What does Obama say about Ergenekon?

In each its important curve and wave for months, Ergenekon investigation has brought about the surmises that it will stop now, prime minister and the military conclude the issue behind the scenes and the issue will not proceed beyond this point. These surmises and remarks failed each time. The investigation continues and seems to continue. Things have come to a pretty pass, critical mass rules work from now on. It cannot return or cannot stay at the point which it reached. It will go to the point where it should go. Because the point where Ergenekon investigation reached has become directly related to how Turkey’s today will be defined and how tomorrow will be shaped.

How Turkey’s today will be defined and how tomorrow will be shaped has not only "domestic dimension" proceeding over Ergenekon but also has "external dimension." This external dimension will be affected especially by the great change in the U.S. administration and especially by the "encounter" of two countries in the Middle East. Many centers, which encourage anti-Americanism in Turkey, spread the claims that Ergenekon is an American operation which aims to suppress those who oppose America.

Even if the claim, itself, is nonsense, there is no reason for America to be disturbed by the Ergenekon investigation in ally Turkey which has a state structure based on the rule of law. Does Barack Obama administration support the Ergenekon operation which seems to cause a serious polarization in Turkey? When I face with this question, I think the answer is very easy. I remind Obama’s first address on Jan. 21 which he delivered in the oath-taking ceremony of new top American authorities. They are the first statements which Obama uttered after he settled in the White House. Obama said: "In this city (Washington), issues are discussed secretly. We will turn the United States into a transparent one, we put the rule of law into effect."

The new U.S. president showed that he is not a kind of person, who will just talk but do not take action, by shutting down notorious Guantanamo prison at first and banning the maltreatment against the prisoners during the inquiry. As a person who complained about the obscurity in his own capital city and promised for "transparency" and "rule of law," why does Obama desire his ally Turkey to become a country which is the paradise of secret assault rifles buried under the ground and a country where the law is prevented in some places by shelving the "coup diaries?"

It is out of question that Obama, who is full up with business, is busy with Ergenekon like us but if the question "what does Obama tell about Ergenekon?" is asked, the answer is easy: Obama will support the Ergenekon operation!

Democrat and liberal Obama needs cooperation with Turkey especially in the world’s most problematic region, the Middle East. He needs Turkey which is democratic and which is stick to the West over European Union and accordingly American alliance system.

The U.S. president started to show his "cards" that he will play in relation to the developments in Palestine-Israel axis, which needs urgent attention in the Middle East. Moreover, with quickness that many, including me, did not expect. If Tayyip Erdoğan reads Obama’s hand and follows a fine tuning Middle East politics Ñ despite his apparent disproportions in the latest Gaza crisis Ñ this chance will help Turkey start a multi-functional cooperation with new U.S. administration in the Middle East.

I can clearly observe Turkey’s (Erdoğan’s) this "chance" from Beirut which is the "radar screen" of the Middle East. As soon as we stepped in Beirut, we started to discuss Gaza and after. There is no other issue, here.

Despite the lost of credibility before Israel and the just anxiety, which American Jews have because of clear anti-Semitism in Turkey, Erdoğan has an esteem in the Middle East’s Arab environment which any Turkish leader could not have until today. (We will give place to Middle East impressions in detail in the following days.)

To move toward peace and stability in the Middle East, the first and the urgent works to do are to fix the disconnection between Palestine administration and Hamas, heal the wounds, fill the gap and maintain the "national unity." Unless these actualize, "Obama project" has no possibility to work. At this juncture, Turkey has a role. It is a must to include Hamas into the process. There is no way to go by excluding Hamas. However, it is beneficial to actualize this by achieving a "compromise among the Palestinians." Instead of Erdoğan’s understandable emotional tendency to only one of the Palestinian fractions, Turkey, which draws a profile of the most effective country in the region when looked from the inside, should undertake a guiding role to make Palestinian fractions embrace each other. This is expected from Turkey and Turkey can do this. The effort to do this will cause Erdoğan and Obama to become closer to each other in "the Middle East route." Such closeness will bring about the most solid assurance to do the required thing on Ergenekon trouble.