BY DENIZ ULKE ARIBOGAN
AKSAM- Obviously one doesn't see the same object if one is standing at different angles. Our distance from that object, our angle and direction determines in what way and how much we can see that thing. The other element which affects our vision is the capacity of our eyes. Our political vision is no different. Our angle, the way we stand and the obstacles to our vision shape our stance on political incidents. Interestingly, when our eyes don't see well, we use glasses or contact lenses, but we have no doubt about the clarity of our political vision. We sometimes have the harshest views about certain issues that we can't see. Maybe the more information we have and see things from different angles, the harder it is for us to have a firm opinion. However, it's much easier to have a view before becoming informed. What's more, those who have a view talk the most. One can feel the same situation in our country and other countries. In the US, politics is talked, thought about and produced in Washington, DC the most. Serious political discussions are held not only at research institutions and universities, but also in restaurants, shopping centers and taxis. The world's information is compiled there. Therefore, lobbies are very influential. They're trying to turn the results of research and the way they are interpreted by politicians in their own favor. Particularly ethnic lobbies are working very professionally and tcan have an impact on many decisions.
However, Turkey is very weak on this. We've never managed to get organized and do lobbying. The Greek, Armenian, Jewish, Arab and Hispanic lobbies are very active. They have close contacts with politicians. However, nobody is working in the direction of Turkey's political strategy, except for a few Turkish researchers and some volunteers. We have no sufficient channel to explain ourselves to the US, market our vision in foreign politics and tell our problems about northern Iraq and the terrorist PKK. These people don't know us and know little about us, but they know a lot about the issues which concern us. Up to now the Jewish lobby has been able to close the asymmetry which emerged through the Greek and Armenian lobbies and it also succeeded in influencing the Congress on many issues. However, we don't have such a support following the visit of Hamas officials to Turkey. What's more, now the Jewish people have to turn back to issues which concern them, because the lobbies think that Israel's policies are increasing the anger towards the US. In other words, they aren't as relaxed as they were in the past. They also have an interesting stance about the terrorist PKK. They say that although nearly 3,000 US soldiers have died in Iraq, this news isn't covered by newspapers and that our nation is very insensitive about our own soldiers, and so why should we be interested in yours? So they're shortsighted in terms of both time and place. They also can't see the consequences of an Armenian genocide resolution. The Armenian diaspora turned this bill into a raison d'etre, and it's using all its power. The timing is also very appropriate. It's not allowing anybody to know about it, but it can provide everybody with views in the US Congress. After it's passed by the US Congress, it would be no surprise if it creates a domino effect and is adopted by other countries in short order. We should hurry up now, before it's too late.