The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
I've found over the years that it is hard to get Americans to spend a great deal of time thinking seriously about Turkey. My brother put it to me rather bluntly when last I spoke to him: "Sorry, Claire, those Turkish names are too complicated. My eyes glaze over."
In most of what's written by foreign commentators, I note that there is a longing to see the trajectory of Turkish politics under the AKP as a simple thing, to criticize it in terms that are too glib: "Turkey has gone fundamentalist, end of story"--or to praise it in terms that are ridiculous: "Turkey is ideally poised to serve as a model of Islamic democracy." (That last argument makes me insane: It is so deeply patronizing, so full of the soft bigotry of low expectations. The relevant question is whether Turkey is a model democracy, and that is the only question we should be asking.)
A few months ago, I wrote a long piece about Turkish foreign policy that represented my best effort to figure out what's really going on here. I couldn't find anyone to publish it. With all that's going on in the world right now, I don't take that personally. But I do think it's a shame--it's a terrible mistake to ignore or simplify what's happening here, or to underestimate what this means not only for the West, but for the 70 million very real human beings who live here.
I may yet publish that piece on Ricochet. I have to figure out whether it was rejected because of editorial short-sightedness or because it just wasn't as worthwhile as I thought. Modesty inclines me to the second hypothesis.
But in the meantime, I want to call your attention to an analysis that seems to me exceptionally well-informed and comprehensive. It's long, but well worth your time, and well worth the time of anyone in the US policy-making community who is trying to understand what's really happening in this country, the relationship between its domestic and foreign policies, and above all what influence the West might have on both, for the good of Turkey and the region.
Kemal Köprülü is the publisher of Turkish Policy Quarterly. He sent this, originally, as an e-mail to a list of friends and colleagues. He wrote it not in his capacity as editor of the journal but as a summary of his own views. I thought it was outstanding, and I asked him to make it available on line.
He did. I encourage you to read it all.
He introduces it thus:
I fully understand and respect the fact that most of you are concentrated on what is happening in the Middle East/North Africa region. With all that is transpiring, it is difficult for you to concentrate on Turkey. However Turkey’s foreign policy and domestic democratic stability have direct ramifications for the course of change in the Middle East and North Africa, and for Western leverage in these regions. ...
It is time to stop pretending that these things are not happening in Turkey, or that they do not warrant attention. What the Turkish people are led to believe and want goes far beyond Turkey’s own geography. Because Turkey has influence on the region, through its developed entertainment, information, business and cultural outreach, Turkey’s rising anti-Western tendencies have a far-reaching effect. Two years ago, most analysts were claiming that with Obama taking office and the EU process continuing, Turkey’s Western orientation (and lowering of anti-Americanism) would be restored. This has not occurred. ...
And concludes thus:
The last 5-6 weeks was an excellent example of issue-based cooperation that is successfully ‘checking’ AKP on the issue of press freedoms. It was critical that political pressure was exerted by Washington, Brussels and other capitals. In order for domestic outcry to deliver results, it is vital that it is combined with international political pressure. This pattern will be the key for checks and balances in Turkey. The international community needs to send delegations as well as informal groups to analyze realities on the ground in Turkey. They need to meet with unofficial people in informal environments to be able to speak freely, off-the-record.
The last few years have brought about serious tensions between Ankara and Western capitals, as well as significant polarization within Turkey. For the long-term interests of both the Transatlantic bloc and the Turkish people, it is important that Turkey’s counterparts in the West distinguish between Turkey and the party leading it since 2002. It would be a serious strategic mistake on the part of Western leaders – as well as non–Western leaders- to equate Turkey and its potential to the current political leadership, or for that matter, any other particular political current. A deeper understanding of the country is warranted.
Indeed it is, and this is an excellent place to begin.
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Dec '10
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
Claire -
Yes, the names are difficult. The only one I can pronouce is Kemal Atatuk (Finnish names are equalling challenging!); however, I find your posts enlightening and entertaining and for that you have my sincere thanks. Individuals such as Bernard Lewis and yourself are a light in the darkness when it comes to this region. I've already picked up a few books on Turkey, Iran as well as a general history book dealing with the Byzantine Empire. Please keep up the great work and do not doubt your ability to share knowledge!
Edited on Apr 27, 2011 at 11:38amRe: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
Johannes Allert: Claire -
Yes, the names are difficult. The only one I can pronouce is Kemal Atatuk; however, I find your posts enlightening and entertaining and for that you have my sincere thanks. Individuals such as Bernard Lewis and yourself to be a light in the darkness when it comes to this region. I've already picked up a few books on Turkey, Iran as well as a general history book dealing with the Byzantine Empire. Please keep up the great work and do not doubt your ability to share knowledge! · Apr 27 at 11:35am
Thank you, and I mean that deeply.
Mar '11
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
I'm afraid I am one of those who take an over-simplified view of Turkey as simply moving away from the West, towards Islamism (turning the East side of the country into an island is not gonna help).
But I am sure Samantha Power, Susan Rice and Hillary Clinton are keeping Mr Obama well-briefed, so I don't need to worry about the details.
Mar '11
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
I also find your posts on Turkey very informative, Claire. Having been born and gone to school in Greece I have a special interest in Turkey and Turkish history and politics, with a focus different and perhaps deeper than most Americans (at least those who bother with Turkey). Mr. Koprulu's article appears, at first glance (no time yet to read it carefully) very enlightening as to what's going on in Turkey.
BTW, is there an accepted way of writing Turkish words that conatin vowels with umlauts with a standard English keyboard (like German words where the umlaut eds up as an e following the "umlauted" vowel).
Dec '10
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
Claire Berlinski, Ed.:
In most of what's written by foreign commentators, I note that there is a longing to see the trajectory of Turkish politics under the AKP as a simple thing, to criticize it in terms that are too glib: "Turkey has gone fundamentalist, end of story"--or to praise it in terms that are ridiculous: "Turkey is ideally poised to serve as a model of Islamic democracy." (That last argument makes me insane: It is so deeply patronizing, so full of the soft bigotry of low expectations. The relevant question is whether Turkey is a model democracy, and that is the only question we should be asking.) ·
The implied question (or assumption) behind "Turkey is poised to serve as a model of Islamic democracy" is whether Islam is fundamentally incompatible with democracy. I suspect that different Islamic scholars would answer that question differently.
Aug '10
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
It’s a frivolous reflex, I know, but not only do I pronounce Turkish names, I translate them (What does He-Falcon want now? And how is Sweetvoice’s recovery coming?); and not just into English but into Spanish (Conpuente writes lucidly). As for its native speakers, I presume that in the AKP they got what they want, or like, or (and here is the 21st-century political magnetic north) feel they deserve. This world is in for a lot of self-punishment, because it feels it deserves it. We should never wonder at peoples’ endurance of a Castro or a Qaddafi or a Kim, for their longevity makes it not wondrous but ordinary. The future holds more of these guys, not fewer. And speaking of self-punishment, and religion, and democracy, I’d simply ask if environmentalism and freedom are compatible.
Not that I think of Turkey as Islamic. I don’t even think of it as Eastern-Hemisphere - even though it indisputably is, and this is more descriptive. Categorization is for folks who haven’t been there. Turkey is Turkey, and it’s going to have its foreign policy, not our foreign policy.
Oct '10
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
Turkey needs more people like US Amb. Ricciardone to speak the truth.
Dec '10
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
John H.: "Not that I think of Turkey as Islamic. I don’t even think of it as Eastern-Hemisphere - even though it indisputably is, and this is more descriptive. Categorization is for folks who haven’t been there. Turkey is Turkey, and it’s going to have its foreign policy, not our foreign policy." Well, it's supposed to have a foreign policy compatible with NATO membership. And if it joins the EU, it will have to subordinate its foreign policy to the EU's. Both of those seem to rankle the current Turkish government.
Feb '11
Re: The Most Serious, Informed Critique of the AKP I've Read
If the opposition is cowed and doesn't speak, the AKP will continue recreating an oppressive Islamic state. Could it be that Iran is Erdogan's "model" for Turkey?