you.’
All these things mean that Turkey is being forced to make a decision under threats and blackmail. In such a situation, is it possible for Parliament not to debate the proposal or to debate and reject it, since as yet there is no international legitimacy as required under our Constitution?
We can clearly see how Turkey was taken hostage. What’s more, it’s being forced to be an accomplice to murder.
However, unfortunately it has no other choice. The important thing is to find a way out of this deplorable situation the first chance we get.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION