Our ‘look’ is changing (MEHMET ALİ BİRAND
)
Everybody, every company, every country, every organization has an international “look,” a “rating.” Domestic and international circles build a perception of their own and give points. Report cards are not going around, but an idea is formed in minds that is immediately reflected in newspapers. It is referred to in an article, in a news story, or in a meeting. I’m talking about a rating that is intangible, which cannot be measured through concrete criteria.
With the start of the “İmralı process,” Turkey’s “stability rating” is slowly increasing.
It is still early;
nobody knows what the result will be.
Are we going to face a new “Habur” disaster? Will the two sides find themselves in a dispute in the middle of the road? Will those who want to sabotage the development succeed?
Nobody knows the answers to these questions. Therefore, everyone is acting very carefully. They are watching with full attention, but
they are not counting too much on it.
Despite this, just take a look at stories and articles about Turkey. Lend an ear to international conferences, you will immediately notice the effect. Some of the countries in the region are saying: “
Hopefully, the Turks will not make it.” Several of our neighbors who want the Kurdish-Turkish conflict to continue and are making use of this fight are uncomfortable.
For example, Iran… For example, Iraq… For example, Syria… For example, Israel…
As a matter of fact, even
those we see as friends secretly hope that this process will fail as soon as possible.
The reason is simple. This process does not serve their interests. They don’t want Turkey to save itself from the quagmire of the Kurdish issue. This way, Ankara
will never be strong. It cannot raise its voice too much. It cannot accelerate its economic initiative…
Contrary to this,
monetary markets and investors are happy with the process. For them, a stable Turkey means a country where they can invest their money more safely, where they can invest more, in other words a stable Turkey is a country where they can make more money.
Even though business circles and the political world think differently to each other, the moment the “İmralı Process” is successful they will also need to raise their ratings. Reaching a result may take a long time but even this much so far has been enough to increase interest.
Let’s not forget that
political stability also brings financial-economic stability. A country which is fighting its own people, which lives with a constantly bleeding wound, will never have an increase in its “stability rating.” Prime ministers may be applauded, they may be cheered, but in the end it is the balance sheet that is taken into account.
The
weakest link is Başbuğ
If there are a few “weak links” among defendants in the ongoing trials, the top place goes to İlker Başbuğ.
It is beyond comprehension that the justice system of the Republic of Turkey accuses a former Chief of General Staff as the “leader of a terror organization” and arrests him, considering him to be part of the “deep state.” You cannot explain this to the Turkish public or the international public.
Başbuğ has been under arrest for one year. He has not made a big deal out of it; he is waiting for the result and is maintaining his stance. He has remained courteous.
It is time for these kinds of arrests to end. They have gone on for too long, they have harmed the public’s conscience.
For the court to announce that there was a risk of the defendants “fleeing” was far from convincing.
What needs to be done must be done now. Decisions should be made and
these arrests should come to an end.
January/16/2013
