Is Turkey a Friend or a Foe?

Re “Don’t Write Off the Turks,” Commentary, April 11: I congratulate Graham E. Fuller for a fair and factual article about Turkey. For the record, Turks were terribly insulted by the U.S. media in 2003 by being portrayed as unscrupulous, money-hungry horse-traders after Turkey rejected U.S. military plans for attacking northern Iraq from bases on Turkish soil.

Everyone here was shocked. How could Turkey reject $8 billion of gifts and loans? Apparently few here have heard about the supreme value Turks historically placed on national honor, dignity and flag, none of which were for sale at any price.

Most blamed everything on the recent phenomenon of what they termed “rising anti-Americanism” in Turkey. In other words, Turks were at fault.

Why can’t we ask ourselves: What has changed since President Clinton’s speech in the Turkish parliament drew a standing ovation only six short years ago in August 1999? Why are 82% of the Turks today, according a recent poll conducted by the BBC, against President Bush’s policies? Did the Turks change so drastically and so fast? Or did the U.S. policies around the world?

Ergun Kirlikovali

Santa Ana

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Unfortunately, Fuller chooses to remain blind to some harsh realities about Turkey. The bestseller in Turkey today, “Metal Storm,” is about a war between Turkey and the U.S. The Turkish parliament called the U.S. military operation in Fallouja “genocide.” Turkey is independent in its foreign policy, but this does not mean it is not anti-American. Turkish foreign policy is both independent and anti-American.

Fuller and many of his generation were socialized to favor Turkey, our loyal friend, and hate Russia, our ideological “other.” Although appropriate for its time, this worldview is now obsolete. Turkey’s interests in Iraq, Central Asia and the Middle East are at odds with those of the U.S.

Discourse has changed in Turkey in response to the country’s changing interests. Anti-Americanism is now part of the socialization process of many Turkish college students. This hostility toward the U.S. comes despite transfers of funds and military hardware to Turkey. Fuller cautions Americans about writing off Turkey. Perhaps he needs to start by cautioning Turks about the dangers of writing off the U.S.

Fuller and some of his academic partners need to face up to the fact that they are in denial about Turkey.

Jack Kalpakian

Ifrane, Morocco