Hazar Raporu - Issue 01 - Fall 2012
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ole model in post-revolutionary<br />
Middle East<br />
I think there is you know people are<br />
underestimated the extend towards social,<br />
economic changes were taking place in the<br />
Middle East. A lot of people by surprise it<br />
really began in Tunisia and then spread<br />
across the rest of the Middle East. I think<br />
for many Arabs in the ME, Turkey is seen<br />
as a potential and possible role model.<br />
But I think, on the other hand, Turkey<br />
at the same time sees itself, sees itself as a<br />
kind of inspiration but not necessarily a<br />
model to be followed. But there are aspects<br />
of Turkish development particularly its<br />
economy and its democracy which I think<br />
are very appealing to many Arabs. At the<br />
same time, there are obvious differences<br />
in terms of the level of development of<br />
political and economic position in these<br />
countries and no one should expect that<br />
the Turkish model would be able to be<br />
applied automatically after it took Turkey<br />
several hundred years to develop its own<br />
form of democracy. One can’t expect other<br />
countries which don’t even have that<br />
background to be able to do it over a night<br />
either.<br />
Crisis in Syria has been going on since<br />
months and reconciliation is yet to<br />
come. Do you think international<br />
intervention by force is a must In this<br />
context should NATO get involved as<br />
it happened in Bosnia and Libya<br />
I think the situations in Bosnia and Libya<br />
are quite different than the situation in Syria.<br />
And there is no real strong consensus within<br />
NATO to get involved to do so. So that, when<br />
the downing of the Turkish jet by the Syrians<br />
took place the meeting with NATO will support<br />
Turkey but there is no enthusiasm to getting<br />
involved militarily and there is still isn’t. But<br />
there are things that it can be done, one of them<br />
is being considered now not in NATO but<br />
certainly by the US and it’s key allies and that<br />
is whether the US and others should do more<br />
to arm and train the rebels. But as I mentioned<br />
before a reluctance to get involved deeply<br />
militarily in the part of the US is mat changes<br />
after the elections depending on the outcome of<br />
the election. But even then the US is still involved<br />
in Afghanistan and to a certain extend in Iraq<br />
neither of which have been pleasant experiences.<br />
So there is general overall reluctance especially as<br />
a time when the US as to cutback on expenses so<br />
low to get back to another military conflict.<br />
CASPIAN REPORT<br />
57
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