Upload
alper-akguen
View
214
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Weekly Newspaper of METU FPIRC
Citation preview
10 December 2012
Japan Prepares For North Korean Rocket Launch
Japan has begun deploying a
surface-to-air missile defence
system and is putting its armed
forces on standby in advance of a
planned North Korean missile
launch this month, reports and
officials say. The Japanese public
broadcaster NHK reported that a
naval vessel carrying PAC-3
(Patriot Advanced Capability-3)
ballistic missiles left a western
Japan naval base on Monday,
headed for the country's southern
Okinawa island chain. North
Korea announced on Saturday
that it would launch a rocket
between December 10 and 22.
Japan's defence minister, ordered
the military on Saturday to
prepare for the rocket launch,
with a defence ministry
spokesman telling AFP news
agency that "our ground, marine,
and air forces are now preparing
to deploy troops in Okinawa",
which the rocket may fly over.
Continues in Page 6...
Tensions between the two
countries, which soured
significantly due to oil agreements
Turkey signed with the Kurdish
administration without the
consent of the Iraqi government,
hit a new low this week when Iraq
denied flight permission to a
plane carrying Turkish Energy
Minister Taner Yıldız, who was on
his way to Arbil to attend an
energy conference. Maliki claimed
Yıldız was planning to conclude a
business deal with the Kurdish
administration in Arbil and Yıldız
said ―We were going there for an
international meeting.‖ But he
also added that ―Turkey's being
―sensitive about Iraq's decisions
does not necessarily mean that
we will not develop projects in
Iraq.‖ However, after two days
Maliki has said Baghdad is ready
to improve ties with Ankara only
on the condition that Iraq and
Turkey do not interfere in each
other's internal affairs. He said ―I
am sending a message of
brotherhood again. I am ready to
re-establish our brotherhood.
Continues in Page 10...
Iraq Bars Minister’s Plane From Landing in Arbil
THIS
WEEK
EUROPE
PAGE 2
AMERICAS
PAGE 3
OPINION
PAGE 4-5
ASIA
PAGE 6
MIDDLE EAST&AFRICA
PAGE 7
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
PAGE 8-9
TURKEY
PAGE 10
SOCIAL
PAGE 11
INFO & ADS
PAGE 12
Missile-defence system deployed, with orders to shoot down rocket if it looks set to fall on
Japanese territory.
Volume 7, Issue 8
Maliki 'punished' Turkey for relations with Kurdish region by not allowing minister’s plane to land
EUROPE
PAGE 2
Electronics Firms Fined £1.1bn for
Fixing Prices of TVs and Computers
Germany's NDP party is
one step closer to being banned this week after
Germany's 16 regional
ministers supported the
move to pursue the ban.
Euronews / December, 5
Transparency International
annuals Corruption Index
has revealed Greece to be
the most corrupt country in the EU. The UK came 17 as
those with the most severe
economic problems proved
to be the most corrupt.
The Independent / December 5
Angela Merkel was re-
elected with 98% support
from her CDU colleagues.
This is now the seventh
time the most powerful woman in Europe has been
re-elected party leader.
The Guardian / December
4
ECB cuts growth forecasts and holds rates The European Central Bank (ECB) has revised down its Eurozone growth forecasts for this year
ECB President Mario Draghi (pictured) said the bank expected the bloc's economy to shrink by about
0.5% this year, before recovering later in 2013. He said weak consumer and investor sentiment was
weighing on growth. Mr Draghi said rates had been left unchanged due to
higher energy prices, rising taxes and the fact inflation fell from 2.5% to
2.2% last month. He also said that the bank expected inflation to fall below
2% next year. The target rate is below but close to 2%. Interest rates have
been at 0.75% for five months, after July's cut from 1%. The Bank of Eng-
land also kept its main interest rate unchanged on Thursday, leaving it at
0.5%. Likewise Britain, Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, has cut
its growth forecast for next year, saying the country's economy might be
entering a recession. BBC / December 6, 2012
Companies including Philips, LG Electronics and Panasonic artificially
set prices according to the European Commission .
Executives from some of the world‟s biggest electronics manufacturers met
in Europe and Asia to illegally fix the price of televisions and computers for
a decade, the European Commission ruled on Wednesday. Handing out
huge fines to Philips, Panasonic, Samsung and four other firms, Brussels
ruled that between 1996 and 2006 they held back supply of cathode ray
tubes, then the key component in TV sets and computer monitors. Because
the tubes made up between 50 and 70 per cent of the retail price, consum-
ers consequently paid an “over price” for TVs and computers. The scam was
“among the most organised cartels that the Commission has investigated”,
the EC said. The cartelists‟ “anti-competitive practices” included price fix-
ing, market sharing, customer allocation and exchanging commercially-
sensitive information. The Independent / December 5, 2012
Government has insisted an independent Scotland would remain in the EU, despite reports suggesting the country would have to reapply.
Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney (pictured) told, membership was not in question, but negotiations on detail would be needed. He spoke af-ter a report in The Scotsman newspaper said, as a referendum on inde-pendence is scheduled for 2014, the European Commission had confirmed in a letter that a go-alone Scotland would have to reapply for membership. Swinney told that in case of yes vote in referendum, Scotland would be a part of UK and member of the EU, there-fore there has to be negotiations about the details of Scotland‟s membership of the EU. He believed that any talks on agreeing new terms of membership would be completed by 2016. It seems that Scotland will be go-ing through a process similar to the Catalo-nia‟s secession question and EU member-ship as Artur Mas has raised earlier.
BBC / December 6, 2012
Reapplication or Negotiation
AMERICAS
PAGE 3
The fiscal cliff issue in the States is heating up as Obama doesn’t look likely to compromise
The fiscal cliff refers to US tax rises and spending cuts set to automatically come into force in January.
They can only be avoided if Democrats and Republicans agree a budget
deal. On Wednesday, Obama, and Republican House Speaker John Boehner spoke by telephone in an effort to break the continuing deadlock. Both sides
have proposed plans to reach a deal, but they remain divided over how to
reach it. Obama wants to see tax rises on wealthy Americans, but
Republicans object, calling instead for larger government spending cuts. On
Friday, Boehner accused Obama of adopting a "my way or the highway" approach and engaging in "reckless talk" about going over the fiscal cliff.
"This isn't a progress report because there is no progress to report,"
Boehner told reporters. "The president has adopted a deliberate strategy to
slow walk our economy right to the edge of the fiscal cliff." Correspondents
say the White House currently has the upper hand, given that Obama has
just won re-election and that opinion polls show that Americans would blame Republicans if the US went off the fiscal cliff. BBC / Dec. 7, 2012
The US Senate Rejects UN Treaty
59 Corrupt Cops Arrested in Rio At least 20 Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) anti-government
fighters have been killed in
Colombia after the military
launched bombing raids
against their camp in
Narino province, near the
border with Ecuador. Al
Jazeera / December 3,
2012
Enrique Peña Nieto has
formally taken office
as Mexico's new president
with a vow to restore peace
security and prosperity.
Guardian / December 2,
2012.
Fiscal Cliff Arguments Put U.S. Government in Deadlock Post-Election
In preparation to the upcoming Olympics and the World Cup, Brazil
tightened the war on corruption
Authorities in Rio de Janeiro have arrested at least 59 state police officers
accused of receiving bribes to look the other way or aid drug dealing and
other crimes by gangs that occupy the city's sprawling hillside shanty
towns. The arrests are the result of a year-long investigation, dubbed Opera-
tion Purification, that figures as part of the city's broad efforts to reduce
crime and bring order to the shanty villages, called favelas, before the sea
side city hosts the finals of soccer's 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic
games. In recent years, Rio has begun systematically clearing the favelas of
gangs that once ruled the neighborhoods all-but unchallenged by authori-
ties. The officers arrested face a range of charges, from drug trafficking to
corruption. Police also arrested several members of the city's feared Red
Command gang. Wall Street Journal / December 4, 2012
A United Nations treaty to ban discrimination against people with
disabilities went down to defeat in the Senate on Tuesday 61 to 38.
The treaty, backed by President Obama and former Senate Majority Leader
Bob Dole (R-Kan.), that it would create new abortion rights and impede the
ability of people to home school disabled children. Sen. James Inhofe (R-
Okla.) argued the treaty would infringe on U.S. sovereignty, an argument
echoed by other opponents.―This unelected bureaucratic body would pass
recommendations that would be forced upon the United States if we were a
signatory,‖ he said. Supporters of the treaty argued that the Convention on
the Rights of Persons With Disabilities would simply require the rest of the
world to meet the standards that Americans already enjoy under the 1990
Americans With Disabilities Act. The treaty was negotiated and first signed
under former President George W. Bush and signed again by Obama in
2009. At least 153 other countries have signed it. The Hill / Dec. 4, 2012.
PAGE 4
OPINIONS
EUROPE
TURKEY
Agreement to Disagreement : Turkey and Russia
Ever since the beginning, the relations between Turkey and Russia sustained in a circle. That is, periods
when relationships is good and bad have followed each other. Time of the Ottoman Empire and Russian
Empire, the two countries, mainly in opposition to each others condition. Then, until 1945, we see that the Soviet Union and Turkey's Kemalist government become strategic allies. The end of the Second World
War began the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, Turkey took place in the United
States side and broke relations with Moscow. Turkey, until the disintegration of the Soviet Union, mostly,
took place in opposite side of Moscow. From the second half of 1990s, significant progress was seen in
relationships. In this, emergence of groups advocating that turning to Eurasia instead implement pro-
Western policies had an important effect. This convergence continued until 2010. In recent times, Russia has a range attitude towards Turkey because Russia thinks that Turkey is influenced by the United
States in foreign policy. In recent periods, Turkish-Russian relations are going through the most serious
test of endurance with Syria event. The two sides are in different fronts about Syria. Russia, with all his
effort, trying to keep Assad with Syria; however , Turkey is making plans for a Syria without Assad. So,
there is the game which the ones earning means the others loss that is a zero-sum game. The only common point is that both two sides want to solve the problem with non-military methods. However, if
Russia can persuade Assad to go without an international intervention, than the policies of two countries
nearer to each other. Putin postponed all visits abroad about for nearly two months then performed his
first trip to Turkey as a sign of given importance to Ankara. Even the two countries are in different places
in international policies, the most important thing is economic and commercial ties between them. In
order to protect it, lots of mutual concessions were given and will be given.The most important point that both two countries agreed is disagreement about foreign issues.
Didem ELERMAN
Scotland on the Way of Independence As we all know an independence referendum in the autumn of 2014 will be hold on and the franchise in
a Scottish independence referendum would be the same as for a Scottish Parliament election and for a
local council election. But the question is, what are the consequences will be after the referendum? Fur-
thermore how the process would be held by the UK and Scottish governments and also by the citizens? I believe that prior to predict the results we should have an in-depth look at the issue. The starting point,
unification, took place in 1707. The main moves for independence started when Scottish National Party
became the minority government after winning a plurality of seats in the 2007 Scottish election. The first
serious move came on 30 November 2009, with a white paper for the bill. A draft bill for public consulta-
tion has published on 25 February 2010, but SNP failed to obtain support from the other parties, and receded the draft bill. The victory of SNP came on 10 January 2012, when the Scottish Government an-
nounced that they intend to hold the referendum in the autumn of 2014. An agreement was signed on 15
October 2012 by David Cameron and Alex Salmond which provides a legal framework for the referendum
to be held. The principal issues in the referendum are economic policy, defence arrangements, continued
relations with the UK and membership of supranational organisations, particularly the European Union.
As far as I have learned from Andrew Black who is a political reporter at BBC the ballot paper would be something like "The Scottish Parliament should negotiate a new settlement with the British government,
based on the proposals set out in the white paper, so that Scotland becomes a sovereign and independ-
ent state.", and the responses would be "Yes I agree" or "No I disagree". It has been suggested that full
independence, in the event of a 'yes' vote, could be delivered in 2016. Recently, the Scottish government
has insisted an independent Scotland would remain in the EU, despite reports suggesting the country would have to reapply. The BBC's Europe editor Gavin Hewitt said: "There would be a negotiation which
would only start when it was clear what the relationship was between Scotland and London." I am not
sure if it would be the best for Scotland to be independent or not in such an environment, since the Eu-
rozone has “visible” economic problems, but if the referendum would end with the dominance of “yes”
votes, I believe that Scotland deserves a chance to prove that it could be a powerful sovereign state with-
out the endorsement of UK. Asude Dilan YİĞİT
PAGE 5
OPINIONS
ASIA
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
Enough is More Than One Word
Protests, march and slogans are not new for history of Egypt. Before the Arab Uprisings, the history of
Egypt had significant demonstrations. In the past, these events were based on the nationalist feelings
because the Egypt was under control of British Empire or in Nasser period, the politics of Egypt was
dominated by Arab Nationalism. However, in my opinion, Arab Uprisings has not any philosophical back-
ground or political preparation to construct new political systems. After the resign of Mubarek, the Mus-
lim Brotherhood, as the largest and the most organized entity, took the power in the Egypt. Muhammad
Morsi was elected as president however the President of Egypt was constrained by the power of Army and
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Moreover, for Morsi, the judicial mechanism and the parliament
are other obstacles to get ultimate power in the country, so Morsi acted a decree to reduce effectiveness
of check and balance system over his decisions. I think this decree may be the biggest mistake of Morsi
because Egyptian said enough to not only Mubarak but also all possible pharaoh candidates. In spite of
lack of philosophical background and political roots, Egyptians in Tahrir learnt that a government or a
state cannot be survived without its people, so Morsi retreat the decree that gives to Morsi enormous
power without any control system over his decisions. Now, in Egypt, the people are waiting for new con-
stitution and I am sure that if their demands are not met, Egyptian will say a word: kefaya. The develop-
ments reveal that Liberals are trying to form a front against Muslim Brotherhood, so Morsi may have to
face with more opposition from the different parts of the society. Especially, in the election period, the
instability and protest will be main issues of the agenda of Morsi in my opinion because old pretexts are
not enough to continue dictatorial habits for everyone.
Alper AKGÜN
‘‘Re-Sovietization’’, is it true ? H. Clinton slammed the Moscow-led Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan, apparently
castigating it as a front for reviving the Soviet Union.―Let‘s make no mistake about it,‖ she said. ―We
know what the goal is and we are trying to figure out effective ways to slow down or prevent it.‖ Russian
NATO envoy Grushko rejected Clinton's claim, insisting Russia‘s partnership with its neighbors is purely
pragmatic.―Russia takes the position that every government is interested in using all possible resources
to cooperate with its neighbors,‖ he said.Moscow has sought to pull together many of the former Soviet
republics into what President Vladimir Putin has christened the "Eurasian Union," a political and
economic union between Russia, Belarus and several Central Asian countries. Who‘s saying the truth
Clinton or Gurshko, US or Russia? I think, Russia doesn‟t want a new Soviet Union, wants US of East
Europe and Central Asia because idealist soviet diplomacy isn‟t suitable for new and pragmatist Russia.
And Soviet Union had more larger diplomacy network than Russia can dream about. Arab and African
liberation movements were important as Central Asia for Soviet diplomacy; however, new Russia has lim-
ited diplomatic opportunities. Russia lost superiotiy in most areas like Africa and Middle East during
early 90‟s. If Russia wants to control Central Asia again, it must jar with US and may face new powers
like India, Iran and Turkey. They are more powerful than before. Iran and India are allies of Russia but
nobody knows the future of these alliances and Russia‟s future dream isn‟t Turkey‟s future dream. For
example, Russia is jarring with Turkey because of Syria. We can say the Shanghai Five and the Eurasian
Union are efforts of „„re-Sovietization‟‟ but they aren‟t clear alliances. In conclusion, Russia‟s sphere of
influence is growing but every country wants to grow own sphere of influence like Russia or Turkey. We
can not say that it is signal of re-Ottomanization or re-Sovietization. We can say it‟s signal of the new
diplomatic era. H. Sinan Güler
PAGE 6
ASIA
ASIA
„Magnitsky Act‟ Approved Afghanistan‘s intelligence
chief Asadullah Khalid has
been wounded in
assassination attempt in
Kabul. The attack was
claimed by the Taliban.
Al Jazeera / December 7,
2012
Australia and 36 other
industrialised countries
signed up for binding
emission cuts by 2020 as
part of a package of
agreements extending the
life of the Kyoto Protocol at
a UN conference in Doha.
New Zealand Herald /
December 9, 2012
Former Thai prime minister
is charged over the death of
a taxi driver who was killed
amid a crackdown on
protests in Bangkok in
2010. A court ruled last
month that his death
resulted from military acts
ordered by the prime
minister.
CNN / December 7, 2012
Japan Prepares For North Korean Rocket Launch Continues from Page 1…
Japan is also planning to deploy Aegis warships in neighbouring waters, Japanese media reported on
Monday. Officials are preparing to issue an advance order as soon as Friday to shoot down the rocket if it
looks set to fall on Japanese territory, after an emergency meeting chaired by Yoshihiko Noda, prime
minister. Noda on Monday called for close co-operation with the US, China, South Korea and Russia in
preparation for the planned launch, which has drawn international
condemnation. "I have ordered cabinet ministers to gather and analyse
information closely with each other and as we closely collaborate with
related countries," he was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires as saying. North
Korea has reportedly notified neighbours, including Japan, of the trajectory
of the planned rocket launch. Al Jazeera/ December 3, 2012
The US Senate has passed a new bill normalizing trading relations with
the Russian Federation, while critisizing their human rights record.
In response, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Russia would take
similar, reciprocative actions. “During a meeting with Hillary Clinton in
Dublin, I confirmed that we will close entry to Americans who have been
guilty of human rights violations,” Lavrov said. The act automatically repeals
the Jackson-Vanik amendment placing trade restrictions on Russia and
establishes permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Moscow. The
Jackson-Vanik amendment was enacted in 1974 during the Cold War and
originally targeted the Soviet Union. The act, while finally normalizing trade
relations with Moscow, will allow Washington to deny visas as well as freeze
the assets of Russian officials allegedly involved in the death of the Russian
lawyer, Sergey Magnistky. The bill also stipulates that future possible
violations in the field of human rights would be prosecuted by the same
measures. Russia Today / December 6, 2012
More than 500 members of India's armed forces are accused of human
rights abuses in a damning report on conflict in Kashmir.
In the report by a leading human rights group include custody deaths,
abduction, torture and rape. Army, police and paramilitary officers of senior
rank are among those named. There was no immediate army response. Thousands have died in a separatist insurgency in Kashmir since 1989.
The disputed region, claimed by both India and Pakistan, has seen violence
fall in recent years. But tens of thousands of Indian army and paramilitary
troops continue to be deployed in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley. The
report's authors say they gathered information from the police and under
India's new freedom of information laws, as well from interviews with families and others.
An army spokesman said "If they have sent it
to the defence ministry we have not received it
so far. We can respond after proper perusal of
the document." BBC / December 6, 2012
Indian Officials Accused of
Kashmir Rights Abuses
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
PAGE 7
Egypt's opposition coalition refuses to meet Friday to discuss Morsi's call for Saturday dialogue
meet; several opposition groups holding rallies after Friday prayers.
Backers and opponents of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi planned to
stage rival mass protests on Friday, as the country was locked in a deepening crisis over the Islamist leader's grab for powers and his call for a
referendum on a controversial draft constitution. Opponents of the
president gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, chanting slogans against Morsi
and his Muslim Brotherhood group. Thousands also marched to the
president's palace. The protesters were joined by leading opposition leader
Hamdeen Sabahy. "Down with Morsi Mubarak," chanted the protesters, implying that toppled in a popular revolt almost two years ago. In a televised
address late Thursday, Morsi said that a decree he issued last month,
making all his decisions immune from judicial review, would be
cancelled after the constitutional referendum scheduled for December 15,
whatever the result of the vote. Haaretz / December 7, 2012
US president says there will be "consequences" if President Assad uses
chemical weapons on his own people.
Barack Obama, the US president, has warned Syrian President Bashar al-
Assad not to use chemical weapons on his own people, saying there would
be consequences if he were to do so. "Today I want to make it absolutely
clear to Assad and those under his command: The world is watching," he
said on Monday."The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally
unacceptable and if you make the tragic mistake
of using these weapons there will be consequences
and you will be held accountable."Hillary Clinton,
the secretary of state, who is in Prague, the capital
of Czech Republic, said she would not outline any
specifics."But suffice it to say, we are certainly
planning to take action if that eventuality were to
occur," she said. Al Jazeera / December 4, 2012
Obama warns Syria over chemical
weapons use
Khaled Meshaal is making his first visit in 45 years to celebrate the
founding of the group .
Khaled Meshaal, the exiled political leader of Hamas, will receive a hero‘s
welcome when he arrives in Gaza this week for his first visit to the
Palestinian territories for 45 years, to celAebrate the 25th anniversary of the
founding of the group. It will be Mr Meshaal‘s first ever visit to Gaza, which
has been ruled by Hamas since it overthrew the Fatah administration of
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007. Both Hamas – whose name
is an acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement – and Fatah are trying
to gain domestic support as they try to revive stalled unity talks and hold a
long-overdue general election. Independent / December 5, 2012
Iran's navy has captured
what it says is a U.S.
drone after it entered
Iranian airspace over the
Persian Gulf.However, a
U.S. defense official, who
could not be named
because the official was
not authorized to speak to
the media that whatever
the Iranians claim to have,
it is not an actively
operating U.S. Navy drone.
CNN / December 5, 2012
Jordan's King Abdullah II
paid a rare visit to the
West Bank in a show of
support for Mahmoud
Abbas' successful bid for
UN recognition of a
Palestinian state.
Haaretz / December 6,
2012
Five men were killed in the
Lebanese port city of
Tripoli today during
sectarian clashes between
gunmen loyal to opposing
sides in neighbouring
Syria's civil war, residents
said. Independent /
December 6, 2012
Egypt braced for more protests
Hamas leader returns to Gaza to a
hero's welcome
PAGE 8
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
Thomas L. Friedman
Author and Columnist in The NY Times
These were the main regional news headlines in The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday:
“Home Front Command simulates missile strike during drill.”
Egypt‘s President ―Morsi opts for safety as police battle protestors.‖ In Syria, ―Fight spills over
into Lebanon.‖ ―Darkness at noon for fearful Damascus residents.‖ ―Tunisian Islamists, leftists
clash after jobs protests.‖ ―NATO warns Syria not to use chemical weapons.‖ And my personal
favorite: ― ‗Come back and bring a lot of people with you‘ — Tourism Ministry offers tour
operators the full Israeli experience.‖
Ah, yes, ―the full Israeli experience.‖
The full Israeli experience today is a living political science experiment. How does a country deal
with failed or failing state authority on four of its borders — Gaza, South Lebanon, Syria and
the Sinai Desert of Egypt — each of which is now crawling with nonstate actors nested among
civilians and armed with rockets. How should Israel and its friends think about this ―Israeli
experience‖ and connect it with the ever-present question of Israeli-Palestinian peace?
For starters, if you want to run for office in Israel, or be taken seriously here as either a
journalist or a diplomat, there is an unspoken question in the mind of virtually every Israeli
that you need to answer correctly: ―Do you understand what neighborhood I‘m living in?‖ If
Israelis smell that you don‘t, their ears will close to you. It is one reason the Europeans in
general, and the European left in particular, have so little influence here.
The central political divide in Israel today is over the follow-up to this core question: If you
appreciate that Israel lives in a neighborhood where there is no mercy for the weak, how should
we expect Israel to act?
There are two major schools of thought here. One, led by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu,
comprises the ―Ideological Hawks,‖ who, to the question, ―Do you know what neighborhood I am
living in?‖ tell Israelis and the world, ―It is so much worse than you think!‖ Bibi goes out of his
way to highlight every possible threat to Israel and essentially makes the case that nothing
Israel does has ever or can ever alter the immutable Arab hatred of the Jewish state or the
Hobbesian character of the neighborhood. Netanyahu is not without supporting evidence. Israel
withdraws from both South Lebanon and Gaza and still gets hit with rockets. But this group is
called the ―ideological‖ hawks because most of them also advocate Israel‘s retaining permanent
control of the West Bank and Jerusalem for religious-nationalist reasons. So it‘s impossible to
know where their strategic logic for holding territory stops and their religious-nationalist
The Full Israeli Experience
PAGE 9
reasons. So it‘s impossible to know where their strategic logic for holding territory stops and
their religious-nationalist dreams start — and that muddies their case with the world.
The other major school of thought here, call it the ―Yitzhak Rabin school,‖ was best described
by the writer Leon Wieseltier as the ―bastards for peace.‖
Rabin, the former Israeli prime minister and war hero, started exactly where Bibi did: This is a
dangerous neighborhood, and a Jewish state is not welcome here. But Rabin didn‘t stop there.
He also believed that Israel was very powerful and, therefore, should judiciously use its strength
to try to avoid becoming a garrison state, fated to rule over several million Palestinians forever.
Israel‘s ―bastards for peace‖ believe that it‘s incumbent on every Israeli leader to test, test and
test again — using every ounce of Israeli creativity — to see if Israel can find a Palestinian
partner for a secure peace so that it is not forever fighting an inside war and an outside war. At
best, the Palestinians might surprise them. At worst, Israel would have the moral high ground
in a permanent struggle.
Today, alas, not only is the Israeli peace camp dead, but the most effective Israeli ―bastard for
peace,‖ Defense Minister Ehud Barak, is retiring. As I sat with Barak in his office the other day,
he shared with me his parting advice to Israel‘s next and sure-to-be-far-right government.
Huge political forces, with deep roots, are now playing out around Israel, particularly the rise of
political Islam, said Barak. ―We have to learn to accept it and see both sides of it and try to
make it better. I am worried about our tendency to adopt a fatalistic, pessimistic perception of
history. Because, once you adopt it, you are relieved from the responsibility to see the better
aspects and seize the opportunities‖ when they arise.
If Israel just assumes that it‘s only a matter of time before the moderate Palestinian leaders in
the West Bank fall and Hamas takes over, ―why try anything?‖ added Barak. ―And, therefore,
you lose sight of the opportunities and the will to seize opportunities. ... I know that you can‘t
say when leaders raise this kind of pessimism that it is all just invented. It is not all invented,
and you would be stupid if you did not look [at it] with open eyes. But it is a major risk that you
will not notice that you become enslaved by this pessimism in a way that will paralyze you from
understanding that you can shape it. The world is full of risks, but that doesn‘t mean that you
don‘t have a responsibility to do something about it — within your limits and the limits of
realism — and avoid self-fulfilling prophecies that are extremely dangerous here.‖
The New York Times/ December 8, 2012
TURKEY
PAGE 10
Continue from Page 1…
We are ready for all kinds of agreements. But we have a condition: Neither Turkey nor Iraq will interfere
in each other's internal affairs.‖ He added ―Now, despite all the problems, we want dialogue with Turkey, I
am offering an olive branch. We are ready and willing to cooperate with you on security, oil, trade and
culture. But, there should not be interference in Iraq's internal affairs.‖ Meanwhile, Maliki invited
Turkey‘s main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to a conference on
Turkish-Iraqi ties to be held in Bagdad. However, Kılıçdaroğlu said that he
would not be able to attend the conference, but a delegation of his
Republican People‘s Party chaired by Deputy Head Faruk Loğoğlu will be
joining the event. Loğoğlu said this visit was previously planned and had
nothing to do with Baghdad‘s refusal to allow Yıldız to fly to Arbil.
Today’s Zaman – Hurriyet Daily News / December 4-7, 2012
Despite their differences over Syria, the two countries enjoy strong trade and energy ties, and are expected to look to strengthen those links during talks. President Putin, who paid a one day working visit to Turkey, and Erdoğan met at Dolmabahçe Besides economic relations, the two leaders discussed a variety of subjects, the Syria crisis in particular and gave messages regarding it. Erdoğan said the economic investments made reciprocally gained great momentum and Russia is Turkey's biggest trading partner. Putin said it was planned to raise the trade volume to $100 billion in the forthcoming years, and regarding the Patriot missiles to be deployed on the Turkish border with Syria pointed out that he did not believe Syria would attack Turkey but Russia was understanding of Turkey's concern regarding its border security. They later signed some cooperation agreements and held a joint press conference. Erdoğan also thanked Russia for its support for Palestine to get the non-member observer status from the UN. TRT-English - BBC / December 4, 2012
Iraq Bars Minister’s Plane From Landing in Arbil
Putin meets Erdogan for Syria
talks
Mr. Ban praised the humanitarian work being carried out to care for
the 200,000 Syrians who are being housed in Turkey.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited a camp in
southern Turkey hosting Syrian refugees and thanked Turkey for its
efforts, calling on the international community and the UN SC to unite and
take decisive action to end the conflict in
Syria. ―The government and the people of
Turkey, you have a broad heart for generosity
and friendship. I have so much to say after
visiting this camp. Thank you very much for
your support,‖ he said. After a stopover in the
Islahiye camp which houses some 8,500
refugees, Ban headed to Ankara to meet with
Gul, Erdogan and Davutoglu. Hurriyet Daily
News / Dec. 7, 2012
Ban-Ki-Mun In Ankara
During Justice Minister
Ergin's visits to Brussels,
the EU made it clear that
BDP deputies should not be
"excluded" from politics,
referring to the raging
debate on whether or not
the immunity of those
deputies should be lifted,
leaving them open to
prosecution. Today’s
Zaman / December 6,
2012
Germany will send up to
400 troops to the Turkish-
German border as part of
NATO mission to protect
Turkey from Syrian rocket
attacks. Deutsche Welle /
December 6, 2012
The director of the Greek
Ministry of Defense's War
Museum was removed from
office following a statement
by Turkey declaring its
disappointment on the
promotion in the museum
of a book penned by Murat
Karayılan one of the leaders
of the PKK. Today’s
Zaman / Dec. 3, 2012
10 December 2012:
Basit Bir Ev Kazası (Theater)
ġinasi Sahnesi/20.00
11 December 2012:
Cyrano De Bergerac(Theater)
Cüneyt Gökçer Sahnesi/20.00
33 Varyasyon (Theater)
Akün Sahnesi/20.00
12 December 2012:
Anathema Acoustic Night with
Danny Cavanagh (Concert)
Jolly Joker/21.00
13 December 2012:
Balkan Clarinet Summit(Concert)
MEB ġura Salonu/21.00
Mickey's Musical (Show)
ATO Kongre ve Sergi Sarayı/18.00
14 December 2012:
Dünya Rakı Haftası (Festival)
7 Kapı Bahçelievler/19.00
Metin ve Arkas Trio (Concert)
Bilkent Konser Salonu/20.00
15 December 2012
Levent Yüksel (Concert)
Jolly Joker/22.00
Antonius ile Kleopatra(Theater)
YB Nazım Hikmet Kongre ve Kültür
Mrkz/20.30
PAGE 11
EVENT
CALENDAR
INFO & ADS
TWITTER FEED
Status quo not an option. I support Leveson recom-
mendation for independent regulator with real power.
New law governing press may curb free speech
David Cameron, PM of the UK
Unless US government wakes up to Argentina bond
crisis, framework for orderly sovereign debt restruc-
turings and global financial stability at risk.
Jamie Mcgeever, Editor for Reuters
Putin on Patriot deployment: “We say if you have a
rifle on the wall eventually you will use it.”
Joe Parkinson, Istanbul bureau chief for the
Wall Street Journal
Putin arrives sunny and warm İstanbul wearing a
bulky big coat, almost two size bigger for him.
Zeynep Erdim, BBC World Turkey
GENERAL DIRECTOR
Alper AKGÜN
CO-EDITOR
Yiğitcan ERDOĞAN
COORDINATORS
Hazal AKGÜL, AyĢe ATASOY, Cansu BULUKLU, Begüm
ÇELĠKTUTAN
EUROPE CORRESPONDENTS
Ekin BOZKURT, Dan PRITCHETT, Asude Dilan YĠĞĠT
AMERICAS CORRESPONDENTS
Paddy SPICER WARD, Ayça ġEN
ASIA CORRESPONDENTS
Bektur ELEBESOV, H. Sinan GÜLER, AyĢenur ġANLI
M. EAST & AFRICAS CORRESPONDENTS
R. Sinan USTA, Çağlar YILDIZ
TURKEY CORRESPONDENTS
Didem ELERMAN, Yağmur ERġAN
SOCIAL EVENTS CORRESPONDENT
Yağmur ÇĠFTÇĠ
Twitter: @metunewsreport