Bird’s Eye: Turkey isn’t often mentioned in ‘Arab Spring’ articles: it’s not Arab, and their government is a stable democracy. But they are the major emerging power in the Middle East, and Netanyahu’s uncompromising stance has alienated Turkey who had been their closest ally. We start a three section piece on the Middle East by looking at how Turkey is becoming the central power in the neighbourhood.
* Turkey Rising Patrick Cockburn Counterpunch
The Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, arrived in Egypt yesterday at the start of a three-nation tour as Turkey toughens its stance towards Israel and seeks to become the predominant power among Muslim states in the Middle East and North Africa…. Turkey has benefited from the Arab Spring because it is likely to be in tune with new democratic governments, even when it had good relations with their predecessors. The country can also move to fill a vacuum since most of the more powerful Arab states, such as Egypt and Syria, are weaker than they were before their governments were overthrown. Iraq has never recovered from the rule of Saddam Hussein and the violence that followed.
* Turkey’s Erdogan Fills Middle East Power Vacuum Left by U.S. Richard Silverstein Tikun Olam
… One critical factor that’s led to the rise of Turkey is the abandonment by the Obama administration of any sort of active, engaged role in the region. Sure, its stalwarts will retort that the president does have an active policy. But what he really has is a semblance of a policy, not the real thing. …Obama has not been willing to do the hard things that would call the Israeli government to heel. But Erdogan has. And that makes all the difference in Turkey’s ascendancy and the U.S.’ decline in status in the region.
It was Turkey which brought together Syria and Israel for talks which may’ve led to a negotiated settlement of all outstanding differences and the return of the Golan to Syria. This rapprochement was disrupted by Ehud Olmert’s decision to invade Gaza. It was Turkey together with Brazil, which attempted to broker a deal to resolve the Iran nuclear issue. It did all these things in an attempt to play a constructive role and resolve conflict.
But the flip side of leadership is also to know when tough medicine is called for in relations with a neighbor. Sometimes honey doesn’t work and vinegar is necessary. That’s why Turkey is forcing Israel to pay a price for its hubristic behavior whether it be Operation Cast Lead or the Mavi Marmara assault. Erdogan also recognizes that the political currents from the Arab Spring work in his favor and not Israel’s.
* A Decade after 9-11, Turkey Redefines Political Islam The Tyee
Today, a decade after the September 11 terrorist attacks that turned much of the Islamic world into a chaotic battleground, Turkey has emerged as Islam’s most prominent icon of hope. In 2011, Turkey boasts the world’s 15th largest GDP, measuring $1.2 trillion — nearly $15,000 per person and rising by $125 billion annually. The Turkish economy now ranks ahead of such highly-developed nations as Australia and the Netherlands, and oil giant Saudi Arabia. With a current growth rate of 11 per cent, outstripping China’s and defying the effects of a global recession, it could surpass G8 member Canada in the next few years.
To the Wahabbist hardliners of Riyadh, the reforms proposed by Ankara look like heresy. But their fellow citizens overwhelmingly disagree. In 2002, according to a survey of Islamic world attitudes conducted annually by pollster James Zogby, a scant 20 per cent of Saudis had a favourable view of Turkey. In 2011 the favourable rating reached 98 per cent.
