Mehmet Ali Birand - English
Mehmet Ali Birand - English
Mehmet Ali Birand - EnglishYazarın Tüm Yazıları

Pious, ultra nationalists to lead Turkey

In the States every year a special report is published by the National Investigation Council, or NIC. It is called Global Tendencies: 2025.

This report is constantly updated and it estimates what will be realized in the years to come. Do not get me wrong, it is not a report comprising conspiracy theories or articles written by fortune tellers. On the contrary, the U.S. investigation reports comprise all of Washington’s think tank and information from state capitals in the country. It is a report taken very seriously and paid attention to by political, economic and military decision makers.

The 2008 version has been published.

Take a look at estimates about Turkey:

"...Turkey for the next 15 years will follow politics where pious and ultra nationalistic lines are united... these tendencies will strengthen... Turkey’s pessimism regarding the EU full membership is growing... with such a probability the prospect of pious and ultra nationalistic trends will strengthen further..."

This is a perfectly right evaluation.

The biggest obstacle in front of our Turkey entering the European Union is the constantly swelling pious and ultra nationalist wave. Let me translate this idea into Turkish.

In the upcoming 10 years we should not expect any other party than the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, to become the administration in Turkey. It is estimated that even if another party is elected it will be one that is more pious than the AKP or a coalition between two parties that have a pious inclination.

In view of such a scene, Turkey will enter into a pious - ultra nationalistic pincer.

This is the biggest danger faced by a secular system.

It is important that Washington draws attention to this danger.

The indication that the real antidote of the secular system is the European Community reveals how vital the relations between Turkey and the European Union are for Turkey and in view of stability in the region.

This is the danger we are talking about...

The situation in Turkey is very bad.

Nationalists led by the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, are against the European Union.

The pious led by the AKP are negligent to E.U. relations.

Ultra nationalists led by the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, are waiting to exterminate the European Union as soon as they have the chance.

Let us also take a look outside, at E.U. capital cities.

When asked, almost everyone says that the full membership of Turkey is important for Europe. But this statement is followed by a "BUT" listing Turkey’s deficiencies. For some part they are right. Especially the slowdown and negligence of the AKP poses the biggest obstacle. This gives big countries like Germany and France an opportunity to prolong the process. On top of that, they create an atmosphere as if they behave fairly and as if they do not have an antagonizing attitude toward Turkey. In other words, with Turkey passing the ball, Germany and France are given the opportunity to play as they please. Who knows, maybe the AKP does it on purpose.

I was in Berlin recently. I had an opportunity to talk to German Prime Minister Merkel in length. At the beginning of our conversation I said, "I am not a journalist and you are not the prime minister. Please tell me, are you not aware that by hindering Turkey you are at some point endangering this country’s secular system? Or are you doing this on purpose?"

She told me her thoughts on the condition and I will not write them. I can not write what she exactly said but only tell you about her general approach.

Germany, in principle, believes that Turkey eventually needs to become a full member of the European Union. But not immediately. They need time. They are happy that Turkey does not exercise pressure. It makes it easier for them.

If I were to summarize, everything depends on Turkey.

In case Turkey becomes active, neither Germany nor France nor any other country will be able to stop Ankara... the problem arises from Turkey.

As I said upfront, neither the pious nor the nationalist nor the ultra nationalist... nobody thinks that far ahead. Or, on the contrary, they think that far ahead and as mentioned in the report from Washington do whatever they can to deliberately stop the course to the European Union. The nationalists who cherish secularism in Turkey please be informed: Instead of hindering the European Union, rather pull them to your side, for in the future the European Union will be our most important protective armor.
Yazarın Tüm Yazıları