Open Thread for Comments: Obama's Ankara Speech

Latest Post: Reading the Obama Ankara Speech - Turkey, We Need You
We've been overwhelmed by the interest in President Obama's appearance in Turkey today. So, to further dialogue, we're asking, "What did you think of the speech?" Any comment is fair game, be it on Obama's style, the general substance of the speech, or specific issues that he raised from Turkish admission to the European Union to the US-Turkish alliance to Turkey's role in the Israel-Palestine issue to his handling of Turkey, Armenia, and Cyprus.

Comments

[Ali Yenidunya]

Obama’s visit to Turkey is important because he has not been that close to a Muslim country in the Middle East since he took over. Obama’s statements sound as if he wants to see everyone cheerful in the world. Probably, his life is not going to be enough to see this but his multi-dimensional strategy should be read more carefully. For me, the underlying messages are:

To Turkey:

- Don’t worry for the Armenian issue. There will be no ‘genocide’ in President’s speech on 24 April but you should continue dialogue and open the borders with Armenia.

- Full support for the EU membership: You need to continue the democratization steps which are good for you. The Clergy School in Heybeliada should be reopened therefore. (Besides, the Justice and Development Party, after decreasing votes in the recent local elections in the face of a slightly growing number of people sceptical of democratic initiatives as PM Erdogan's party also played an important part in having shelved the EU-consistency laws since 2004. The JDP has no alternative than the EU as the main goal. Otherwise, it will be upside down as its legitimacy has been decreasing in the next general elections)

- The US wants to see two peoples united in Cyprus and appreciates the efforts of the Turkish Cypriots. In other words, your government’s continuing initiatives (as you had offered the Ercan Airport for direct flights to Greek Cypriots during the EU engagement process) for Cyprus problem are more than welcome.

- The US does not support PKK (remember yesterday’s news about General Scowcroft’s confessions) and we should work with Iraqi government (remember Talabani’s statements on the issue after President Gul’s departure last week that PKK had to leave arms or had to leave the region). This, in other words, mean that a border-cross operation to the Northern Iraq is finished as you will find a more cooperative Iraq but the US will be asking for a favor: More cooperation for the ‘fight against a fringe ideology’ (NOT ‘war on terror’) in Afghanistan + for the mediation role between Syria and Israel.

To the Armenian Diaspora: President has not changed his mind about the genocide. Calm down. Good news: Turkey is under pressure to reopen the borders.

To Netanyahu, Lieberman and Hamas: The US wants a two-state solution. Get ready…

To Iran: The US is not going to give up extending its hand… The Iranian issue is the darkest point from today’s point of view. Whether a surprise Israeli air attack might come before the hands of Obama came closer to bring Palestinians and Israelis to the table; or whether Iran will step down in its harsh statements after June elections and will be willing to be much more open to an international control mechanism; or whether it will be Obama himself stepping down and waging more efforts to end up the Israeli-Palestinian and Israel-Syria conflicts at the expense of leading to a nuclear Iran are all possibilities and question marks for the time being. The perception of how the Obama Administration is labeled as ‘successful’ in the ‘fight against a fringe ideology’ and in ‘attack on the financial crisis’ is the most important criteria (therefore to what extent the Obama Administration’s efforts to turn the situation in favor through imposing soothing discourses and related ‘right minded’ actions against securitization attempts and initiatives by the bureaucratic circles backed up by media organizations in the short term is the most important parameter).

To the Muslim world: The perception that ‘the US has been waging war against Muslims’ pumped by the Bush Era came to an end. We changed! Diplomacy is our priority! Moreover, and most importantly, our relationship is not restricted with ‘being opposed to al-Qaeda’; but should be based on mutual respect and mutual interests conducive to a broader engagement. This is all about giving the signs of the change in perception to a more cooperative construction of forward looking interests. There is no need to mention how this message is important for the representatives of Hamas and Fatah in respect of the warning that they should not build their next steps on a ‘Devil’ America who is claimed to be always siding with Israel.

It is all about the framework… Drawing the framework in which we will get used to listen to and use the official lines in our daily lives in the near future…

[Ali Yenidunya]

In addition to this, unlike standard diplomatic procedures, it was reported by many Turkish media organisations that the US President made a gesture by visiting the Turkish PM in his office instead of Erdogan's expected visit to Obama either in his hotel or in the US Embassy.

[Iness Panni]

President Obama is the most courageous leader America has had in a long time. It takes courage meet others on the solid ground of egalitarianism. Furhermore, in the words of William James, "Genius is the capacity for seeing relationships where lesser men see none." What a brilliant light. What a brilliant light. To my President - stay the course!