BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkish-US relations in the midst of the war in Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows:
Turkey’s policy on Iraq is predicated on no developments adverse to Ankara taking place in our neighbor -- in other words, Iraq’s continued territorial integrity. However, Turkey can’t single-handedly be the champion of Iraq’s integrity. In other words, if a superpower like the US is determined to take Iraq apart and redraw its borders, neither Turkey nor any other country is capable of stopping this.
What I’m saying accords with political realities. Those who like to think idealistically won’t care for this because it would spoil their dream world, but real politics always holds sway while idealism loses out. If the group of anti-Turkish bandits in northern Iraq manages to unite, of course Turkey will take measures against this and prevent oppression of the Iraqi Turkmen. However, carrying out this policy with the US would take some skill.
Being against war and hating it are honorable feelings, and also modern ones. However, it would be utterly against our nation’s interests to move against the US by putting forth this feeling as a pretext for our foreign policies. Washington’s policy towards us is also error-ridden, mistaken and deficient. It’s not reasonable to attempt to try to do something in this region without Turkey’s help. However, superpowers can cover their shortcomings. As the abilities of the non-super powers are very limited, we have to be that much more careful.
We should mend our relations with the US and urge it to do the same. The European Union wouldn’t support Turkey in a stand against the US. Certain EU members are with the US. Turkey’s isolation would cause exultation among those who hate and fear us. Our foreign policy should be formulated in full awareness of these facts.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION