Turkey, A secular country? June 2010

Turkey, A secular country?

The American “Newsweek” is one of the most important magazines in the world; therefore it should be subject to the famous dictum “wise men beware of your words”.

Last week, this very distinguished weekly published a detailed article by his correspondent in Istanbul. The political conclusion of this very distinguished newspaper stands as a subtitle to the article and it reads inter alia “Betrayed by Israel” and rebuffed by the Europeans, the Turks built for themselves a new entity as an independent regional superpower.

As reflected by the article Israel’s “betrayals” that contributed to Turkey’s new identity is indeed the attack by Israeli soldiers of the Mavi Marmara boat during the latter’s effort (in participation with other boats) to challenge the Gaza siege. We have studied the very long article and couldn’t find any other reason in the article relating to the Turkish-Israeli relations that brought the Turks to the conclusion that it has been betrayed. “The flotilla”! Nothing else.

Weapons found on board the Mavi Marmara

Some history about Turkey will teach us a lot about hysteria in Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (the name Atatürk translated as “Turkey’s Father” a name he adopted only in 1925 when he obligated every Turk to select a family name) gained the most prestigious titles i.e. “Raza”, and “Fasha”. He became the leader of modern Turkey after a long conspiring period. Atatürk commenced his betrayal against Sultan Mehemed VI when nominated by The Sultan to be responsible for Sansum, an area in Anatolia. Indeed the 19^th of May is a national holiday in turkey (commemorating the day in which Atatürk arrived [in 1919] in Sansum). As Atatürk knew well that Sansum will be ‘his beginning’. The original reason for the revolution was not necessarily the Sultanate per se, but as Atatürk saw it, the fact that the Turkish people fell far behind the West and his aim was to lead Turkey to modern civilization. In his book: Iran, Turkey and Americas Future, Stephen Kinzer writes that Turkey’s story (as is Iran’s) teaches that democracy can take roots only during the course of generations. Democratization is not an ‘event’ but a comprehensive approach to life.

And indeed until 20 years ago, Atatürk’s secular democratic thinking was the core principal of modern Turkey. When democracy threatened to go astray, the army - with its secular approach to life - interfered in the democratic process. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish Prime  Minister started delivering some warning messages twenty years ago. Presently when Europe is challenged by severe economical crises, the Turkish Prime Minister is developing business and economic ties both in the Middle East and in Africa. He commenced this initiative in the year 2003 when he came into power. In the outset his political party – The Justice and Development Party (AKP) demonstrated a modern Islamic approach. It supported the US, Europe [Erdoğan conducted the failed efforts to have \turkey join the EEC] and even the relationship with Israel was stabled. Alas, this was due to the fact that the alternative infrastructure was not yet ready, and the failure to have Turkey recognized as an equal member of Europe.

One of the first hints to the change was demonstrated when the Prime Minister refused to adhere to the military’s pressure not to elect a president whose wife was covered with a shroud. This demonstrated the weakening of the army’s political influence. It could not impose its views but sometimes recommend.

Erdoğan is Muslim and his ideology was always Muslim. Erdoğan did not befriend Iran because of the flotilla. The flotilla received support of Erdoğan because of his closeness to Iran. It was Erdoğan who expressed himself and voted against sanctions to be imposed on Iran and his newly found friends in Syria are in accord to his Islamic policies. Erdoğan desires to lead the area and he can only do so under the umbrella of Islam (the Ottoman sultan was always the most important Muslim in the world). Anti-Israeli policy is the entry ticket to the Arab world. Association with Iran and Syria opened the gates to Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon, and even with a Muslim brotherhood in Egypt and more.

No. The flotillawas not the cause for the betrayal as claimed by Newsweek; the betrayal – of the Turks-caused the flotilla.

But he who does not remember the past is condemned to repeat it. Prime Minister Erdoğan’s policy is already creating internal tension. Extreme Islam and tourism do not go hand in hand. The army values its relationship with Israel as do many businessmen and secular politicians. If the Prime Minister will not come back to his secular senses (and I hope he does not) he will be ousted either democratically or by the army whose political position is weakening as the Islam is strengthening.

Atatürk introduced secular turkey. For the benefit of turkey it should stay that way. 


Zalli Jaffe.