His eyes, his looks, and his demeanor were that of a fox; his ideas, that of a wolf, the Grey Wolf. That is how Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, appeared on TV during an interview with the English version of Al-Jazeera on Oct. 26. He was all smiles and appeared content as a cat that had swallowed a canary, in this case perhaps a mouse. He was talking about Turkey’s role in the Middle East in bringing Syria and Israel together, in having excellent relations with Russia, in considering Azerbaijan Turkey’s “interior” and posing a not-so-veiled threat to Armenia. His unwavering opinion was that his “government will not submit the Armeno-Turkish protocol to the parliament for ratification until and unless the political climate is right,” in other words, until the Karabagh issue is solved, of course in favor of Azerbaijan. I was happy to hear that, since the Karabagh issue will never be settled to the Azeris’ and the Turks’ satisfaction, and therefore the protocol will never be ratified by Buyuk Millet Meclisi, the Turkish Parliament. Case closed!
Davutoglu was self righteous in defending Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus and its intervention in the Balkans. He was adamant about Turkey’s desire to enter the European Union, in reality invading Europe without firing a shot—something which they had failed to do in the past.
He said they had done all this in pursuit of peaceful solutions to existing disputes with the goal of establishing “co-existence between the nations of the region,” of course under Pax Turkiana, akin to the Ottoman Empire which colonialized, disrupted, and destroyed life in all the countries of the region, some parts of Europe and North Africa.
He did not mention anything about the Ottoman Turkish atrocities on Arab land, specifically in Baghdad, Damascus, and Aleppo, where they sucked dry the blood of people.
He did not mention anything about Cemal (Jemal) Pasha who sent Arab intellectuals and nationalists to their death on the gallows, so much so that he was nicknamed Jamal El Saffaah (the exterminator).
He did not mention anything about Turk’s attempts to ethnically cleanse Asia Minor of the Kurds, who have inhabited that land together with the Armenians for millennia. He did not mention the Turkish oppression of the Alevis in Konia. He, of course, left the Armenian Genocide to the historians. He said, and I am paraphrasing, “I am a professor of history. I know that in order to establish the truth, there should be fact-finding on this historic event. Our government has opened the archives of the era, and it is open to the historians for research.” Yeah, sure, and I was born yesterday! Tons of State Department documents, tons of New York Times reports, and tons of solid evidence are not enough, they have to form a committee to look into history. If it was ever possible to do a DNA test, the blood of the government of Turkey, the blood of many ordinary Turks, and the blood of some Kurds would read, beyond any shadow of a doubt, a strong positive.
Davutoglu did not say that they have already sanitized the archives that are available to the historians. I don’t blame him for invoking the Turkish Fifth Amendment.
This is Turkey: a small area flaunting European lifestyle with an Oriental charm, and a vast territory with Oriental backwardness void of European way of life, while pushing Islamic fundamentalism and fanaticism. Turkey’s strategy is to look European. Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya. Cheap food, cheap liquor, even cheap flesh, which appeal to penny-pinching Europeans.
This pseudo-European image is what influences international opinion and decision-makers who have not gone to Adana, Ayntab, Marash, Diarbakir, Shirnak, Mardin, or other parts of Anatolia, where illiteracy, religious fanaticism, chauvinism, xenophobia, backwardness, and intellectual stagnation speak of the death of Kemalism. People there yearn for the good old days of the Ottoman caliphate, where the Turk was able to bask in ignorance, where he could kill a Christian, or better yet, an Armenian, for the glory of Allah and possession of belongings. This is the Turkey that did with Ughur Mumji and Hrant Dink and countless other decent journalists. This is Turkey, a NATO partner, a candidate for the European Union, a political mediator in the Middle East, and a peacemaker. Turkey, “You can cheat some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people, all of the time.”
Yes, Turkey, which was a rat in the past destroying the attic, has now mutated to look like a bat from below, and a rat from above.
Dr. Henry Astarjian
Latest posts by Dr. Henry Astarjian (see all)
- Astarjian: A Quadruple Historic Bypass - February 2, 2015
- Astarjian: Hypocrisy or Ineptitude? - September 28, 2013
- Armeno-Kurdish Relations: Love Fest or Divorce Settlement Meetings? - August 19, 2012
It is appropriate to examine Turkey’s internal and international policies constructively. 1. Armenian Genocide, a well established fact throughout the world except where racist nationalist ideologies dominate, especially Republics of Turkey and Azerbaijan and a number of their apologists. Denying the Armenian Genocide is as insensate as denying that WWI did take place or insisting that the earth is flat! The massive denialist and distortive efforts of Turkey involving multi-million expenditure annually often with borrowed money from Europe and US has failed utterly. Additionally Turkey’s attitude has dented the credibility of the Americans and its other pathetic apologists. 2. Western Armenia; The Great Tragedy: Dual Crimes of Genocide and Occupation against Armenia. The primary reason why the Genocide was committed was due to Pan-Turanic expansionist policies, an ideology very similar to the racist-nationalist Nazi ideology of later years and one that continues in Turkey (and Azerbaijan) today, especially in the form of Deep State terrorism. Genocide was specifically committed for the occupation of Western Armenia. Turkism’s attempt to destroy Eastern Armenia however failed because of Russian intervention, consequently Russians are disliked. The Armenian Diaspora remains possibly the most advanced Diaspora in the world. Its friends are practically countless; its strength and resources grow constantly. It remains an integral part of united Armenia and its outlook remains deeply democratic and patriotic as far as its country of origin is concerned. 3. Opening of the borders (between Eastern and Western Armenia). It is high time thousands of years of realities were recognised. If Turkey behaves, which is most unlikely, the Genocidal and occupation roles it has played in the past can be corrected and the situation can be brought into the European Cultural Frontiers. However in order to step into such a reality effectively it will be necessary for the European Union, Russia and the US to act jointly. 4. Azerbaijan; the current surreptitious Turanian pan-Turk policy emanating from Ankara and Baku is one nation two states, a childishly unrealistic concoction as the two nations have thoroughly different backgrounds. Azerbaijan’s Aliev dynasty remains amazingly autocratic and anachronistic. As the situation stands there is no chance of respite. It’s extremist ideology based on Turkism remains a danger to its neighbours. Its infantile tantrums on a number of issues has placed its oil and gas installations, on land as well as on the Caspian, at significant risk. 5.Turkey’s Internal Affairs; Instead of proposing disingenuous joint historical commissions with Armenia to examine 100% proved facts regarding the Armenian Genocide it is high time it abolished its state sponsored manufacture of kindergarten official history and permitted all its population freedom of expression and thought, especially by abolishing the existing draconian repressive laws thus prompting its intellectuals/academics/students… and journalists to debate its entire history freely and without fear of getting persecuted, prosecuted or murdered, such as Hrant Dink, Orhan Pamuk, Ragip Zarakolou … and lesser known thousands more. Judicial murder must end. 6. Turkey’s State Terrorism; this dangerous aspect has two tentacles: 1. Official; 2. Deep State. Official terrorism is best demonstrated by the destruction of thousands of Kurdish villages in the East of the country and in the process murder of tens of thousands. This Nato member has destroyed far greater number swathes of Kurdish lands than Sadam Hussein’s Iraq. This is just one example. In this type of terrorism the elected government is part of the combination. Deep State terrorism; a very well publicised development especially within the country it is predominantly organised by the military, gendarmerie, the secret services and the sections of the police force; within these organisations the ideology of Turkism dominates. The elected government invariably have no control open the Deep State terrorism and it remains the true power behind the parliamentary façade. When official terrorism is in action Deep State terrorism automatically compliments in the destructions. The only way to eliminate State Terrorism in Anatolia is for the US, Russia and the EU to act jointly if necessary militarily to restructure the Turkism based regime in Ankara otherwise all Turkey’s neighbours will suffer significantly greater losses, and eventually this danger which may ABS development weapons in the country that can be aggressively used against the EU and others. It has to be remembered that during the early part of the 19th century the Jenissarys, the most powerful military organisation in the country had to be completely wiped out because they were persistently interfering adversely with the state affairs. 6.Turkey’s external aspects; perpetual jingoistic outlook; the hysterical anti Armenian outlook well known throughout the world consequently no need to elaborate further. Just to note that large quantities of arms have been shipped to Azerbaijan in order to facilitate “the younger brother’s” proxy war against Armenia, thus attempting to permanently usurp Armenian territories which is Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh, and Nakhichevan. It is now to the thorough interest of the EU, Russia and the US to reconstruct Armenia upon its plateau so that the great danger emanating from Turkism is eliminated. Georgia has lost significant territories to Turkey and shortly after WWII claimed them. Georgia has also lost significant terrorism to Azerbaijan; Iraqi Kurdistan: constant bombardment and incursions by Turkish forces during the last 20 years; Syria: Occupation of Alexandretta shortly before the WWII; Cyprus still under Turkish occupation. The EU remains pathetically ineffective in defending its territory; Greece: Constant harassment of its territorial waters and a number of its islands – another example of EU supine mentality. Turkey has ZERO CHANCE of joining the EU in the foreseeable future as European democratic and liberal values remain deeply alien to its mentality. Even when progressive legislation is passed under EU pressure, they are often not implemented.
Dear Dr.Astarjian,
Firstly, your description of the countenance of the man Davoutoghlu is superb and on top of it what his eyse this that convey.A perfect analysis-this because you are a medical doctor? also that.But I admire your delving into his inherited capabilities from his ancestors…
I was also watching Al Jazeera-perchance -at that moment when he was being interviewed-the wily,a bat´s-like eyes and dirty smiles,plus his cunningly thought of utterances fit your imging him.
Now tothe other points you have so well pinpointed.All is perfectly narrated,one by one.
May I add just one more detail? no,not to this fox-like person,his personality and his morale,but one main fact that Mr. Bagrad Nazarian has overlooked ,you as well, with reference to the best ever one.
That of “Ottoman turkish Military Tribunals” -their own highest military court-that judged and condemned the mastermind killers-murderers ,Talaat,Enver and Jamal,plus quite a few others..who were to be punished but with help of theirown government “slipped out” and turned up in Malta,Berlin,Rome and other cities of Europe.However our avengers took carfe of them properly.
Sometimes I wonder why,when talk of digging up archives,examine these and convening historians to ascertain whether it was a Genocide that they perpetrated on their”raya” Eermenis or otherwise,our side does not reply:-JUST GO THROUGH YOUR ABOVE TRIBUNAL´S FILES….WHICH OUGHT TO BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT STICK!!!!
Hama Haigagani SIRO
gaytzag palandjian
NATO shall disband because of Turkey. Remember!
jeshmarid@yahoo.com
Dear Samvel,
I beg to differ.From time casi(quassi) immemorial….great Turkey has been supported by its allies,even before the present Euro-American British one,then with a somewhat different face.This becasue these still pursue-notwithstanding Russian overtures to Democray etc. -latter in their eyes is an adversary not to say enemy.Meaning ,also even though they have become a capitalist style run entity, they still are RRRRusians of Peter the Great ,later soviet RRussia.In my humble viewppoint,it was easier for them to forget and forgive Germany´s animocity -don´t forget an anglo saxon nation-than make up with present Russian replica of a capitalistic regime.
And this will go on untill an unknown period of time..
Armenia cannot but still stake its hope on only either integrating into further Russian sphere,so to sepak-it already forms part of the 5 nation pact-or else, as is being now staged, a rapprochement-unwillingly-to the Euro-Am backed great Turkey.Granted,if this last option is excercised there may be some breathing space for Armenia, however fictive, it will pave the way for some normalization.
Other than that,great Turkey has to by and by come to terms,not only with an autonomous Kurdisstan and in extension-automatically-parcelling our of some portion of Anatolia(actually western Armenia) the real and lawfull owners of it.There are some signs of gradual softening up of present turkish regime,though aesthetic,but nonetheless a process that will end up in actual change.
This change ,albeit superficial, will also penetrate by and by (along some 5/10 years)into Turkey chaning its hard stance to a more flexible one.Iran also does actually enter into the picture ,Western Euro-Am opposing its nucldear programme.Witness recent slow rapprochement in this dirfection too.They know full well that Iran is not Shah´s Iran anymore and will have to face up to it.
Nato being disbanded is a far cry therefore, from what is on the scene, since-this is where you err,if I may say so-they still depend on it tremendously,both for the Northern Bear and also Middle Eastern issues,still pending to be solved.
Hama Haigagani SIRO,
gaytzag palandjian