Gül is in Çankaya until 2014

MEHMET ALİ BİRAND

Put yourself in the position of President Abdullah Gül.

The political party you have founded is facing many political risks and a number of your camaraderie have adopted a mysterious silence regarding your term to the presidential mansion, Çankaya. Some say five years, some say seven years, but nobody is saying anything precise. One day they say it is up to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) to decide, the next day they point responsibility to Parliament.
Wouldn’t you get angry if it were you?

Despite everything, Gül was able to stay out of these debates. Not only did he never get involved in speculations, he also kept his team out of them. He waited for Prime Minister Erdoğan to decide. Latest signals show there seems to be a consensus on extending Gül’s term until 2014. Especially the fact a name such as Bozdağ, who is very close to the prime minister, has mentioned “seven years” openly has created the impression this problem has been solved at the top level.

It has not yet been officially announced, but it is obvious 2014 will be the correct decision. The expectation of the public is in the same direction also.

Abdullah Gül has become an exceptionally balanced, prudent, smiling president who has always taken care of society’s conscience and who has kept the same distance with everybody. You can criticize him for vetoing or not vetoing such and such laws, or supporting the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) government too much, but when you look at the broader picture, you cannot deny that Gül did justice to the position he filled at Çankaya.

Separately, the year 2012 will be a year of major political and economic change. Such a huge financial storm is being weathered that implementing a change to the prime minister’s position or a presidential election would create major risks in the economy.

In short, the facts, common sense and public opinion point to 2014 as the time for a “changing of the guards.”

[HH] Iran has fears also
Somehow, it is always Iran that is to blame. It wants to control the Middle East. It wants to multiply its power by producing nuclear weapons and plans to disturb the balance of terror. It plans to destroy Israel. It will side with Iraq to form a Shiite empire. It is constantly accused and defined as the No. 1 “bad guy” in the region.

Nobody steps out to ask “Why?” It is not debated whether Iran also has fears. It does. And it is because of these fears it is taking steps for the sake of protecting itself.

Iran is afraid of America. This security fear started in 1979 when Shah Reza Pahlavi was toppled and Khomeini returned, and it continues to this day. Washington has not been able to accept this regime, which, topped with Israel’s provocation, has created a constant conflict.

The administration in Tehran is concerned about the conspiracy of the United States-Israel pairing. It is even more irritated when it sees there is a Sunni front being formed with the Saudis being in the first place together with the U.S. As its concerns rise, it strengthens the Shiite front. It is protecting Hamas and Hezbollah through Syria and is forming its own alliances.

These concerns lie behind the harsh statements against the radars set up in Turkey. Iran is becoming tough because it suspects Ankara will act together with Washington.

Iran is always being blamed. It is the black sheep of the region while nobody is examining the concerns of the Iranian administrators. If we try to understand them a little and remove their concerns, then peace will be so much easier to attain in the region.