The Demonization of the Republic of Turkey by Kemal Silay

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