‘A specter is haunting Europe'
Saturday's terrorist attack, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people in Ankara, will undoubtedly be referred to as one of the saddest days in Turkish political history. Since the 1960s, terror has been an instrument that has shaped politics in developing countries. It also has been one of the major obstacles in democratization in Latin America, the Middle East - including Turkey - and Asia Minor. Frozen conflict areas have been created in Turkey. The Middle East and the Caucasus's use of terror prevented the formation of civil politics. Turkey cannot be considered a Middle Eastern country riven by conflict areas; however, it is a country that has been dragged into similar situations thanks to military coups.
Terror has been an unchanging instrument of coups, government changes and the redetermination of capital structure. In order to shape Turkish politics, hence the administration of Turkey, this instrument has appeared in different forms in every period. For instance, before the military coup of May 27, 1960, terror and plunder in the streets was carried out by means of an intense media operation. Also, the leftist terror appeared during the period that led to the coup of March 12, 1971. During the military coup of Sept. 12, 1980, terror determined politics with intense street fights that were staged to the degree of a civil war. When it came to the 1990s, the separatist PKK terror broke out and contributed to hard times in Turkey, including the postmodern coup of Feb. 28, 1997. The atrocious bombing in Ankara is not only a consequence of Turkey's internal political dynamics, but also of a multifaceted attack aimed at Turkey.
Just like in the early 20th century, the geography, which spans from Eastern Europe to the Caspian region and includes the Greater Maghreb and Egypt, is once again the center of a new war on sharing. In this regard, the Ankara bombing is a new situation that differs from Turkey's terror politics in qualitative terms. Just as all the previous coup processes, this is not an attack aimed at Turkish domestic politics alone. Although it is the continuation of the Reyhanlı and Suruç attacks, it differs from them in terms of its strength. It indicates that Turkey is not only in chains of terror, but also in a multidimensional war on sharing. In this case, Turkey should altogether withstand this undeclared war. Other countries, particularly European countries, should act in the same responsible manner.
Destabilizing Turkey and turning it into a frozen conflict area would cost humanity more than a new world war. Turkey is the only democratic country in its region and the Ankara bombing is also an attack on Turkey's democratic politics. It should be noted that the destabilization of Turkey means a never-ending European crisis, an ever-escalating refugee crisis and uprisings that will shake the system in Europe. In this regard, a destabilized Turkey will lead to a new 1848 crisis in Europe. The reason why the European crisis won't lead to a severe economic and political downturn as it did during the 1848 crisis is that Turkey functions as a democratic buffer zone between the Middle East and Europe. Phytophthora infestans was the dead-end that Europeans reached as a result of working 15 hours a day and going to bed hungry because of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Rural European people also starved to death at the time. Now, European companies are once again in the grip of a crisis because of the falling profit rates. What is worse is the people in countries shaken by wars, from Syria to Iraq, are in a tighter spot than the people of 19th century Europe. This is because they cannot even find potatoes to eat.
Turkey has taken in millions of refugees in this process. However, what it has got in return for this humanitarian approach is brutal terror that aims to destabilize its territory. It should be noted that the Ankara terror attack means an assault against Brussels, Berlin, London and Paris as well.
An economic crisis that Turkey will face as a result of political instability will not be a crisis concerning Turkey alone. It will escalate into a great humanitarian crisis, and gradually into an economic and political crisis, with millions of refugees striving to reach Europe. As Karl Marx says in the Communist Manifesto, this means a new specter haunting Europe as in 1848. Now, this specter might represent the current chaos and a never-ending crisis. For this reason, terrorist attacks against Turkey are also against Europe.
Terror has been an unchanging instrument of coups, government changes and the redetermination of capital structure. In order to shape Turkish politics, hence the administration of Turkey, this instrument has appeared in different forms in every period. For instance, before the military coup of May 27, 1960, terror and plunder in the streets was carried out by means of an intense media operation. Also, the leftist terror appeared during the period that led to the coup of March 12, 1971. During the military coup of Sept. 12, 1980, terror determined politics with intense street fights that were staged to the degree of a civil war. When it came to the 1990s, the separatist PKK terror broke out and contributed to hard times in Turkey, including the postmodern coup of Feb. 28, 1997. The atrocious bombing in Ankara is not only a consequence of Turkey's internal political dynamics, but also of a multifaceted attack aimed at Turkey.
Just like in the early 20th century, the geography, which spans from Eastern Europe to the Caspian region and includes the Greater Maghreb and Egypt, is once again the center of a new war on sharing. In this regard, the Ankara bombing is a new situation that differs from Turkey's terror politics in qualitative terms. Just as all the previous coup processes, this is not an attack aimed at Turkish domestic politics alone. Although it is the continuation of the Reyhanlı and Suruç attacks, it differs from them in terms of its strength. It indicates that Turkey is not only in chains of terror, but also in a multidimensional war on sharing. In this case, Turkey should altogether withstand this undeclared war. Other countries, particularly European countries, should act in the same responsible manner.
Destabilizing Turkey and turning it into a frozen conflict area would cost humanity more than a new world war. Turkey is the only democratic country in its region and the Ankara bombing is also an attack on Turkey's democratic politics. It should be noted that the destabilization of Turkey means a never-ending European crisis, an ever-escalating refugee crisis and uprisings that will shake the system in Europe. In this regard, a destabilized Turkey will lead to a new 1848 crisis in Europe. The reason why the European crisis won't lead to a severe economic and political downturn as it did during the 1848 crisis is that Turkey functions as a democratic buffer zone between the Middle East and Europe. Phytophthora infestans was the dead-end that Europeans reached as a result of working 15 hours a day and going to bed hungry because of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Rural European people also starved to death at the time. Now, European companies are once again in the grip of a crisis because of the falling profit rates. What is worse is the people in countries shaken by wars, from Syria to Iraq, are in a tighter spot than the people of 19th century Europe. This is because they cannot even find potatoes to eat.
Turkey has taken in millions of refugees in this process. However, what it has got in return for this humanitarian approach is brutal terror that aims to destabilize its territory. It should be noted that the Ankara terror attack means an assault against Brussels, Berlin, London and Paris as well.
An economic crisis that Turkey will face as a result of political instability will not be a crisis concerning Turkey alone. It will escalate into a great humanitarian crisis, and gradually into an economic and political crisis, with millions of refugees striving to reach Europe. As Karl Marx says in the Communist Manifesto, this means a new specter haunting Europe as in 1848. Now, this specter might represent the current chaos and a never-ending crisis. For this reason, terrorist attacks against Turkey are also against Europe.