The Case of the Whirling Dervish
Posted By shirley on March 8, 2010
And around and around it goes, like a true whirling dervish! Turkey, Israel, Iran, the U.S. and lastly, little Armenia, continue this political power play.
An article in the Guardian by Stephen Kinzer gives a concise and clear picture of what is happening in this particular political world at present. I think the last paragraph sums it up quite well:
In the last few years, Turkey has emerged to play a new and highly promising role in the Middle East and beyond. As a successful Islamic democracy allied with the west, it can be a powerful force for regional peace – and, not incidentally, a uniquely valuable partner for the US. For Turkey to play the role it seeks as a broker and conciliator, though, it it must continue to mature politically and diplomatically. The vote in Washington should lead Turks to reflection. A final accord with Armenia, a more elegant way of balancing relations with Iran, Israel and the United States, and an end to denial of what happened in 1915 would dramatically improve both Turkey’s global stature and its ability to help stabilise the world’s most volatile region.
It really is in Turkey’s best interest to reconcile with this part of its past. More precisely, it’s in all of our best interests.
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