Ömer Taşpınar, a Fellow at the Brookings Institution and one of Washington’s leading experts on Turkey, is concerned that the United States’ increasingly hostile policies toward Iran do not bode well for Turkish-American relations.
Taspinar dismisses the notion that Turkey is interested in joining with the Arab states to “contain” Iran and prevent a so-called “Shiite Crescent” from emerging across Iran and Iraq.
While Turkey does not want Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, it is much more concerned about possible U.S. intervention in the region, the economic economic consequences of further sanctions and the escalation of diplomatic tensions, all of which Turkey views as destabilizing.
The economic factor should not be overlooked. According to Taspinar
Iran is already an irritant and potential source of crisis in Turkish-American relations. Ankara has significant economic ties and energy contracts with Tehran. The total trade volume between the two countries is $10 billion and expected to double in the next three years — given Turkey’s growing need for natural gas and willingness to lessen its dependence on Russia. As a result, Turkey will resist Western efforts to tighten economic sanctions against Tehran.
– Ben Katcher
Omer Taspınar is responding to the usual syphilitic drivel that constantly oozes from the lips of Robert Kagan, co-founder of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) and neocon extraordinaire.
8 years ago I was stunned at the virtual lack of critique within the foreign policy making establishment regarding the invasion of Iraq. America’s political elites took neocon/Zionist lies & bull hook, line and sinker with nary an objection, excepting the few like retired Generals Odom (deceased), Zinni and Cordesman at the CSIS who managed to get their contrary views and concerns published in the media. There may have been a few more, but prior to 19 Mar 2003 reasoned opposition was so rare I didn’t hear or find them.
Though at times I am much jaded at neocon bashing, I realize its an important mission to execute. But I also know the neocons and their allies are a much discredited lot and banished into the “wilderness” away from the levers of power. The time to worry is if Cohen, Bolten, Pipes, Abrams, Wurmser, Ledeen, etc, or their clones should ever be found dominating the foreign policy making apparatus of the chief executive again.
In other times or regimes such would have been shot or their heads on pikes. Paraphrasing a political scientist America’s political order doesn’t do that sort of thing, because if American politicians know one way to destroy an opponent they know a million. And the “wilderness” is a rather haunting place to be, as I am sure the Leverett’s would agree.
Off topic but important: the US intelligence communities issued their annual threat assessment. After reading it, you have to come to the conclusion that the politicians and the media are talking about an entirely different Iran, one that existing somewhere in their delusional imaginations. Where else would they get their “facts” about the imminent Iranian threat?
“Iranian WMD and Missile Program
The Iranian regime continues to flout UN Security Council restrictions on its nuclear program. There is a real risk that its nuclear program will prompt other countries in the Middle East to pursue nuclear options.
We continue to assess Iran is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons in part by developing various nuclear capabilities that bring it closer to being able to produce such weapons, should it choose to do so. We do not know, however, if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons.”
It continues,
“Iran’s technical advancement, particularly in uranium enrichment, strengthens our 2007 NIE assessment that Iran has the scientific, technical and industrial capacity to eventually produce nuclear weapons, making the central issue its political will to do so. These advancements lead us to reaffirm our judgment from the 2007 NIE that Iran is technically capable of producing enough HEU for a weapon in the next few years, if it chooses to do so…
We continue to judge Iran’s nuclear decision-making is guided by a cost-benefit approach, which offers the international community opportunities to influence Tehran.”
http://www.isisnucleariran.org/assets/pdf/2010_NIE.pdf