Middle East's Black Box - Middle East in World Politics

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Arab Spring

In the content of this book, the notion of Arab Spring is treated mostly. According to the author, Arab Spring have emerged in the results of demands of Arab people to more democracy, more freedom and more human rights. At the beginning, Arab Spring started in Tunisia on 10 December, 2010. These movements are accepted as the most influential political movements in the 21st century. In the process of Arab Spring, some authoritarian regimes such as Gaddafi in Libya, Mubarak in Egypt was terminated with the way of civil movements. So, on the other hand, Arab Spring was mostly influential on some Arab geography and without Arab geography it had little effect on the Iran, Armenia and Albania.

When the author of this book mentions from Arab Spring, he questions the real face of the Arab Spring: ‘’is it a Real Spring?’’. We can easily see that Kenan Akin is not hopeful about the Arab Spring. Honestly, according to him, Arab Spring is the part of GMEI and imperialist motives of the Great Power over the region. He claims that Arab Spring has brought the region nothing, but just blood and tears. In this point, he also criticizes Turkish Foreign Policy during the Arab Spring. He defines Turkish Foreign Policy in the region with some specific words such as dangerous and unexpected. According to the author, Arab Spring is not source of a freedom. He evaluates Arab Spring in the context of USA’s and Israel’s interests. Also, he criticizes Barzani and Peshmerga within the interests of Turkey. As e result, he defends that Arab Spring is not a kind of spring in reality, it is just dark winter.

Egypt, Arab Spring and Muslim Brother

In Egypt, Arab Spring transformed bloody conflicts between the regime and its opponents. Because of these conflicts, Hosni Mubarak lost his power on February, 2011. He was the leader of the Egypt since the death of the Anwar Sadat, in 1981. On the other hand, according to the author of this book, the process of Arab Spring in Egypt relates to Muslim Brothers. Because, they were waiting to seize power in Egypt during almost eighty years. But, after the seizure of power, they were not successful politically and they lost their prestige relatively. Indeed, the Leadership of Morsi caused economic and social erosion in this country. Because of this erosion inflation, public debt and poverty highly increased. According to personal view of Kenan Akin, the main mistake of Morsi and Muslim Bothers is to focused on Muslim Brother’s idealism mostly rather than economic situation. So, the failure of Morsi and his decisions crated protest against Morsi and Muslim Brothers. Because of the some demonstrations against Morsi, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi seized power with the way of military coup on 3rd July, 2013. According to the author, we can evaluate Egyptian coup in the context of Israel’s interest. On the other hand, there is a disagreement between Egyptian and even world society: Is this a revolution or coup? Some people who support Muslim Brothers think that this is a coup. But, also some people who dissent Muslim Brothers thinks that this is a revolution. There is no consensus about this case.

In the following parts of this book, he also mentions from the Muslim Brothers or with the original name, ‘’Al-ikhwan el Muslimin’’. Muslim Brothers was established by Hasan Al Banna in 1936. General understanding of Muslim brothers based on core Islamic values. They were underground until the beginning of the Arab Spring. In Egypt, they advocated democratic system and Islamic reforms throughout years. In the time of Nasser and Hosni Mubarak, Muslim Brothers’ idealism was prohibited with the hands of the state regime. On the other hand, the approach of Muslim Brothers are effective on some Arab countries such as Bahrain, Tunisia and Iraq more or less. After the collapse of the Mubarak, Muslim Brothers were so successful in elections. Under the name of Justice and Freedom Party, they took more than fifty million votes. Afterwards, -in 2012- Mohammed Morsi who is the candidate of the Muslim Brothers elected president with 52% votes. According to author of this book, this is the result of the Muslim Brothers’ experiences about the organization.

Turkey – Syria Relations and Turkmens

In the some sub-groups of this book, we can find some claims and analysis about the Turkish-Syrian Relations and the situations of the Turkmens. When we evaluate Turkish-Syrian relations in foreign policy, according to author, we can see some different process. For instance, Before the Bashar Assad era, Turkish-Syrian relations was not very good because pf the Hatay Issue and Kurdish Issue. But after the 2002, Turkish-Syrian relations changed positively under the leadership of Justice and Development Party and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This situation can be seen in the context of the Turkey’s zero problem policy in foreign policy. But, after the beginning of the Arab Spring, everything changed again dramatically. Turkey, in this process, supports opponents of Bashar Assad with various way and because of this support Turkey’s relations with Syria collapsed.

In this book, Kenan Akin also mentions from Turkmens. According to general information in this book, there are more than 1.5 million Turkmens in Damascus, Homs, Latakia and Aleppo, in Syria. These Turkmens support opponents in the process of Arab Spring demonstrations and even conflicts. But, economically and culturally, they are weak! According to the author, Turkey should support Turkmens in Syria whether Bashar Assad Regime collapse

In General: Turkish Foreign Policy in Middle East

According to author, Turkish Foreign Policy is about to failure in the region. For instance: Turkey-Egypt relations in foreign policy. He claims that turkey did not follow multidirectional foreign policy in the process of Egyptian coup/revolution. Indeed, Turkey’s relation with Iraq and Iran is not very good. Additionally, Egyptian and Syrian relations with Turkey in foreign policy is about to die. So, he defines this situation as alienation in the foreign policy and international area. According to author, Turkey did not successful to find alternative policies.

Author of this book characterize some motives in Turkish Foreign Policy such as regional leadership or the leadership of the Muslim countries in the region. He claims that this can be very dangerous for Turkey. So, Turkey must stay away from this idea and Middle East swamp! Also, he criticizes Turkey’s Syrian policy with some ways. According to the author, this failures of Turkish Foreign Policy is the result of the absence of the multidirectional reading