Istanbul, Turkey – The year is 2007. After a clash with Turkish forces in northern Iraq, US troops stage a surprise attack. Reeling, Turkey turns to Russia and the European Union, who turn back the American onslaught.
This is the plot of "Metal Storm," one of the fastest- selling books in Turkish history. The book is clearly sold as fiction, but its premise has entered Turkey's public discourse in a way that sometimes seems to blur the line between fantasy and reality.
"The Foreign Ministry and General Staff are reading it keenly," Murat Yetkin, a columnist for the Turkish daily newspaper Radikal, recently wrote. "All cabinet members also have it."
Several other columnists have also written about the book, suggesting its depiction of a clash between the two NATO allies could become a reality. Serdar Turgut, the editor of Aksam, one of Turkey's largest newspapers, penned a recent column that took one of Metal Storm's premises — that members of Skull and Bones, the secret society that President Bush joined as a student at Yale, has taken control of US foreign policy — and presented it as fact.
"Powerful people, nearly all of whom are members of a secret 'sect,' are aiming to bring a radical change to the order of the world," Turgut wrote.
He further suggested that the US military is developing technology that would allow it to trigger earthquakes, something that will eventually be used against Turkey.
The book has arrived at a time when anti-American sentiments are running high in Turkey. A BBC poll taken last month found that 82 percent of Turks believe Bush's reelection made the world a more dangerous place, the highest figure in any country surveyed. During her recent visit, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed concern about the issue to Turkish officials.
Meanwhile, there is increasing tension between Ankara and Washington. Turkey is frustrated with what it claims is US failure to take military action against the separatists of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who are holed up in the mountains of northern Iraq. The country is also concerned about events in the oil-rich Iraqi city of Kirkuk, where the Turks say Iraqi Kurds are staging a power grab as a prelude to the creation of an independent Kurdish state, something it views as a serious threat.
-snip-
(Yigal Schleifer in The Christian Science Monitor, February 15, 2005)
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No small achievement, that.
Sounds like Turkey will fit in nicely with certain segments of the EU.
The Cold War is over - what made the glue of such alliances - fear of the USSR - no longer exists - get used to it.
Excellent article! It's illuminating how paranoia feeds on itself and metastasizes throughout society.
I remember when Turkey was a strong ally of ours. It's a shame to see it destroy itself.
PING
They've already achieved it. And it could so easily have been otherwise. Had they supported the U.S. effort in Iraq they would now share Great Britain's position - respect, credibility, clout, and a commanding force throughout the Middle East. Instead they've opted to lick the EU's boots, boots that may well end up kicking them in the face. It was a stupid decision and a betrayal of a proud people.
Turkey is in denial about its genocidal past.
Which country is this guy talking about? Its definitely not not Turkey since I live there.
What a lie. The US supported the AKP and assisted it in every way it possibly could before the elections so that it would win and come to power.
What's so special about a conspiracy novel being popular in Turkey. Remember The Da Vinci Code? All that stuff (e.g. that members of Skull and Bones, the secret society that President Bush joined as a student at Yale, has taken control of US foreign policy — Illuminati stuff; He further suggested that the US military is developing technology that would allow it to trigger earthquakes, something that will eventually be used against Turkey - HAARP related stuff) can be found in any conspiracy theory book or website in the US.
The Christian Science Monitor is one of the last sources to refer to when reading about Turkey.
And this is the "jewel" of the Mohammedan world.
Unfortunately most articles I've been reading recently either pro-Bush or agains Bush. Being a Turk living in US I can tell you that either sides are keep misunderstanding each other and so far no one managed to stop this. I can tell you the fact that US's foreign policy is not popular neither in Europe nor in Asia and even UK Prime minister is having hard times explaning why they're still supporting US's policies. Hence Turkey is geographically located at the intersection point of East and West cultures there are always different views and opinions about US's policy. Let me give you quick historical facts about things written in article :
- Islamic party not approving and helping US in Iraq War : AK party representatives in Turkish parliament voter for support for Iraq war. Turkish parliament rejected because of other parties not because of Islamic AK party. Results were so close even CNN first announced that Turkey's support for Iraq war, then corrected it.
- America's help to Turkey : Yes US helps Turkey. What about the fact that Turkey helped US in first Gulf War, helped US in cold war by having bases in Turkey with nukes in them? Time to time the beneficiary is changing but both parties are in a mutual relationship and this was and is still beneficiary to both parties.
- Armenian so called genocide : Most of the Armenian claims are talking about people being exiled from their villages and died because of winter. Turkey was being attacked from 4 corners and even lost thousands of her own soldiers during winter, how could they protected Armenians? Turkish armies lost over 80.000 soldiers just because of harsh winter conditions during first world war. Why they're exiled? Answer is easy hidden in these words : 1st and 2nd WW's Italians, Japs, Germans, Hooever Dam concentration camps
- Jews and Turks : Before US was founded, Jews were under Turk's protection for 500 years. Check your history books for the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Jewish and Turkish cultures are very similar to each other (not like Arabs & Jews). Turks have very close ties with Jews but not approving Israel and their acts on Palestenians. You can like people but you don't need to approve everything they do.
- Press in Turkey : I agree with what author says. Press, like in US, is publishing politically risky news then any other news. I believe in US it is also same.
What now? Common sense. Just reading news and articles shouldn't shape people's opinions. Everyone should make a reality check and double check with other experiences. I believe people in Turkey and US should read more and think more before judging each other about today's events.