To those who do not understand the statement, 'suicide attacks are rational fanaticism'
In our part of the world, honor and self-dignity is more important than life itself. Moreover, they are perceived more important than the desires for heaven and hell. Suicide attacks do not fit into religion, endure morale, or agree with the conscience. However, it is a very rational attitude for a man whose honor has been hurt. It may not be known how the Americans were planning to make the Iraqi captives talk, but it is indisputable that most of them will talk as live-bombs.
To those who praise the Western democracies to the skies
Rumsfeld mentioned that more photos and even videotapes of the torture have not been shown yet. "If we expose these to the public, that would be disaster," he said. In the final analysis, this is a word said on the line of being between a Democrat and a Republican. This means to say to the public: "There are things you shouldn't know and we know that it is better for you not to know these issues." As far as one can see, the transformation going on in the U.S. is not only a transformation of foreign politics.
To the Americans talking about compensation
It really looks like the Crusades. It looks similar because of its clumsiness. It looks alike from the angle of the military, being disordered and inferior. It looks the same from the point of not having even the slightest clue about where they are heading. It looks like it will end the same way, too. In the Arab world, there is no compensation for honor, decency and self-integrity. Moreover, the claim for honor is not a case of the individual; it is the common cause of the tribe the individual belongs to. Those who perceive the Middle East as a culture where only religion dominates are wrong. In this region, the reality of the societal customs and the tribe is more dominant than the reality of religion.
For those who believe Americans will "reshape" the Middle East
The Middle East has already been reshaped. It has been reshaped irreversibly. Even if they establish a democracy and human rights regime that has never before been seen in history, this feeling of slavery will not change; this scandal will not be deleted from the memories. There is no such thing as the Greater Middle East Project (GMEP). Because it cannot be. Because evidence supports the contrary. Because an administration so clumsy cannot undertake any 'greater' plan.
To those who are looking for a role in the GMEP
There is no GMEP, so there cannot be a role for Turkey in the GMEP. They say that we will be a role model. It does not matter if the entire Middle East takes us as a model. The thesis that democratic regimes get along is flawed. It is also not true that secular regimes engage in more trade. Turkey should not be in any future projection if it is to be used as the modeling country.
To Sunni-Shiite Iraqis performing Friday prayers at the same mosque
Those who cannot unite before God unite before the Satan. A beautiful view. But, a similar thing occurred in Afghanistan. Unity in the face of the enemy cannot be the basis for an Islamic alliance. It becomes an alliance, but not an Islamic one. Every formation defining itself according to the 'other' is reactionary, and every reactionary formation dissolves when the 'other' disappears from the stage of being.
To the member countries of Organization of Islamic Conferences and the Arab League
Condemnation is not enough. A standard must be placed and maintained. If you would have at least uttered a 'meow' when the knife was placed against the throats of the Japanese captives, they would now allow you to roar. If your human rights reports were full of A+'s, then you would have the right to talk. Of course the burglar is guilty; but the home-owner who did not close the doors and windows to the burglar who shouted a thousand times that he is coming is not fit to be mourned for. Now remain silent and cry for yourself!
To those who cannot free themselves from being slaves of conflict
We believe that the greater war is the intellectual war. There are three Islamic countries under actual occupation. However, there is total intellectual occupation. Intellectual torture has existed for a long time. An occupation that strips faith from its intellectual clothing and leaves it naked is not less dishonoring than what is being done to the Iraqi detainees. Now you go figure out for yourself how many thousands of times we have been intellectually raped.
To the volunteer lifetime prisoners among us
There are 'voluntary lifetime intellectual captive prisoners' among us. I've been watching Turkey for a couple of days from abroad, and I see we have turned into a Mamluk Sultanate (A sultanate originally by slaves and prisoners) regarding the issues of schools of the imam [Islamic religious leader at prayers]-preacher and the Council of Higher Education Institution law proposal. We are being ruled and educated by intellectually enslaved minds. My stomach turns when I see what is going on in Iraq, and I feel stifled when I see what is going on among us.
Long live freedom! To Hell with intellectual and actual slavery!
May 10, 2004
