Introduction
USA has become a super-power after the end of the Cold war. USA, which is shaping its politics and strategies according to new world order, has never confronted with a significant threat in its history but September 11.
Politicians, consultants, strategists, academicians from think-tank organizations, started to debate USA’s new security strategies and put forward two kinds of ideas regarding what kinds of politics should be followed.
In the former idea, persons like Condoleezza Rice were targeting at developing affairs of USA with other big states. As a “Modest, but Powerful State”, USA was highlighting the foreign politics that adopted to be in cooperation with the big states like-EU.
The latter one was composed of Neo-CONS that involve professors such as Paul Wolfowitz, politicians, jurists and rather evangelists. These persons whose bulk of affiliated with think-tank organizations named “American Enterprise Institute”, were among the 27 persons who wrote the book named “Defense of USA must be reviewed”. A few of these important names are Paul Wolfowitz, Henry Kissinger, Bernard Lewis, and Zbigniew Brzezinski.
The Idea of “Clashes of Civilizations”, which is popular in USA, influenced public opinion in the direction of Neo-Con’s politics.
11-September attacks have shaken USA and hence foreign policy started to change in that direction. Neo-CONS claiming their idea to be true supported to attack before the enemy.
“The thesis of Clashes of Civilizations” has started to come true and Neo-Cons have dominated the foreign policy of USA owing to 911.
Who Are Neo-Cons
Neo-conservatism, is a political movement, mainly in the United States and Canada, which is generally held to have emerged in the 1960s, coalesced in the 1970s, and has had a significant presence in the administration of George W. Bush.
Many associate neo-conservatism with periodicals such as Commentary and The Weekly Standard, along with the foreign policy initiatives of think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Project for the New American Century (PNAC). Neoconservative journalists, pundits, policy analysts, and politicians, often dubbed "neocons" by supporters and critics alike, have been credited with (or blamed for) their influence on U.S. foreign policy, especially under the administration of George W. Bush.
Neo-Cons, also called as “Falcons”, try to impose the philosophy of Leo-Strauss and now form the foreign policy group of Bush.
This concept means “Conservative” in Turkish and we understand a conservativeness of religion oriented, but this concept is not religion oriented, it seems to be progressive and supporting change, but hinders reason and tries to survive the liberalism and capitalism. This Conservative understanding intends to change mass democracies to capitalistliberal understanding.
Leo-Strauss, fond of Machiavelli, believes all people to be bad and need to be forced to good. Good citizen always is loyal to current order. The best order is of USA. The best order can apply all means to maintain good one. Democracy is just a trick and community is governed by good educated people not by democracy.
The former USA Defense Minister, was a student of Leo-Strauss, now head of the world bank combined that philosophy with strategy with the help of Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Foreign minister Condoleezza Rice, Richard Armitage, Richard Perle, founder of National Interest, editor of Public Interest and member of American Enterprise Institute Irving Kristol, Deputy minister of Defense Ministery Douglas Feith and other Neo-cons.
They opposed the detent policies with Soviets, supported Vietnam War and lots of neo-cons, Colin Powell and Richard Armitage were among, protested the ending of the war .
They have not wanted to be existed an opposing force and therefore pushed the White House to strengthening of defense and war industry.
They prepared the reports such as Preset Dangers, Statements of Principals and gave them to Defense Ministry. By the means of these reports they wanted in Iran a regime change, neutralizing of North-Korea, protecting the leadership of America and increasing defense expends and they emphasized that otherwise USA could lose its super-power position.
Critics take issue with neoconservatives' support for aggressive foreign policy; critics from the left especially take issue with what they characterize as unilateralism and lack of concern with international consensus through organizations such as the United Nations. Neoconservatives respond by describing their shared view as a belief that national security is best attained by promoting freedom and democracy abroad through the support of pro-democracy movements, foreign aid and in certain cases military intervention. This is a departure from the traditional conservative tendency to support friendly regimes in matters of trade and anti-communism even at the expense of undermining existing democratic systems. Author Paul Berman in his book Terror and Liberalism describes it as, "Freedom for others means safety for ourselves. Let us be for freedom for others."
Irving Kristol remarked that a neoconservative is a "liberal mugged by reality," one who became more conservative after seeing the results of liberal policies. The term "neoconservative" also refers more often to institutions like the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), Commentary and The Weekly Standard than to the Heritage Foundation, Policy Review or National Review.
Some observers name political philosopher Leo Strauss as a major intellectual antecedent of neoconservativism. For example, some of his ideas entered the political mainstream through his pupil Allan Bloom's bestseller, The Closing of the American Mind. Although Strauss rarely stated positions on foreign policy issues, some (such as the BBC documentary The Power of Nightmares) argue that he influenced neoconservative strategy.
Neo-Cons in order to prevent EU security and defense policy, supported Turkey’s membership to EU, took the advantage of US, reviewed NATO.
Neo-Cons have the basis of Evangelist and Bush knows that there are lots of radical evangelists among 71 neo-cons. And also it’s the most growing religious sect.
Neo-Cons And Usa’s Mid-East Politics
Bush is shaping the Middle-east policy according to evangelistic and neo-cons and they want to broaden the enemy list of USA.
We can not reduce the USA’s Mid-East policy to just one reason, because USA has also its economic policy and security policy. Mid-east has also an economic inducement for USA because it has the sixty percent of the world petrol reserves and thirty percent of the world natural gas reserves. USA Energy Information Agency estimated that USA’s fuel consume will be 26 barrel million in 2020. And this emphasizes the importance of fuel for USA.
It’s also possible to explain Mid-east policy with USA’s Security policies. In Cold-War Era, just Soviets could opposed USA in Mid-east, so USA must stop Russian to spread over Mid-east. And now Russian is trying to get Iran as an ally, wants to stabilize potential strength of USA.
USA is emphasizing the phenomena of democracy, human rights and insistently highlights that Muslim Countries are deprived of democracy. USA support Israel in the region claiming its cause as democracy. USA supports Pakistan more than India in that point we should question whether Pakistan is more democratic than India.
It must be questioned what is the relation of democracy and human rights between interests of USA in Mid-east. Because USA didn’t blamed what Syrian President Hafiz Eased did, and continued friendship in the region. In 1988 Saddam Hussein killed a great number of people in Northern Iraq and lots of neo-cons in White House remained neutral. No-one argued that in 1982 Libyan Christian Falanjists, who advocate Israel, killed 800 Palestinians. It is USA troops ruling the Mid-east not democracy.
Turkey has been struggling to be active in Mid-east recently. Turkey’s parliamentary decision of not sending its troops has brought turkey many points. Turkey strengthened its role of being reconciler between west-east and supporting democracy. Turkey is model to be followed as being Muslim, peacemaker, having the leadership role. Turkey has a position between west and east in which both sides welcome warmly with the identity of European and AsianMuslim.
Conclusion
We can not neglect that Neo-Cons’ influences in USA foreign policy. These politics has made USA an aggressive and war-maker country, and that has influenced Turkey.
These wars’s bill has affected Turkey badly. That Turkey is an ally with USA is alienating some Muslim countries from Turkey and Turkey also suffers of USA foreign policies. Because the embargo put on Iraq for 13 years has damaged Turkey at a cost about 2.53 billion dollars. “USA, competing with terrorists on illegality, makes his allies also pay the bill of terror policies. That’s why Turkey should find new and alternative security policies against USA terror policies that harm Turkey.
In this process, Turkish Nation that lives Islam in the understanding of laicism and out of politics, its leadership to other Muslim Countries will be effective in abolishing so-called Islamic terror.
As a result, USA must be a part of the solution not the problem in Mid-East. Neo-Cons must be tolerant to other nations not just to the Jewishes.
REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/neoconservatizm
http://www.noktadergisi.com.tr
http://www.geocities.com/strateji_taktik/makaleler/strateji/siyt4-s14.htm
http://www.msxlabs.org/forum/kultur/6434-dunyayi-yoneten-gizli-orgutler.html
http://ilef.ankara.edu.tr
