’No choice except regional leadership’
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 05, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - International relations guru George Friedman believes Turkey is destined to play a leadership role in the region due to geostrategic reasons and its commercial and military clout, even if it doesn’t actively plan to take on such a role. He says the country should look east
Despite what Turkey may or may not want, geo-strategic considerations are forcing it to take up the leadership mantle in the wider region, said a respected American strategist late Tuesday.
"I see the world’s 17th largest economy when I look at Turkey," said George Friedman, a well-known American geostrategist and international relations expert, while speaking at the "Turkey's Economic and Political Position in the New World Order and in the New Period" conference, which was organized by İş Investment.
He said Turkey was a haven of stability in a very unstable region. "With its commercial and military power, Turkey displays activity in four geopolitical regions, including the Arab world, the Caucasus, the Balkans and North Africa," he said.
The U.S. and Turkey have mutual interests in this region, Friedman said. "The Arab world should be the main focus for Turkey instead of the EU. You [Turkey] are a power that can shape this region. The EU has no such ambition," he said.
The balance of power in the region is forcing Turkey to take up the leadership position, said Friedman. He said he made the same argument in his latest book, "The Next 100 Years."
The global financial crisis once again revealed the fact that the concept of the "nation-state" is still alive, said an internationally renowned expert in security and intelligence, suggesting Turkey reconsider its enthusiasm on becoming an EU member.
Turkey and the European Union
If someone has debts, that person starts selling assets, as do states. "Countries with financial obligations larger than their economies will lose while those countries that have a larger economic potential will survive the global financial crisis," said Friedman, who is also the founder, chairman and chief intelligence officer of Strategic Forecasting Inc., or STRATFOR, a private intelligence company that provides customized intelligence services for its clients and hosts an internationally-acclaimed Web site that analyzes and forecasts trends in world affairs.
"This takes us to the concept of the nation-state," said Friedman, who criticized the EU for the lack of consensus among the member countries on the measures that should be taken against the global turmoil.
"I have never understood where the EU was going. They just reject forming a common plan to survive against crisis. And I also do not understand why Turkey believes becoming a member of the union would make Turkey a better and stronger country.
"Today, just like all the countries, Turkey is on its own. I do not believe the Turkish economy could have grown as much in the last five years if it had been a member of the EU. I do not clearly see what benefit Turkey may have from membership in the EU," he said.
"I see the world’s 17th largest economy when I look at Turkey," said George Friedman, a well-known American geostrategist and international relations expert, while speaking at the "Turkey's Economic and Political Position in the New World Order and in the New Period" conference, which was organized by İş Investment.
He said Turkey was a haven of stability in a very unstable region. "With its commercial and military power, Turkey displays activity in four geopolitical regions, including the Arab world, the Caucasus, the Balkans and North Africa," he said.
The U.S. and Turkey have mutual interests in this region, Friedman said. "The Arab world should be the main focus for Turkey instead of the EU. You [Turkey] are a power that can shape this region. The EU has no such ambition," he said.
The balance of power in the region is forcing Turkey to take up the leadership position, said Friedman. He said he made the same argument in his latest book, "The Next 100 Years."
The global financial crisis once again revealed the fact that the concept of the "nation-state" is still alive, said an internationally renowned expert in security and intelligence, suggesting Turkey reconsider its enthusiasm on becoming an EU member.
Turkey and the European Union
If someone has debts, that person starts selling assets, as do states. "Countries with financial obligations larger than their economies will lose while those countries that have a larger economic potential will survive the global financial crisis," said Friedman, who is also the founder, chairman and chief intelligence officer of Strategic Forecasting Inc., or STRATFOR, a private intelligence company that provides customized intelligence services for its clients and hosts an internationally-acclaimed Web site that analyzes and forecasts trends in world affairs.
"This takes us to the concept of the nation-state," said Friedman, who criticized the EU for the lack of consensus among the member countries on the measures that should be taken against the global turmoil.
"I have never understood where the EU was going. They just reject forming a common plan to survive against crisis. And I also do not understand why Turkey believes becoming a member of the union would make Turkey a better and stronger country.
"Today, just like all the countries, Turkey is on its own. I do not believe the Turkish economy could have grown as much in the last five years if it had been a member of the EU. I do not clearly see what benefit Turkey may have from membership in the EU," he said.