I am a bit puzzled by Sabri's identification of my observations with the FT's piece. Neither the quoted sections nor the entire assessments (i.e. FT's and mine) is saying the same thing. Moreover, I am not fully sure what exactly Sabri's characterization of the assessment as ".. pure and heartless logic" refers to. To the FT piece or FT&mine? If it is the latter, I didn't understand what part of my message would make the underlying logic as a "heartless" one. If it is the former, I doubt that Leyla Boulton would mind applying a "heartless" logic. Sabri is saying that "The Turkish military is definitely weakened in the eyes of many although not all. Most of them are just afraid to say it outloud, given all the oppression they have seen."
As I understand this, Sabri is suggesting that there are unexpressed and changed perceptions about the strength of military. Though unexpressed, but somehow we can know these perceptions and use these changes as evidence for weakened military. I disagree with this reasoning. Instead, in my earlier message I tried to use specifics of the recent negotiations and some historical evidence/events to support my sense that the Turkish military is still objectively strong (relative to its strength before the vote and to its plans in Northern Iraq). And then Sabri says this: "I am trying my best. What will you do?" Any suggestion? What should I do? Ahmet Tonak > Ahmet wrote: > >> Re: Turkish military-whether it was weakened: >> >> No. Because it did have opportunity to openly support >> the government's proposal a day before the voting through >> the National Security Council meeting and it chose not to. > > I object Ahmet. Your assessment sounds no different than that of > Leyla Boulton's at Financial Times: > > http://tinyurl.com/6vl2 > > "The US cannot just talk to the military, haggle - and sign the > cheque" > By Leyla Boulton, Judy Dempsey, David Gardner and Peter Spiegel > Financial Times; Mar 04, 2003 > > The Turkish parliament's failure to allow more than 60,000 US > troops to use the country as a base to launch an attack on Iraq > has not only greatly complicated Washington's military planning. > It has added more layers of uncertainty to Turkey's horrendously > difficult political, diplomatic and financial situation - a sort > of perfect storm in which all the country's problems are > constantly being flung into each other. > > <CUT> > > This is the assessment of pure and heartless logic. > > The Turkish military is definitely weakened in the eyes of many > although not all. Most of them are just afraid to say it out > loud, given all the oppression they have seen. > > There are systemic and ideological cracks everywhere. It is now > the job of you and I and people like us to get into those cracks > and break them open. > > I am trying my best. > > What will you do? > > Best, > > Sabri
