The Greater Middle East Project

The US is used to thinking big. That must be the explanation for the adjective 'Greater'. As a first step to this goal, Iraq was invaded and pulverised. President Saddam Hussein of Iraq was overthrown and for more than a year now its hapless people are subject to barbarity of the worst kind. They have to live the ignominious existence of an occupied people and are subject to suicide bombings by their own people, where the largest number of victims are the Iraqis. There is no sign of an end to this cycle of violence. The US is continuing its effort to shore up the regime in Iraq, put in place by her bayonets, and nobody will claim legitimacy for this regime.

The US military while valiantly trying to pacify the situation in Iraq, has been trying to solidify the regime of their other puppet Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan. In a country where literacy is among the lowest of the world, the attempt to set up representative institutions, can by no means be an easy job. Fortunately for the US, the world has conveniently forgotten Afghanistan, as it did for centuries. Afghanistan came on the US radar because the previous regime led by Taleban leader Molla Omar gave shelter to Osama Bin Laden, mastermind of the now famous 9/11. As usual in order to justify her attack on Afghanistan, the US imported into Afghanistan 'democracy' with very uneven result.

The US since the creation of Israel on Palestinian land has given total protection to this Jewish state although the emergence of Israel has given rise to untold upheavals in the region. The US because of her complete support of Israel, would like to see it at the centre of her new Greater Middle East Project. She is the only state which is reported to possess nuclear weapons, although the US has been threatening Iran against the possession of nuclear weapons. It must be on the suggestion of the US that Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon has withdrawn more than 8000 Israelis from Gaza, where they had built settlements nearly four decades ago. It must be admitted that this was an act of courage by the hawk. Now in order to prove that Sharon really means business he has to dismantle much larger settlements, where reside 200,000 Jews, from the verdant West Bank. These are territories that Israel annexed following the six-day war in 1967. From the way the events are moving the Israeli authorities seem determined to consolidate the state and the entire operation is unilateral with the affected party, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas, more an onlooker than a participant.

In the Greater Middle East Project, Turkey has a special role. To begin with, Turkey has a special relationship with the US since the Second World War in 1945. The Soviet threats of the late forties forced Turkey to establish very close links with the US, who alone had the power and resources to offer support and assistance. This situation has continued till today after five decades. Turkey has very important military links with the US and has US military bases on her soil. Some strains have appeared lately since the invasion of Iraq by the US. Of all her Arab neighbours Turkey has special friendship with Iraq. On her invasion plans of Iraq the US had counted completely on Turkey's cooperation and support since the invasion plans were drawn up by sending troops through Turkey into the north of Iraq. The invasion plan fell flat as it had to be redirected through the south via Basra. Turkey has taken no part in the sending of troops into Iraq causing profound unhappiness in the Pentagon.

There are three main communities in Iraq. The majority Shias in the south, the Kurds in the north and the Sunnis in the middle. Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq with an iron fist, keeping the Shias at bay and terrorising the Kurds. Thus an unwritten understanding existed between Saddam and Turkish authorities, who periodically sent their forces against Kurds in the north of Iraq, who continued hit and run tactics against Turkish forces. After nearly 30,000 Turkish soldiers dead and fifteen years of bloody uprising by the PKK guerillas, Turkey has tamed them and put behind bars the leader of the PKK Abdullah Ocalan.

In the US invasion of Iraq the Kurds have played the most important role and they invited the US forces into Iraq. The US has rewarded the Kurds by making the Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani the President of new Iraq. The PKK appears to be rearing its head again and skirmishes have taken place in the Turkish south-east and the PKK. For two years Turkey has been pressing the US authorities to move against the PKK, who have their stronghold in northern Iraq. Alternatively Turkey has been asking the US to allow Turkish forces to cross into northern Iraq to flush out the PKK like they did during the time of Saddam Hussein. The US does not appear to buy the suggestion. Currently US General James Jones, Head of US command of Europe, is visiting Turkey. Press reports suggest that Turkey is unable to make any headway on the PKK question.

The overall situation in the Greater Middle East region does not appear to hold out any bright prospect for the grandiose plan of President George W. Bush.

Arshad-uz Zaman is a former Ambassador and Acting Secretary General, OIC