The
Demonization of the Republic of Turkey
In my long academic career,
I have never witnessed such an unfair attack on Turkey by major Western
countries before. Many themselves are directly responsible for the inequities
and crises humanity is still facing today. All over the world, their
imperialist/colonialist ambitions and crimes have devastated millions of human
beings for centuries, annihilated their cultures and undermined many other
values that those societies deemed sacred.
Towards the end of the
Ottoman Empire, some of these imperialist criminals landed in Turkey as well,
in the hope that they would be able to colonize one more country and confiscate
its resources. Their "civilization" had to be "enriched"
one more time by destroying ordinary human beings who were simply living in
their own homeland. They had all the technological power necessary to be able
to invade Turkey, enslave their women, children, and men. And they did it. They
were quite sure they were going to succeed in their occupation. They calculated
everything except one: they could never imagine that a military, political and
philosophical genius named Mustafa Kemal would be able to unite his soldiers
and his fellow compatriots to fight the invaders no matter the cost.
Every single one of them was
defeated. Subsequently, the Republic of Turkey was established. After nearly
one hundred years since its founding, Atatürk’s Republic of Turkey is under a
full-scale attack again.
It is a shame that Western
imperialism is now labeling the current Turkish military operations against
terrorism in Northern Syria an "invasion." They seem to have united
all to demonize Turkey during this struggle of self-defense. So far it looks
very clear to me that the Western imperialism did not learn any lessons from
the Turkish War of Independence.
Western governments and
their media must try (at least) to be honest in the way they have been
portraying the Turkish military to the world. The Turkish military has never
been an offensive force in its history. It is a defensive power. Its ultimate
task is to protect the Republic of Turkey from its enemies, and this time the
situation is no different.
The PKK/YPG terror
organization is responsible for the death of around forty thousand innocent
people over the years within Turkey’s borders and outside of it. For years the
Turkish government has tried every non-military method in the book to be able
to stop the terror attacks. Nothing they tried brought any positive results.
Now the majority of the world is condemning Turkey for its ongoing
counter-terrorism operations. "Turkey is slaughtering the Kurds,"
"Turkey is committing genocide," etc. This is simply dishonest,
nonsensical, hypocritical, and unethical. Turkey is fighting to protect its
territorial integrity against a bloody terrorist organization, that’s it! If
Turkey were carrying out a "genocide" against innocent human beings,
it would not have welcomed millions of Arab and Kurdish Syrians to its
territory. Turkey has been protecting and taking care of these innocent people
who escaped from oppression, terrorism, and a real genocide while the rest of
the "civilized" world has done nothing but simply watched.
Ironically, the same "civilized" world has the guts now to accuse
Turkey of committing "genocide" against Kurds.
What is even more troubling
than the Western world’s reaction to Turkey is the condemnation of the
so-called "Arab world." These undemocratic, oppressive, brutal,
authoritarian regimes are criticizing Turkey for its counter-terrorism operations
while none of them (including the chronically lazy but oil-rich barbaric Arab
states) has ever done anything to support their Syrian "brothers" and
"sisters." What a shame! But not surprising, as their history is
filled with such shames.
Last but not least, with the
exception of Azerbaijan, the so-called "Turkic world" has been silent
in either supporting or condemning Turkey’s right to defend itself.
Regardless of what position
these countries deem appropriate to take during this time for their own
interests, they should know that—following its founder’s footsteps—the Republic
of Turkey will do whatever it takes to protect its territory and its citizens
from aggressive threats, imperialism, and terrorism!
Kemal Silay
Professor of Turkish Studies
Indiana University,
Bloomington
USA
