They have accumulated some anger toward Turkey, more correctly, toward the AK Party (the Justice and Development Party). But there is nothing they can do. Instead of trying to influence Israel to act with common-sense, they are in a futile effort to push the AK Party away from power. There is this reality they need to see.
Due to the Mavi Marmara incident and the increasingly stronger independent media, no matter who comes to power, Turkey-Israeli relations will never be the way they were before. At least, not until Israel changes its attitude toward the people of Palestine. Secondly, there is another piece of reality the Jewish lobby and Israel’s friends should understand: They have to live with the AK Party government for some time longer. As the CHP’s political misery continues, it is apparent that the AK Party will not meet any real obstacles in continuing its single-party government.
The picture that emerged with the government’s suspension of three generals shows that the era of defining policies by institutions outside of politics is quickly drawing to an end. No agency that does not take its power from the people will have the strength to define the political direction of Turkey. This fact applies particularly to the traditional allies of Washington and Jerusalem: the Turkish military.
Circles interested in Turkey should see the fact that this country is entering a new phase. The AK Party and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s stance has not only changed the stance of Turkey in the world, but also strengthened this country’s belief in democracy.
In Turkey, the people love their military, but only when it’s in its barracks. Reactions toward the latest suspension operation only attest to that. Only those who are on the side of traditional [military] custodianship reacted against the generals’ suspension.
The CHP, along its classical unionist line, stood up for the generals and accused the government. Doing this, it defended a pro-coup military and distanced itself from the people by yet another step. Turkey’s multi-party history is filled with examples of the nation’s reactions against military interventions.
This people has always united, siding with the political movement that’s the target of a coup d’état after every military intervention. This is the reason why they chose the Justice Party after 1960, Ecevit’s CHP after 1971, the Motherland Party after 1980 and the AK Party after Feb. 28 [1997] and Apr. 27 [2007]. “The enemy of the military is a friend of the people.”
By standing up for the three generals who are facing trial on charges of having plotted to overthrow the government, the CHP did not stand up for the law. It only stood up for the tradition of military interventions now associated with this party. This picture is an obvious indicator of an overwhelming AK Party victory in the general elections in June next year. Friends of Israel in Washington should also see this fact and get used to living with it. Ankara can move on its way without appeasing the US Congress, which is heavily under the influence of Jewish lobbies.
It would be wiser on the part of the US to think about what it will do to maintain a relationship of trust with Turkey after documents published on Wikileaks suggested US support for the PKK (the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party). The primary target of a US administration that has lost the confidence of its strongest alley in such a problematic area such as that of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, should be winning Turkey back. Yes, the Congress could take steps toward punishing Turkey. The most obvious consequence of this would be an increase in anti-American sentiment not only in Turkey, but also in the entire Middle East and Islamic world.
The ultimate choice is most certainly up to the US to make…
