Hypocrisy IN the Middle East

Egypt's president announced plans Monday to build several nuclear power plants. The United States immediately welcomed the plan, in a sharp contrast to the way it reacted to Iran. President Hosni Mubarak said the aim was to diversify Egypt's energy resources and preserve its oil and gas reserves for future generations. In a televised speech, he pledged Egypt would work with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency at all times and would not seek a nuclear bomb. Sounds exactly what the rest of these moderate Arab nations have been portraying their nuclear ambitions to be.

There are approximately 100,000 Turkish troops massing near the border with Iraq. They are amassing mostly in the predominantly Kurdish towns of southeastern Turkey. The troops along with equipment and supplies are being set in place for preparation to attack the PKK in the Northern regions of Iraq. Some see the PKK’s effort as one to try and win back their political gains lost to the ruling Law and Justice Party the AKP. Like the Bush administration has shown America, you can scare your loyal backers into supporting your efforts. So I guess the PKK has decided on taking a page out of the Bush administration’s Iraqi policy book.

This put s the ruling party in a very delicate situation. Will they have to restrict the rights and movement of locals, and begin arresting residents?  Will they have to roll back on the Democratic reforms? Should they sit back and give Iraqi and US officials time to negotiate at end to the violence? All good questions to ask, but will the reaction be the right one. Democratization and losing political gains to radicalism is at stake here. The PKK deserve credit for hashing the right approach at the best available time, whether it’s successful or not. Turkey has to be patient and really examine what’s the real intent of this movement and who’s really behind this movement.

Ironically we may have to step up our effort in the northern region of Iraq to try and avoid warring with our NATO ally Turkey. The Bush administration declared months ago that the PKK was to be added to our now famous terrorist list. Unless we want to look as complete hypocrites we must act against all terrorist organizations. Then to add insult to injury here come our ally Egypt announcing its plans to build multiple nuclear facilities. Looks to me like the Moderate Arab nations in the middle east are about to cause a real diminishment to our Iranian strategy of strengthened sanctions and possible air strikes.