Re: I showed you that that's not true at least where the US is concerned. I am not defending Bush's motivation.....just stating what his position is.
However, your anti Americanism led you to believe something else. In other words, I am pointing out your bias.
But you have yet to tell me why Europe's most ardent supporters of the US and Israel --namely, Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Laurent Fabius, Philippe Dewinter,...-- are, at the same time, staunch opponents to Turkey's EU bid. How come they didn't get the message from Washington on such an important issue?!? Anyway, below is a candid acknowledgment that the longer Turkey remains isolated and out of the EU, the better for Israel (and the US):
Turkey, Europe and Israel
EFRAIM INBAR, THE JERUSALEM POST
Feb. 19, 2005
[...]
Yet, we may see the Europeanization of Turkish foreign policy, particularly on Israeli issues.
Western Europe has generally shown little empathy for Israel, the victim of savage terrorism. In the last decade the EU supported the social mechanisms --media, education and health services-- that allowed the Palestinians to continue their terror campaign against the Jewish state and actually indirectly financed Palestinian terrorism.
European attitudes might even reinforce Turkish sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Turkey might prefer to purchase European rather than Israeli weapons, and might join the anti-American chorus orchestrated by several European states. It is not clear whether the Europeans will debilitate the Turkish readiness to fight when necessary.
On the other hand, the EU's eastward expansion, which already includes Cyprus, definitely brings Europe geographically closer to Israel. The accession of Turkey will amount to breaking an important cultural taboo. If Christian Europe is ready to take in Turkey, a country with almost 70 million Muslims, it is not inconceivable that the Jewish state might also become a potential member.
Given a choice, Israel would probably prefer to become the 51st state of the US rather than join the EU, but Israel has a clear interest in seeing a Europe more tolerant of different religious groups[*], and less hostage to deeply inbred anti-Semitism.
Finally, the long accession negotiations awaiting the Turks and the lack of certainty about their final success will force a cautious Turkish foreign policy to refrain from putting all its eggs in the European basket at this time.
This means that as long as Ankara is not a full EU member, no drastic changes in its foreign policy are to be expected. Turkey will thus most likely continue to nurture its strategic relations with Washington and Jerusalem.
The author is professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University and the director of the Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies.
66.249.93.104
[*] Of course, this statement is an obvious lie as far as Islam is concerned.... |
