The Evaluation of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Güney, Head of the International Relations Department on the Recent Developments in the Middle East

The Evaluation of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Güney, Head of the International Relations Department on the Recent Developments in the Middle East

Aylin Güney evaluated the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa which started from Tunusia and rapidly spread to other Middle Eastern countries including Libya and Syria and held that the countries in the region do not consider Turkey as a role model or the ‘Big Brother’ as opposed to the general opinion.

Aylin Güney held that starting from the 2000s, the developments in the Middle East region have been generally elaborated by a sole consideration of the balance in domestic politics and criticized such statements that gained popularity within the related literature such as ‘the reason of the uprising is the democracy hunger of the people’, ‘they have been financed from abroad’ or ‘the developments is a part of the Greater Middle East Project.’

The Defenders of Democracy can create their Own Dictatorship

Aylin Güney pointed out the importance of being cautious when analyzing the people uprisings in the regions as the ‘democracy hunger of the population’ and maintained that rather than holding such arguments, these movements should be defined as ‘uprisings.’ Güney emphasized the need to understand how democratic are those demanding democracy. By taking the opposition groups in Libya as an example, Güney argued that these groups may not possibly implement a Western-type democracy when they take control of the country and hold power.

The Developments is Related to the Greater Middle East Project

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Güney evaluated the literature analyzing the recent developments in the region while taking these developments as a part of the Greater Middle East Project, not as a simple grassroots movement and emphasized the assistance of the Western Countries, particularly the USA and the European Union Countries to the opposition groups and non-governmental organizations. Güney said that the democracy has been very important in determining US foreign policy in the region. Güney told that such administrative discourses as the replacement policy of the US government of the present regimes with more democratic ones has been conceptualized differently. Güney argued that even though it is not easy to analyze the role of the secret American organizations or the European Union in the correlation between the underlying reasons of the Greater Middle East Project and the recent experiences in the region.

Oil is the Curse of the Middle East

Güney draw attention to the dependency of the European and American countries on the Middle East oil and clarified her arguments on this issue as follows: ‘Oil is the curse of this region. The regime changes in the countries of the region, especially in North Africa have great importance in order to provide an easy transfer of the regional oil resources to the European countries. We see such kind of interventions by the Western countries feeling that their interests are at stake in a region where the holder of the oil resources matters, the nationalization of petroleum companies is widespread and oil prices are dramatically high. The examples are many: The developments in Iran in the 1950s and in Iraq in early 1990s could be best explained by considering the impact of the oil in determining regional politics.’

‘Democratic Peace Theory’ in practice

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Güney mentioning American foreign policy’s, especially since the Bush administration, ending of cooperation with dictators lasting for years and demands for policies intended for public’s involvement in government has also stated that “America’s primary concern is terrorism. Sources of terrorism are trying to be identified since the 9/11 attacks. There are unemployed young population, economic problems and oppressed groups in these countries. It is thought that they try to identify themselves somehow with terrorism. One of the basic approaches of the American foreign policy is, as we call it ‘Democratic Peace Theory’, that ‘Democratic regimes do not fight each other, peace and welfare coexists, and this is also a cure for terrorism.’ This is the policy in practice whether it is true or not. It was also stated that this was the main aim of the interventions of Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Turkey’s disadvantageousness

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Güney, Head of Department of International Relation of Yasar University, who has mentioned the views about Turkey’s being a ‘role model’ for the countries like Tunis, Egypt, Libya and Syria as a secular and democratic country and taking the mission of the ‘Big Brother’ in the region stated her opinion about the issue as follows: “Turkey is the only democratic and secular country in the region but I think it has a disadvantage. I do not think that the countries and nations in the region to some extent want to see Turkey as the Big Brother although we share a common religion. Therefore, the problem is about how these states perceive you despite the role given by the Western countries to Turkey. The statements from Tunis and Libya have revealed that too. This is not a healthy approach.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aylin Güney stating Turkey’s becoming more interested in the Middle East after Ahmet Davutoğlu’s becoming the Foreign Minister has also stated that “There is the impact of Davutoğlu’s expertise on the region for this development but the foreign policy towards the region needs to be balanced and Turkey needs to reflect its role and image to responsively these countries. It is observed that directions at the state level like the one given to Esad regime about transition to democracy get reactions. Providing humanitarian aid might be a better strategy which has been done in Libya. I do not think that foreign policy discourses like Neo-Ottomanism brings any good to the region. States after getting their own sovereignties do not like to see Big Brothers.”