Wall Street Greek
Feb 1 2009
Blood Money in Davos – Gaza, Erdogan and Peres
By Markos N. Kaminis
After the dust settles, despite the powerful corporate news that moved
the market this week, and regardless of the record setting lows seen
in nearly all the period’s economic data-points, what I will remember
most about the week just passed will be the fiery exchange of words
between an Israeli President and a Turkish Prime Minister.
(Article interests: Nasdaq: XISLX, Nasdaq: AMDAX, Nasdaq: AMDCX,
Nasdaq: GULF, Nasdaq: TRAMX, Nasdaq: TRIAX, AMEX: DIA, AMEX: SPY,
Nasdaq: QQQQ, NYSE: NYX, AMEX: DOG, AMEX: SDS, AMEX: QLD, AMEX: XLF,
AMEX: IWM, AMEX: TWM, AMEX: IWD, AMEX: SDK)
The mysterious annual meetings that occur in Davos, Switzerland among
the world’s elite of power and wealth offered the perfect platform for
an affluent discussion of a geopolitical powder keg. As a panel that
included Shimon Peres, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ban Ki-Moon and the
Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, erupted into a
devastating, yet contained explosion, I wondered how many who viewed
it understood its future significance.
The United Nations’ Secretary General blankly called for peace and
ceasefire, as would be expected from his position, and he noted the
UN’s kind direction of $613 million in aid to Gaza. Arab League boss
and influential Egyptian political head Amr Moussa noted the sum would
not be nearly enough to undo the destruction caused by the
"unbalanced" reaction of Israel. However, the most interesting point
made by the ember-filled Moussa was an implication of ultimatum. His
face withholding knowledge, his voice echoed that if the current
situation stood unchanged a year from now, there were other options
for the Arab League, including those involving "guns."
Erdogan held back nothing in his defense of the Palestinians, while
Shimon made an equally compelling case for Israel’s right to ensure
the security of its people. Erdogan recalled the fallen children,
while Shimon reminded him of the nightly terror of those Israeli
citizens who live within range of Gaza’s regular rocket fire. The
futility of the ageless argument was as clear as day. What makes this
problem so difficult to resolve is that both sides are right in the
basis of their complaints, and what destroys hope is the muddle of
their actions. The true solution can only come through tolerance,
generosity and love, not to mention amnesia.
However futile the pandering panel’s purpose, the administrators of it
in Davos committed a dangerous mistake in my opinion. Being a Greek, I
know my Turkish cousins intimately, and I realized quickly the
development of scorn before me. Mr. Shimon was given opportunity at
the end of the discussion to make Israel’s case. Sitting awkwardly to
his right, Erdogan seemed to take Shimon’s words as sharp personal
dagger to his side, and he clearly felt a sincere passion for his
Palestinian brethren.
Perhaps equally compelling him to wage his crusade was an awareness of
the group before him, men and woman of power and might, wealth and
insight, a group he sought acceptance from. So he nervously took notes
to rebut Shimon, but the administrators were more interested in
keeping to their schedule than in allowing these two influential and
powerful individuals to air grievances that might lead to some mutual
understanding. Instead, the naive administrators who feared the
oysters in the hall might sink into a mush of ice and water, failed to
note Mr. Erdogan’s Turkish pride.
When Shimon finished, Erdogan swiftly spoke up and steadfastly held
his ground. He was insistent for the opportunity to stand up to
Shimon’s judgments against his wisdom. Shimon had challenged Erdogan,
his intelligence and his comprehension of global affairs, and like
every Greek knows, when you engage a Turk or Greek, you had better be
prepared for his full acceptance of that challenge and his response to
it.
As the annoying mediator from the Washington Post, David Ignatius,
kept at interrupting, perhaps never aware of how precariously close he
was to the Turkish blade, Erdogan attempted to shorten his response,
as a civilized man might. Still, it took all the composure he could
muster to withhold the demon within himself. His rebuttal to Peres
included recollection of past Israeli strikes and Muslim deaths, which
the hypocrite labeled as barbarism. God perhaps saved the ears of that
congregation by not inviting me to Davos, lest I had reminded the Turk
of the barbaric murders of more than a million Armenians, some one
million Greeks and thousands upon thousands of Kurds and Georgians in
the ethnic cleansing that rid Asia Minor of Christians. No Turk can
ever credibly use the word "barbaric" until those crimes are
acknowledged, and reconciliation attempted.
So ironically, the Turk who still fails to recognize those past
atrocities as crimes against humanity, who attempts to keep the voices
of the slaughtered silenced even to this day, was himself
silenced. Erdogan offered last rights in passing, warning the crowd he
might never return to the unjust gathering. Groups of sympathizers
walked out of the meeting in concert as a mediator attempted to read
the united words of religious leaders.
Take note, Prime Minister Erdogan’s pride was badly scathed, and he
will forever relate the painful injury to Israel and the West, and its
cause to the defense of his holy brother. Scorn was born before the
world in Davos, a scorn that might one day place Turkish troops
alongside those of Iran. No matter how off-plan or even unfair the
concession might have been to allow the Prime Minister an extra word,
that’s a scenario worth missing a meal to avoid.
Besides Erdogan’s angered tantrum, the world might take careful note
of the quiet warning of the Arab League Secretary General, and of the
hero’s reception the Turk received upon his return home. A stew is
brewing in the Middle East, already cooked and served over decades,
but coming to a boil once again with new ingredients and spices. The
polished palettes of Davos got an early tasting, and the world awaits
its indigestion.
2009/01/blood-money-in-davos-gaza-erdogan-and.html
http://wallstreetgreek.blogspot.com/