http://www.zaman.com/?bl=columnists&alt=&trh=20050209&hn=16380
Shifting From East to West The U. S. operation in Iraq caused ruptures in a great scale: The United Nations cracked, NATO cracked, the Western European Union cracked, the West cracked and Europe cracked. The direction in which these ruptures will develop is not certain yet. Will the crack become even bigger? Nowadays, everyone is trying to repair these cracks in order to ensure global cooperation. The developments in Iraq will determine the place and role of a new division and grouping in the world. The real determinant here is what the United States wants to do and how much it can be accomplished. To the countries like Germany, France, Russia and Turkey these are the questions: Do they want the U.S plans in Iraq to be successful? Or do they consider these plans incorrect? Do they object to the U. S. plans and interests considering the fact that the United States is after establishing its hegemony in the Middle East? Of course, the plans and interests of other countries in the region will influence the developments. Besides, what the various forces in Iraq want to achieve is also important. The process that will emerge as a result of all these plans, and the clash of interests, will play a role while a new Iraq is being shaped. What is interesting is that Turkey, which has been the best U. S. ally and friend for 50 years, has become the most anti-American country. Everybody in Turkey, including all the columnists, have become anti-American. With the effect of intellectuals on the society, anti-Americanism has risen sharply. This same America took sides with us in Bosnia, contrary to Europe that preferred to watch the genocide in that country. [Foreign Minister] Abdullah Gul asks: "Shall we in bad terms in a unipolar world with America, which was our friend in the multipolar world? Is it logical?" The most important characteristic of the Iraq model that Bush is trying to establish is that it includes a pretentious cultural metamorphosis project. The establishment of a Western societal system is being envisaged in a very short time in Iraq, which has traditional social and economic qualities of Oriental, Islamic societies. All the mechanisms and foundations that are going to be established are Western patented. The establishment of political parties, parliaments, private companies, private enterprises, central bank, stocks exchange market, independent media and the public opinion, are all part of a Western system, financed by the United States under the control of U. S. troops. Those who do not believe in this consider the elections as part of the game. In fact, there is a war going on in the social and cultural arena with the basic differences between the typologies of Eastern and Western people, and it will continue. In Eastern-type dictatorial regimes, power and money are distributed from top to bottom according to the ruler, family, party or ethnic connection. Ruling parties like the Baath Party, rule the state mechanism in this way, and by nourishing men bound to them like gangs, they control the society. - In Eastern societies, the leader, tribe and state are traditionally very important. The individual is not important. The individual is nothing and can be sacrificed easily. Can be killed easily. You cannot even question this. - On the other hand, the individual is at the center in the Western society. Social development and the state are meant for the individual's welfare and happiness. The individual is important. The real foundation stone of the Western-type democracy model is the individual getting stronger both economically and socially. But there is also another fact that the West mostly ignores: In Eastern societies, the individual finds his strength, public spirit and social security in the tribes, congregations or sects. Someone who joins such organizations, in one way or another, is better protected in difficult times and can also find people to support him. - Those who are clearly flabbergasted by the organized attitude of millions of Shiites demonstrating in the streets, and their participating in the elections, do not know anything about the religious-political organization model, that includes even the prayer leader of the districts. - Shiism in particular, different from Sunnism, has turned religious and political authorities into a state and societal control mechanism, most especially in the Iran model. It would not be incorrect even to say that Shiism has repeated Lenin's and Stalin's classical one-party model that reaches the traditional streets. - Establishing a Western model in such a special, organized structure that protects and controls the society will encounter certain difficulties, because this will mean a drastic shift from East to West geo-culturally, in a very short period of time. We hope that this shift does not result in Turkey being stuck between the EU and the United States, and being unable to do anything about it. Turkey should adapt to its role as a global player. -- By the time you know what to do, you're too old to do it. -- Ted Williams ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. 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