False Friend, Tiresome Threats
Arpiar Petrossian, Tehran, 30 August 2014
The below article was submitted to Keghart.com by Arpiar Petrossian as
comment (Caviar Diplomacy vs. Dedication). Because of its
comprehensive look at a disturbing phenomenon, we’ve decided to
publish it as an article.–Editor.
You are so right! Especially about the politicians’ difference of view
with that of boy scouts.
Hardly would anyone doubt it. Yet for a whole century (99.25 years,to
be precise) we have kept preaching the politicians on our rightfulness
and the answer -if any – has been: “Yes of course, my dear; but after
all, the Turks are our allies; Turkey is the only steady regime in
Near/Middle East [usually: ‘a sea of turmoil’], a west leaning secular
democracy among Islamist dictatorships and a major trade partner of
the west, especially of the U.S. Do you expect us to offend and
alienate them?”
The whole argument is another misinformation provided by Turkish (and
lately Azeri) lobbies – not to politicians, mind you, (they are
usually convinced through more persuasive means) but to the general
public who stomach it as a justification. While keeping up our
informative campaign on both the Genocide and Gharabagh, we should
underline the fact that neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan is much of a
prize for the west; they are more of a burden.
Let us have a look at the major points of the arguments usually put forward:
Ally of the west (?):
Turkey is the only NATO member in open and manifest enmity with
another member. It hopes to become an EU member while occupying half
of another member’s land. Its foreign policy has not always been in
line with the interest of the west, as demonstrated by Mr. Erdogan’s
lexicon reserved for Israel. Yes, there are some (rented) American
military bases in Turkey. But then, Guantanamo does not make Cuba an
American ally. Azerbaijan – despite its caviar diplomacy – buys its
armament from Russia.
A steady regime (?):
Since 1960 there have been four military coups in Turkey, plus a civil
war that lasted from 1978 to (the cease fire in) 2013. Of course the
government calls it “pacification acts against terrorists”! Azerbaijan
also had its share of military coups: one that brought the Aliev
dynasty to power in 1993 and two that failed to topple it.
Secular (?):
Turkey started out as an Islamic Caliphate. After Ataturk got things
his way in 1922, it became an anti religious (especially anti Islamic)
state, as a means of modernization. “Anti” not in the sense of being
basically against, more as a prefix, like anti-pope, anti-hero,
anti-matter etc. meaning “of the same nature though in the opposite
direction”. Now it is fast becoming an anti-anti-religious place,
where the president says publicly that women should not laugh in
public and where there are plans for building mosques on land
confiscated from Armenians – like the days of Ottoman caliphs. Despite
caviar’s dubious status at being halal (sturgeons, you know, have no
scales), Azerbaijan has been a proud member of OIC since its
independence.
Democracy (?):
Up to 1950 Turkey was officially a one party system. afterwards, each
of the four military coups were followed by a period (1.5-3 years) of
military rule. Even under “civilian” rule, the military has been
bombing their own villages. Just a few months ago when scandal broke
out about Erdogan’s financial activities, quite a number of judges and
prosecution authorities were summarily arrested and fired. Later
Erdogan was elected president, in elections judged by OSCE as not all
that transparent and fair. Only one of Azerbaijan’s presidents,
Ilcibey, is sometimes referred to as “democratically elected”.
Major trade partner (?):
It’s supposed to be an irresistibly convincing argument. Neither
Turkey nor Azerbaijan is included in Wikipedia’s list of 16 major
trade partners of the US. Nor are they mentioned among the 58 whose
topmost partner is the US. They are not included in Canada’s top 10
partners. Turkey ranks 16th at trade with Germany. Neither are
anywhere to be seen as importers of Australian goods and services and
Turkey is only 22nd as an exporter to Australia. EU is somewhat
different: Turkey ranks 6th among its customers, but with a balance of
only 25 billion Euros for 28 nations. The list can go on and on. In
short, it indicates that Turkey and Azerbaijan desperately need the
west whereas the west can well do without them (caviar and all).
Alienation(?):
This is a blackmail Turkey has often used – especially since the cold
war: “If you do this or that, especially if you recognize the Genocide
or befriend the Armenians, you won’t be seeing anymore of me; and
then… woe and shudder!” This has been repeated so much and so often –
both by Turks and their beneficiaries — that everyone, even many
Armenians, believe they mean business. In actual fact it is a bluff.
Experience shows there is a clear cut and repeating pattern: first the
ambassador is summoned to Ankara and the Turkish government makes all
kinds of noise, at the top of their lungs. Then, in about no time at
all, they are back–hat in hand. Then they(and their younger brothers)
start spending huge amounts on their Armenophobic lobby (good for the
host!). Just look at Argentina, Canada, France, you name it. And let
us not forget that the majority of EU members recognize the Genocide,
yet Turkey is trying so hard to join it.
Won’t somebody, please, tell these to Americans and those nations that
are wary of hurting the Turks’ feelings?