Comforters and Pacifiers as Political Tactics of American Imperialism for Greater Middle East Project

Comforters and Pacifiers as Political Tactics of American Imperialism for Greater Middle East Project

A. Murat Tuncer

Amtconsultancy, Consultant and Adviser, Political Science, Ankara, Türkiye

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51584/IJRIAS.2024.90307

Received: 10 February 2024; Revised: 22 February 2024; Accepted: 27 February 2024; Published: 28 March 2024

ABSTRACT

A pacifier is a smooth rubber or plastic object that is given to a baby to suck on to comfort it and make it stop crying. A comforter is someone or something who or something that helps you or the baby feel less worried, upset, or frightened (Britannica). This article draws attention to using a comforter or pacifier in political science, apart from these dictionary meanings or definitions. Countries use these tactics in both domestic and foreign policy tactics to control and calm the reactions of their voters or the people of other rival countries. As far as is known, these terms are described for the first time in the political science literature.

This article examines pacifying or comforting tactics in light of the policies implemented by imperialists in Turkey. The issue is discussed with the example of pacifying and soothing policies pursued regionally within the framework of the American Greater Middle East Project and how Political Islam, strengthened and implemented in Turkey, is explained in these tactics.

Preventing the immediate, total, and effective opposition of the world’s people to the Palestine Genocide committed by Israel in our century could only be softened by pacifying and comforting international policy tactics. This is precisely what American Imperialism is doing.

Key Words: Comforter and Pasifier Political Tactics, Middle East Policy, American Policy, Palestine and Israel, Greater Middle East Project, Palestine Genocide

INTRODUCTİON

The imperialists are implementing some essential political tactics to reduce in advance the initiatives that may attract a broad reaction. These tactics have been implemented for the last 50 years to mitigate possible reactions in neighboring countries against the Middle East policies of American Imperialism (Yeşilbursa 2017).

The official name of the countries’ ministries of foreign affairs is “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” However, the United States Department of Foreign Affairs is called the “Department of State”. The mystery of America’s foreign policies lies here. Naming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of State stems from America’s internalization of its relations with other countries and the world as its own business.

After the First World War, the United States of America, which understood the strategic and energy importance of the Middle East and decided to pursue a long-term policy, could not succeed in these policies for a long time due to the strong influence of British hegemony. However, after World War II, it began to dominate the region. Pro-Israel lobbies undoubtedly significantly influence the formation of these policies (Kerimoğlu 2022). United States’ primary interests in the Middle East include securing strategic access to oil in the region, supporting and protecting Israel’s sovereignty, and defending client-states and friendly regimes (Al Sarhan 2017).

After the events of September 11 and the events that followed, especially the occupation of Iraq in 2003, the study area witnessed a group of geopolitical variables and the emergence of dangerous phenomena that threatened the state structure in the countries of the Middle East; the most notably are the phenomenon of terrorism, cross-border armed groups, sectarian polarization, the phenomenon of migration and the internal and the external displacement and the severe consequences that resulted from it, such as demographic change and the emergence of a failed state, which has become a threat to national and regional security in the region. One of the results of this security vacuum was the rise of active regional powers on the scene to fill the geopolitical vacuum, the change in the equation of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the emergence of plans aimed at redrawing the political map of the countries of the region based on ethnic and sectarian division (Al-Wadi 2023).

Although preventing terrorist groups in the region seems like an obvious strategy, it is a known fact that terrorist groups established in Afghanistan, such as Al-Qaeda and Taliban, were supported by America and used in its policies (Mohamedou 2011, Vasiliev 2023). Moreover, the discourse of democracy is just a mask (Hamid 2022). The Afghan crisis has created a new situation on a regional scale and a severe challenge to the international community, primarily due to the growth of the terrorist threat, the socio-economic crisis in Afghanistan, and the escalation of the migration crisis (Zhuravleva, 2022). Because America supports the dictatorships in the most sincere countries in the region, it should also not be forgotten that America enabled the establishment of the anti-democratic regime called Islamic rule in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, excuses for strengthening democracy are also undermined by these examples (Bray. 2015).

Turkey, perhaps the only democratic and secular republic in the region, seemed to serve America’s regional policies for a long time with these basic policies (Yeşilbursa 2017). Historical developments that contradicted the American orbit were brought into its orbit by military interventions at different times. However, recent developments have predicted a severe change in Turkey’s political structure, which is unsuitable for allowing America to pursue sharper policies. When comparing the democratic secular republic of Turkey with the dictatorial region countries, dictatorships could be managed much better. With this foresight, the” Greater Middle East Project” (BOP in Turkish)  began to be implemented, and it was decided that political Islam would govern Turkey with the Adalate and Development Party (AKP) government under the leadership of Erdogan (Deniz 2012). For this purpose, Erdoğan, America’s ideal leader, had a personality that could implement all desired policies with all kinds of personal benefits. He is rude, uneducated, money-loving, selfish, and an effective orator (Tuncer 2023, Tuncer 2023). So much so that he could defend two opposing ideas with the same intensity on the same day and, more importantly, convince the public of this. He was so truthful that he could defend the opposite of his statement within minutes. The Greater Middle East Project was quickly implemented for Israel’s security. As it turns out, it has been implemented successfully for 20 years. In the final stage, the step is taken to destroy the Palestinians completely. So much so that while the Gaza Genocide continues and Erdogan pacifies the people with anti-Israeli rhetoric, the sons of the Erdogan family continue ship to trade with Israel, Turkish Workers’ Party (TİP) Chairman Erkan Baş, at the meeting he held in the Parliament, emphasized that AKP’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s attitude towards “Palestine” is hypocritical and said, “While Erdoğan defends Palestine on the podium and prays for Palestine, his son “Their ships are trading in the Port of Israel,” he said. (www.ilerihaber.org/icerik/erkan-bas-erdogan-kursude-filistine-sahip-cikarken-oglunun-gemileri-israille-ticaret-yapiyor-160459 ). The increase in Turkey’s exports to Israel during the AKP’s rule is remarkable. The trade volume, 1.41 billion dollars in 2002, increased to 8.91 billion dollars in 2022 (tr.euronews.com/2023/10/11/turkiye-israil-ekonomik-iliskileri-ne-durumda-ticaret-hacmi-ak-parti-iktidarinda-nasil-deg).

What is the Greater Middle East Project, and Which Countries Included

The area denotes a vaguely defined region called the “Arab world” together with Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, with the speculation of including other Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, and the Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. The main objectives of this project can be summarized as follows;

1- Strengthening the American presence in this region of critical strategic importance

2-Energy security

3-Support to the American economy

4-Reducing the influence of Russia and China in the region

5-Ensuring the security of Israel

6-To keep Iran under control. It is a historical fact that all of America’s plans regarding Iran turned out to be wrong. Throughout its history, Iran has not conflicted with non-Muslim countries but has always conflicted with Sunni Muslims due to sectarian problems.

WHAT THE PACİFYİNG AND COMFORTİNG POLİCİES

1- The primary purpose of these policies is to reduce the intensity of the reaction of the people of the countries in the region who are disturbed by the policies implemented. The most important way to do this is to distract the leaders who are influential on the people by pressure and deception and to keep them under pressure with their interests, secret relationships, and dirty wealth, with half-threats. The best control of these leaders is to make them feel important by taking advantage of their inferiority complex. Declaring Erdogan the Greater Middle East Project co-chairman was a perfect way to deceive Erdogan. Erdoğan sometimes said this himself and boasted about it, but when it did not suit him, he even denied it according to domestic politics.

2-Frequent visits of the administration (minister of foreign affairs, vice presidents) to the region. These official visits do not need to have meaningful titles and contents. Because in these meetings, the simple-minded leaders of the countries in the region feel important and pacify their people and the public.

3-Providing commercial benefits to leaders of regional countries or their relatives. Rent-seeking leaders only appear to be ostensibly anti-American and act less aggressively. Turkey’s attitude towards Sweden’s NATO membership is a good example (Tuncer 2022).

4- Protesting American-based chain markets and organizing cliché rallies that will yield no results will reduce the dangerous pressure in society. They are an important mediator of psyching policies. However, it is essential not to cause even the slightest harm to the mass producers that America finds necessary. It should be remembered how America’s top administrators blocked the decisions that countries were considering regarding tobacco bans and alcohol taxes.

5- The best way to use political Islam is to control reactions by dividing the people into different groups. The best way to do this is to reduce the number of indeed enlightened Muslims and organize an almost new religion and belief, and while doing this, to use sects, tariqas, and communities that seem to be monuments of deep faith. Sects and congregations were the most effective and successful ways British imperialism used when ruling the Middle East.

6-To try to ease tensions by establishing partnerships on non-political issues involving Middle Eastern countries. The Middle East Cancer Consortium is an example of this. The American Cancer Institute established this consortium. Palestine, Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, and some Arab countries were also seated. Middle East Cancer Consortium, Middle East Infectious Diseases Consortium, Middle East Geology Consortium, Middle East Trade Consortium, Inter-University Consortium for Arab Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies are parts of the reassuring and pacifying tactics of Imperialistic policies.

HİSTORİCAL DEVELOPMENT OF AMERİCA’S TÜRKİYE POLİCİES

America’s policy towards Turkey started as a shield against Russia and communism and gradually evolved into using it as a pacifying distraction for the countries in the region.

America’s policies towards Turkey, starting from the Second World War and throughout the Cold War, were mainly about using it as an outpost for the control of communism and Soviet Russia. For this purpose, the Islamic faith was tried using the sects, communities, and sects started by the British. America’s policy towards Turkey, which was later shaped as NATO’s Middle East stronghold, after took shape based on Israel’s security within the scope of the Greater Middle East Project. Many policies that appear to be aimed at controlling Iran protect Israel. Iran is constantly trying to destroy Islamic unity by using it against the Sunni Muslims of the region (Kerimoğlu 2022).

Although there has been no change in America’s Middle East and Turkey policies, especially after September 11, the practice and ways of pursuing this policy have changed. Turkish President Erdoğan’s obsessions and complexes have created greater ease in implementing American policies, and personal relations have come to the fore instead of country relations. The insulting letter that American President Donald Trump wrote to the Turkish President, displayed in New York, exemplifies this change very well.

In this context, Erdoğan’s wealth, the dirty ways used to create this wealth, his bribery relations with the Mayor to overcome the obstacles to the construction of the massive building built by his children in New York, the arrest and punishment in America for the money laundered using Halk Bank in Turkey. The trial proceedings of the Deputy General Manager of Halk Bank are the best examples that reveal these dark relationships (the black sea. eu/stories/malta-files/erdogan-family-in-secret-offshore-ship-deal, www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-14505468.pdf, www.fdd.org/analysis/memos/2021/02/26/turkeys-ziraat-bank-under-scrutiny, https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-atilla).

JUSTİCE AND DEVELOPMENT PARTY, ERDOGAN AND AMERİCAN RELATİONS

The most important part of this issue is the “Greater Middle East Project” (BOP), which is demonstrated below)( https://uwidata.com/5067-the-end-of-the-greater-middle-east-project-the-case-of-kurdistan).

The Greater Middle East Project is a large project that surrounds Russia from the south in South Asia, includes Pakistan and India, includes Afghanistan, extends to the North Pacific, includes North Africa and the Middle East countries, covers the Caucasus, controls Russia’s doors to the Middle East, and includes countries within the framework that can control Turkey, consists of a framework.

Historically, the “Kurdish map” has always been an ace up the sleeve of various geopolitical powers striving for influence in the Middle East: Woodrow Wilson first supported the creation of an independent Kurdish state after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the US again supporting Kurdish forces in the 1970s in an attempt to overthrow the Iraqi Ba’ath party… in 2003, it used the Kurds to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The Iranians used the Kurds against Iraq in the 70s as well, while in more recent times, the Syrians have tried to use the Kurdish issue against Turkey. Israel has strongly supported the Kurdistan project to weaken the Arabic States.

Within the framework of this project, a map that gives separate religious status to Mecca and Medina, free and independent Kurdistan, free Balochistan, and expanded Armenia and Israel is envisaged.

The importance of the Middle East was emphasized in a 1952 report prepared by the organization known as the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which determined the principles of the United States’ economic policy and stated that it was indispensable for imperialism (Fahmy 2021). The report said: “If Asian, Middle Eastern, and African nationalism becomes a destructive force with the provocations of the Soviet Bloc, Europe’s oil and other raw material supply sources may be endangered. Therefore, to secure the region, it is necessary to establish relations with the countries in the region and thus secure vital resources. For this reason, the Middle East has become the focus of imperialism’s attention, and it is necessary to keep this region within its sphere of influence (Değer, 1994).

1- AKP (Justice and Development Party) coming to power

2-Exhibiting soft policies regarding the EU

3-Winning secular votes

4– To paralyze Turkey on many foreign issues, especially against Israel, by making Erdoğan the co-chairman of the Greater Middle East Project.

5- Appearing to support the Kurds through the initiative process

6-Weakening of institutions, especially the army

7-The initiative process was brought to a harsh end, and society was divided into two.

8-Strengthening political Islam through sects, tariqas, religious communities, and religious affairs

9- Constructing Israel’s occupation of Palestine with confident and small steps

10- Keeping Turkey, with its weakened institutions, on the desired trajectory by making Erdoğan fully manageable by offering carrots from time to time and threatening occasionally.

CONCLUSİON

It is a dream to expect a movement against American Imperialism without a realistic view, without a political change in which the region’s countries will be governed in a democratic and rule-of-law manner by personal and patriotic leaders.

Although BOP’s plan worked in Iraq and all North African countries, the last castle began to fail in Syria. Between the countries planning BOP (USA, England, Israel, etc.) and the countries that are against BOP (Russia, China, Iran). The two conflicts of interest caused the conflict in Syria never to end, and the regime change planned quickly was never achieved (Koylu 2015).

The Middle East projects of American and European countries aimed at their interests will continue pacifying and neutralizing policies that will neutralize the objections in the surrounding countries as much as possible. America is doing its best to prevent all kinds of chaos and invasion in the region to realize the Greater Middle East Project created for this purpose, and the price paid by the civilian population will continue. To prevent any severe negativities in the region and to protect Israel’s security to the maximum, the domestic policies of the countries in the area will continue to be designed in this direction, and necessary actions will continue to be taken to ensure that leaders who will serve this project unconditionally can be elected or continue to be in power.

Turkey, one of the countries in the region that can be taken most seriously, seems to be the most suitable leader for American policies under the Presidency of Erdoğan, who has been declared the Co-Chairman of the Greater Middle East Project. For this reason, regardless of the regime problems in Turkey, America and Europe will continue to implement all necessary political tactics to ensure that Erdogan or a similar leader remains in power.

The proverb says: “There is no carcass just because the vultures gather. “If there is carrion and its smell, vultures will gather there.” Instead of trying to explain some countries’ dire situation to external powers, they should look for the problem in their lousy management and shady dealings and fix it. Otherwise, vultures are waiting to smell the carcass.

If countries are managed well, they will continue progressing and developing in the narrow corridor; otherwise, nations will collapse (Acemoğlu 2019, Acemoğlu 2012).

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