The Syrian nightmare loomed over the Arab spring is trial for all. This trial not only unveils the position that all take towards the Arab spring and it also invites everybody to the ongoing between idealism and realism in international politics but this time on the side of realism. Everybody participates to this discussion in accordance with his quality and the attitude appropriate to him.
The sun rises for those who claimed that “there is no place for idealism in foreign policy” because for them there is only the national interests to be concerned about. On the other hand they are not able to the accounts of these interests as well. In fact who can keep the accounts of an interest discriminating friendship, humanitarian relation and emotions? There is no limit for such an interest even in economics either.
Turkey, by emphasizing emotiveness, principles, and values in her policy of nine years has gained a lot in serving the promotion of these values. By doing this she contributed to others to gain as well. The portion of this gain in the developments coming out in Arab world and more importantly granting a revolution of confidence to people is great. Turkey has attempted a revolt of conscience at a governmental level but also at a social level for Somalia and Africa under the paws of famine in which she has not any seeming interest.
Compare the humanitarian aid campaigns that the Turkish people hold for Somalia in a very competitive manner with the up to date interventions that the so called super powers have held toward the problematic regions.
The US has occasionally remembered Somalia and intervened in. However none of these interventions foresaw the actual famine. The bombs poured down and the weapons transferred and the financing of the armed forces sent to Somalia were enough to rescue Somalia from such a disaster ten times. As same time, a little portion of the military expenses poured in Afghanistan and Iraq and lastly in Libya perhaps were enough to resolve the problems in these countries. However, whatever the US hoped to gain through these military expenses, she is busy in paying for these operations. On the other hand, Turkey grows, gains self confidence and becomes a tight-knit community with her public and government by succoring, sensationalizing, investing on peace, promoting the humanitarian values.
Turkey doesn’t consider an immediate military deployment in case of the eruption of a problem in a country as a means of sanctions or solution. Instead, she invests on peace, arbitration and negotiation through activation of the humanitarian, moral and cultural accumulation. Doing this she becomes more deterrent, more convincing and influential. The cause that made Bashar Assad listen to Ahmet Davutoğlu for 6,5 hours was neither the military power of Turkey nor the probability of carrying a message from the US, conversely it was the power of the accumulated dignity and cultural and symbolic capital.
Turkey was harshly criticized for she didn’t showed the same attitude to Libyan revolts as that she showed to Egyptian and Tunisian revolts. However, the process justified this policy of Turkey. Turkey does not have to take a side, particularly the side of opposition in the conflict areas. During the fight of somebody staying at a position to end the fight in the end is the greatest opportunity and it is a great success of Turkey for mostly there is nobody else but for Turkey at that position. It is the teaching of Quran commanding “to arbitrate between two Muslim groups in case of a conflict and to fight against the party in case of its obvious unfairness and raunchiness”
An Iranian diplomat whom I meet concerning the issue of Syria a few days before Davutoğlu’s visit was asking “whether it was right that Turkey simultaneously sustain her relations with Assad regime and the opposition. I reminded him this Qur’anic principle as much as I could and asked whether there was something else righter than this. The preference of the Iran of Islamic Revolution basing her foreign policy on the mere national interest without taking any Islamic and humanitarian value in consideration need a serious warning.
The attitude of Turkey towards Syria has nothing to do with any kind of sectarian policies. Turkey rejects to take place within the axis of a Shiite-Sunni conflict well in advance. The PM Erdoğan’s visit to Nejef and saying “I am not a Sunni I am a Muslim” while addressing to Iraqis at the core of sectarian conflict can be taken as a reference in this context. Bulent Arınc with his definitive words saying “we don’t have friends among traitors” stated that it doesn’t matter whether these traitors are Sunni or Shiite. Thus, it doesn’t matter whether the country on hot spot is Bahrian, Syria or Yemen the value that will be taken into consideration is not Shiite or Sunni but justice. In fact, Iran crucially needs to understand this sensitivity and priority of Turkey correctly.
Those who try to urge Turkey in favor of a party in any conflict have their own calculations. It is crucial for Turkey to outcast any other calculations and follow her calculation which has a very deep and wide angle vision and live up to the universal and humanitarian values.
It seems that the cruelty that Assad Regime commit in Syria will not be just observed because it is a responsibility to stop it. However, there is another responsibility that urges the usage of the means that can stop these killings before they cost too much or reached an irrevocable point. Turkey doesn’t have the luxury of rising to the bait.
(This article was published in Yeni Şafak Daily in Turkish on August, 13, 2011)
Translation: El-Vanî