Where does the US go wrong?

The fact that those in charge of Turkish foreign policy do not seem to understand the radical changes in relation to democracy in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt in the Middle East and Georgia and Ukraine in the Black Sea region does hurt Turkish-United States relations, as the United States is the architect behind these changes and is expecting a positive contribution from Turkey as a powerful ally in the area.

In fact, Turkey now behaves as if she is scared of the establishment of democracy in her neighbors and even behaves as though she prefers the status quo in the nearby countries.

But does not the United States also make mistakes?

Yes, she does!

Today, I am not going to criticize the overall policy mistakes of the United States in the area but I will try to emphasize the manner in which they convey their messages with respect to their newly built policies.

I myself do not think at all that any other person who would hold power in the United States at the moment instead of George W. Bush, like lets say for instance Mr. Kerry or Mr. Clinton, would be pursuing different polices.

I believe that The United States Middle Eastern policy is a part of her overall 21st century agenda and is a typical byproduct of an imperial country still pushing to stay in control.

Under similar conditions the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire in the 15-16 century, then a worldly power, would also follow similar policies.

Perhaps, the way the Sultans of the 15-16th centuries would impose their policies would be very different than that employed by Mr. Bush or Mr. Clinton in the 21st century, but nevertheless they would do their best to keep their power and would attempt to gain more of it.

This is the way it is and has been throughout history and it cannot be changed by any one individual!

But, the way the Bush administration declares/runs its policies seems to be closer to the ways in which the 15-16th century imperialists used rather than what would be expected from someone leading in the 21st century.

To be more precise, the administration of Mr. Bush does not declare or discuss her policies but imposes it!

The neo-cons who shape the foreign policies of the United States behave in such a way that they erase any view other than what they carry!

�You just listen to what we say!�

They aren’t even able to accept friendly critiques.

�If you are an ally, you are only there to do what we tell you to do!�

People in the world and also in Turkey are hurt and offended by this attitude!

Even among unequal partners, if there is to be cooperation, parties act as if they are equal. The superior does not impose its will on the other, the other already knows and acknowledges it. Otherwise, you would not be partners to begin with.

Let me give you an example.

If an elderly person and a young friend meet on the street after a long time of not having heard from each other, the elderly asks the young friend:

-How have you been since we saw each other last?

He does not put the question as:

-How have you been since you saw me last?

A few months ago, I was invited to a private meeting held by the Consulate of the United States in Istanbul in honor of a gentleman named Max Boot.

He was introduced us as a neo-con, an expert on the Middle East and a close personal friend of George W. Bush.

The Turkish guests of the kind consulate and his pretty wife were generally people who favored the war in Iraq and who had taken a critical approach to the Turkish Government with respect to her Iraqi policy.

Max Boot gave us a brief speech.

Mr. Boot did succeed in annoying all of us during his small speech!

He was not only not at all knowledgeable about the Middle East but also quite arrogant. He believed that it was him and only him that understood the truth and the nature of the issues of the region.

We were there not to discuss anything with him but to only listen to him and maybe take notes!

It was a very difficult night for me and after the meeting, we the guests, spent a long time trying to get over our anger.

We all felt insulted somehow.

That night I understood better what kind of troubles Turkish diplomats may be facing in their dealings with the neo-cons of the United States.