’Change’ in Ankara

Of course, talks on cooperation against terrorism, the future of Iraq, the continued Afghan operation of NATO, the Cyprus issue and Turkey’s aspiration to become a full member of the European Union Ğ a goal that Obama expressed full support for, like his predecessors, even before coming to Turkey, during a visit to Prague for a meeting with EU leaders Ğ were all important. But what was more important indeed was the symbolism of the visit rather than what actually was said or discussed.

First of all, throughout his short stay in Ankara, the stress Obama made to the secular, democratic Turkish Republic, the vision and heritage of Atatürk, and a Turkey anchored firmly with the West was strikingly different than the moderate Islamic role model preaching we were hearing from former President Bush and his all-bright neo-cons despite repeated outbursts in Turkey expressing discontent with such remarks.

Now Obama is making clear that his administration is not looking at Turkey as a "moderate Islamic country" like the previous Bush administration, but rather as a "strategic partner" in a difficult geography and as a secular and democratic republic, with a predominantly Muslim population, that respects the freedom of belief and upholding the supremacy of law. This was a very significant message.

Secondly, the American president underlined clearly Washington’s strong support of Washington to the EU bid of Turkey and the bridging role of this land and country between the East and the West, between Christianity and Islam, between Europe and the Middle East, Caucasus and Asia. Thirdly, the visit marked a strong message to Turks that the U.S. valued relations with Turkey and wanted them to be brought to a strategic dimension. That was why apart from the Canada trip -- with which the U.S. has very special ties -- Turkey has become the only country the new U.S. president made a bilateral visit since he assumed office.

Still, particularly during a joint press statement, Obama made clear that he has not changed his views on the Armenian genocide allegations but implied that he might not use the word genocide and cause a serious rift during a time when Turkey and Armenia are in talks to take steps toward normalizing relations.

Rasmussen’s dislocated arm

As Obama was in Ankara, NATO’s new secretary-general Fogh Rasmussen was making a covert apology to the Islamic world at an Istanbul news conference with his right arm in bandages because of dislocated shoulder.

He was referring to the 2005 crisis over the publication of the so-called "Mohammed cartoons" saying that "I would never myself depict any religious figure, including the Prophet Muhammed, in a way that could hurt other people's feelings. I respect Islam as one of the world's major religions."

That apology was apparently one of the conditions the former Danish premier agreed on Saturday to make after Obama and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi intervened to resolve the secretary-general appointment crisis in NATO. That intervention, as well, demonstrated Turks that Obama did understand the feelings of Turks and the Muslim world. A wind of change in Bush-battered Turkish-American ties was blowing strong in Ankara.

What, however, was not changed during Obama’s short stay in Ankara compared to the previous Bush trip, however, were the efforts of Turkish security, and of course the hundreds of special U.S. agents deployed here, that turned Ankara’s many districts on Obama’s "possible route" into some sort of a no-car film stage, forcing Ankara residents to make incredible "discover your city" tours around the city to find a way downtown. Not only were roads closed to cars Ğ pedestrians could have "controlled access" to many districts of the city. It is indeed difficult to understand why Americans, and the Turkish security, were so obsessed with security and considered Ankara residents "potential terrorists" while no American president was ever assassinated by a non-American. After all, was the Obama who was in Ankara on Monday the same Obama who a while ago was eating hamburgers among ordinary Americans at a Washington restaurant?