Armenian Genocide, Atatürk and Today's Turkey

The title I have given, takes the historical sequence into account, does not reflect the order of importance. They, however, relate to the same geographical region, within the past century and today. Turkey, the successor state of the Ottoman Empire, denies the word genocide is an accurate term for the mass killings of Armenians that began under Ottoman rule in 1915. It has, in recent years been faced with repeated calls to recognize them as genocide. To date, 23 countries, world wide have officially recognized the mass killings as genocide, a view which is shared by most genocide scholars and historians. However, in his ARMENIA; SECRETS OF A “CHRISTIAN” TERRORIST STATE, published April 2002 (ISBN 0-971921-2-3-7), Samuel A. Weems, member of Calvary Baptist Church, Hazen, Arkansas, US writes:
QUOTE
Many Americans are asking the question, “Why do Muslims hate the United States?” Unfortunately, the Muslim world has good cause to not like Americans and this book documents one very good reason this is true. This book could well be titled One Good Reason Why Muslims Hate Americans. And of course, not all Muslims hate the United States.
I was in Istanbul, Turkey, on September 11 producing a video titled The Seven Churches of Revelation and doing research for this book. (Many Americans do not know that Asia Minor of the Bible is today's Turkey. Many Christians are not aware that Turkey is the second most important country in the world to historical Christianity).
This modern-day Near East democratic country was founded in 1923 because of the genius of one man: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938). He instituted extensive reforms and was truly one of the great world statesmen of the twentieth century. He threw the sultans out of the country and removed the Muslim religious leaders from their powerful positions in government. Women were given the right to vote and work in any profession. Ataturk believed Turkey must turn to the West if the nation was to grow and prosper. Turkey continues today in the Ataturk tradition. It is the reason this Muslim nation is such a close friend and strong ally of the United States, more so than any other Muslim nation.
Within thirty minutes of the third plane hitting its target in Washington, D.C., the prime minister of Turkey was on national television telling citizens he had placed the military on the highest alert. He also said he had called the president of the United States to say if America went to war, his country
was ready to go to war also because Turkey and the United States are friends, allies, and partners.
I wish every American could have been with me to experience the reaction of the Turks to the cowardly attack on the United States on September 11, 2001. Taxi drivers, waiters, waitresses, employees in the small shops and large stores, government employees – all, without exception, voiced
genuine sorrow and support for their government's willingness to send their young men to fight the war on terrorism with the United States.
I have uncovered facts that prove Armenian-Americans are spreading tall tales claiming a massacre and genocide in an effort to get mega-dollars out of both the Turks and American Christians to benefit their 150-year-old “ancient” homeland. The question for my fellow Americans to answer is simply this: Whom do you believe – other Americans who saw the Armenians, very much alive, leaving the Ottoman Empire? Or Armenians who merely claim 1.5 million of their people were murdered by the Ottoman government? UNQUOTE
Whether true or not, whether thoroughly analyzed or not, whether Weems was objective or not in writing this, I cannot and will not comment. I am an Istanbulian by birth, and grew up in part of Istanbul (which was one of the locations destined by Sultan Beyazid II who sent Kemal Reis to save
the Sephardic Jews of Spain from the Spanish Inquisition in 1492 and granted them permission to settle in the Ottoman Empire; as the area of settlement for the Jews that were brought to Istanbul, being saved from the Spanish inquisition), where many Armenians, Jews were settled. I still remember my childhood friend Agop (an Armenian) with whom we were spending every spare moment playing marbles. I remember going to church with him on Sundays, so that we can continue with our game in the church′s yard and being criticized by my grandmother upon my return home, “you are not a Christian child, why do you have to go to the church?” This was, probably the most memorable period of my childhood.. Pure, no indoctrination by any religion..
The Spanish Inquisition can be seen as an answer to the multi-religious nature of Spanish society following the recon quest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslim Moors. After invading in 711, large areas of the Iberian Peninsula were ruled by Muslims until 1250, when they were restricted to Granada, which fell in 1492. However, the Reconquista did not result in the total expulsion of Muslims from Spain, since they, along with Jews, were tolerated by the ruling Christian elite. Large cities, specially Seville, Valladolid and Barcelona, had significant Jewish populations centered in Juderia, but in the coming years the Muslims were increasingly subjugated by alienation and torture. The Jews, who had previously thrived under Muslim rule, now suffered similar maltreatment.
Having said this all, it is hard to believe the claims around 1915 killings of the Ottoman Turks.
Armenia as it is in various write-ups about 1915 genocides, is an example of the evil that can happen when church and state act as one. The evidence is clear that from the beginning of the Ottoman empire, the government was conciliatory toward Christians as well as to other religions. In the early days of Ottoman rule, Christian peasants appreciated the conquests that placed them under Muslim control. The peasants were liberated from the exaction and abuses of Christian feudal overlords. The Ottomans brought law and order into their lives, and also gave them freedom of religion.
I have brought many visits to Israel and Jerusalem, during which I have learned much, also about the rule of the Ottoman empire, how churches built on top of each other were improved in relationships among their selves due to the rule and justice of the Ottomans. Although at begin not understandable, Ottomans have set rules to ensure members of various religious groups act in harmony and peace. Magistrate of each Christian church was given to Moslims by Süleyman the Magnificent, to ensure a peaceful society; the key of a church was succeeded from father to son, centuries long. To-date to continue..
With this knowledge in back-ground, I ask: “how can the Ottoman, world class ruler, who is so friendly, protective, defending poor; without any reason go out and kill many human beings, this time Armenians, including women and infants.. Cause a massacre, a genocide”??? This makes no sense.. There are many mosques in Istanbul, of which the architect were Armenians: Ortak?y Mosque as designed by Nigo?os Balyan, an Armenian.
An excellent example of architecture. Dolmabah?e palace, which is build on wooden pillars , the palace in which Atatürk has died in 1938; again an excellent example of Armenian architecture in Istanbul. So, it is hard to believe the “massacre of 1915” and the reason.
Why ?
Armenian Terrorist Activities …Think about this fact: Armenian terrorists took it upon themselves, to travel the world in the early 1920s committing assassination after assassination on Turks. These lawless murders took place in many nations.
Weems continues “Until 1914 and 1915, this band of troublemakers within the Ottoman Empire was so small the Ottomans ignored them. Then Russia invaded the Ottoman Empire and these Armenians
flocked to join them, believing the Russian czar would give them the Ottoman lands they coveted and schemed to obtain.
Turkish Armenians pretended to be friendly neighbors of the Ottomans by day but began destructive terrorist attacks behind Ottoman military lines by night. These terrorist attacks on Ottoman soil hurt the Ottoman troops, hindering their ability to fight the Russians. The Ottoman government was forced
to remove all Armenians from behind the battle zones because they could not determine which Armenians were terrorists and which were not.
The sad story is what the Armenians did thereafter to deceive Christians of America and the world. The Armenian leaders sent paid agents throughout the Christian world to tell untrue stories about how hundreds of thousands of their Christians had been massacred by the terrible Turk Muslims. Christians throughout the world must stop taking the word of Armenians at face value and examine the truth for themselves. This Christian, in making an independent examination, has discovered the truth cannot be found on Armenian web sites or in books and articles written by Armenians. Most Muslims, have been forced out of the country. Now Armenia is one of the most closed Christian societies on earth. It has just one “official” church, which is a part of the state and given authority by the Armenian constitution.
There is no such thing as the separation of church and state in this tiny land. Contrast this fact with the Turks, whom the Armenians love to hate. It is interesting to note that there are more Armenian Churches in Turkey than there are in Armenia and contrary to most other data, they make available on the web, that one is absolutely correct. I have recently been to Turkey. I witnessed with my own eyes that Turks and Armenians live and worship together in great freedom, harmony, and friendship. This is quite a contrast with the Armenian-Americans' ugly misrepresentations and evil efforts to plant the seeds of hatred and rage, here in the United States, against Turks. Just what kind of Christianity do these Armenian-Americans practice? The long list of deception, fraud, abuses, massacres, and
terrorist acts Armenians have committed are documented in this book. These are Armenian secrets they don't want the Christians of the world to know about, but they are revealed and documented in Armenian sources. These reports are factual reports by Armenians themselves. Every Christian and
every public official should read this book before agreeing to either give money or vote for meaningless resolutions attacking modern-day Turkey, solely based on the Armenian tall tales that were invented by them, in order to get lots of free stuff from the Christian world. There was no “genocide” as they claim. Direct evidence will be provided, several times, from Armenian sources that the Armenia's government directed terrorist attacks as official state policy. There have been Armenian terrorist attacks and murders within nations all over the world in recent years. I am not Azerbaijani, Georgian, Turk; I am not Armenian. I am a Scottish-American, whose first Scottish ancestor came to America in 1686. I am a Southerner, a lifelong Baptist, and an American taxpayer. I have written this
book under the light of extensive research in locations such as Washington, D.C., Rome, Paris, London, Moscow, and Istanbul. It would have been helpful to research in Armenia but their archives are not open to the public. The archives in Istanbul, Turkey, are very much open, however, and have been for some time. The irony is that the files in Armenia's capital of Erevan and Armenian Revolutionary Federation offices in Boston are still closed to researchers and the public. What are they hiding? Why does Armenia have an Armenian Revolutionary Federation office in the United States?
…Hubert Hoover directed the U.S. effort to help rebuild Europe after World War I. He experienced only one failure and that was the dictator-run state of Armenia. This future American president stated that Armenian corruption “would be the greatest scandal in American charitable history”. The Armenians responded by attacking his character. Readers of this book will discover from the words of today's Armenians that this attitude of ingratitude continues. The proof will be that the Armenian attitude is that American citizens owe their tax dollars to Armenia. There are several U.S. citizens, who have researched Armenia and published their findings. Each of them has been subjected to Armenian campaigns of terror. Consider but a few such individuals:
? Professor Stanford Shaw of UCLA. Armenians bombed his home and terrorized him in several different ways.
? Professor Heath Lowry of Princeton University was recently forced out as chairman of a Near Eastern studies program because of a two-year hate and smear campaign directed against him.
? Professor Justin McCarthy of the University of Louisville has been subjected to all manner of character attacks and attempts to have him removed from his teaching position.
? Film maker Robin Williams recently produced a documentary film titled The Biblical Treasures of Turkey.
Several times when he attempted to show his film, young Armenians disrupted the showings. On one occasion, Armenian youth invaded the theater by throwing stink bombs and forcing the evacuation of the audience.
Once the announcement was made that this book was to be published I experienced a vicious attack directed by the Armenian Assembly of America. Consider the following examples of threats upon my
life. I take such threats seriously because in recent years Armenians have murdered some seventy people around the world, four here in the United States.
? “I just wanted to tell you that you will burn in hell for putting down the first Christian nation. I will make sure to show up to your fun funeral, hopefully soon, and piss on your pathetic corpse.”
? “U deserve to die as a beast. Some Armenian is gonna kill u someday. And ur not gonna like the Armenian wrath!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
? “Armenians are taught hate from birth and I know it is extremely wrong that it has been aimed at the Turkish. I myself do have very close Turkish friends and I love them with all my heart. I don't think it is right to say hateful and bad things against all Armenians. I have nothing against Turks and I think the Turks have made wonderful contributions to the world through their culture. I am a Christian, although I am not traditional Armenian Orthodox.”
I ask every reader of this book to examine the words I have written with an open mind. I ask every reader to check out the facts I have presented for themselves to determine if the material I have presented is true. The reader will note that I use more Armenian sources and proof than from all other sources combined. Once the reader determines truth it will be for that individual to determine what
additional action he or she should do to right a great wrong done to the Muslim world in the name of Jesus Christ.
– Samuel A. Weems,
Hazen, Arkansas, April 2, 2002 “
I wish not to continue with this “cut and paste” activity. The ones who want to read the entire book, can purchase it (ISBN 0-971921-2-3-7). I believe I have made my point. I will also not justify killing of people, regardless of where they come from, who they are and what they have done, that has contributed to this mass killings. Whether that is in Armenia, Uganda, Nazi Concentration Camps, Srebrenica, Killing Fields (Kandal Province) of Cambodia, or elsewhere.
Once again my point is that we should stand before the united front acquisition. Made up stories, or stories being brought to the extreme have one target: mass influence of public opinion, and increasing the level of influence. They want to assure that the public opinion reaches the climax and help them get what they were targeting to get. In the case of Armenians about 1915 killings, is only to get a piece of ground from Turkey, they in other ways could not get.
I have met a Russian Professor during my stay in Moscow for Bristol-Myers Squibb. He was attached to the Moscow State University, with his back ground, he is an Armenian. We ate and drank many times together and discussed many things, among which the Armenian Genocide. This good friend has, with each occasion jokingly said “give me back the Mount Ararat”.
His mother prepared many times I was at his house, the “stuffed Armenian chicken wings”, delicious food. With each visit, I remembered my childhood friend, Agop. Very friendly atmosphere, and no hostility.. He somehow, succeeded opening a bottle of 50 year old Arafat brandy.
I miss our sessions together, in which after few glasses of wine he could sing, with his very dark voice, ballades and play his guitar.
Atatürk came into the stage around these years and at the very same geographical area, later increasing his fame to a wider, world-wide territory. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey. His surname, Atatürk (meaning "Father of the Turks"), was granted to him in 1934 (surname usage became a law enforcement) and forbidden to any other person by the Turkish parliament. Atatürk was a military officer during World War I. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, he led the Turkish National Movement in the Turkish War of Independence. Having established a provisional government in Ankara (April 1920), he defeated the forces sent by the Allies. His military campaigns led to victory in the Turkish War of Independence. Atatürk then embarked upon a program of political, economic, and cultural reforms, seeking to transform the former Ottoman Empire into a modern and secular nation-state. Under his leadership, thousands of new schools were built, primary education was made free and compulsory, and women were given equal civil and political rights, while the burden of taxation on peasants was reduced. His government also carried out an extensive policy of Turkification. The principles of Atatürk's reforms, upon which modern Turkey was established, are referred to as Kemalism.
In 1914, the Ottoman Empire entered the European and Middle Eastern theatres of World War I, allied with the Central Powers. Mustafa Kemal was given the task of organizing and commanding the 19th Division attached to the Fifth Army during the Battle of Gallipoli. Mustafa Kemal became the front-line commander after correctly anticipating where the Allies would attack and holding his position until they retreated. Following the Battle of Gallipoli, Mustafa Kemal served in Edirne until 14 January 1916. He was then assigned to the command of the XVI Corps of the Second Army and sent to the Caucasus Campaign after the massive Russian offensive had reached the Anatolian key cities. On 7 August, Mustafa Kemal rallied his troops and mounted a counteroffensive. Two of his divisions captured Bitlis and Mu?, upsetting the calculations of the Russian Command.
When Mehmed VI became the new Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in July 1918, he called Mustafa Kemal Pasha to Istanbul, and in August 1918 assigned him to the command of the Seventh Army in Palestine. Mustafa Kemal arrived in Aleppo on 26 August 1918, then continued south to his headquarters in Nablus. The Seventh Army was holding the central sector of the front lines. On 19 September, at the beginning of the Battle of Megiddo, the Eighth Army was holding the coastal flank, but fell apart and Liman von Sanders Pasha ordered the Seventh Army to withdraw to the north in
order to prevent the British from conducting a short envelopment to the Jordan River. The Seventh Army retired towards the Jordan River but was destroyed by British aerial bombardment during its retreat from Nablus on 21 September 1918. The Armistice of Mudros was signed on 30 October 1918 and all German and Austro-Hungarian troops in the Ottoman Empire were granted ample time to withdraw. On 31 October, he was appointed to the command of the Y?ld?r?m Army Group (Flash Army Group) , replacing Liman von Sanders. He organized the distribution of weapons to the civilians in Antep in case of a defensive conflict against the invading Allies.
Mustafa Kemal Pasha's last active service in the Ottoman Army was organizing the return of the troops left behind to the south of this line. In early November 1918 the Y?ld?r?m Army Group was officially dissolved and Mustafa Kemal returned to occupied Istanbul, the Ottoman capital, on 13 November 1918. For a period he worked at the headquarters of the Ministry of War (Harbiye Nezareti) in Istanbul and continued his activities in this city until 16 May 1919. Along the established lines of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, the Allies (British, Italian, French and Greek forces) occupied mainly the coastal Anatolia. The occupation of Istanbul, which was followed by the occupation of Izmir - Smyrna (the two largest Ottoman cities in that period) sparked the establishment of the Turkish National Movement and the Turkish War of Independence.
On 10 August 1920, the Ottoman Grand Vizier Damat Ferid Pasha signed the Treaty of Sèvres, finalizing plans for the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, including the regions that Turkish nationals viewed as their heartland. Mustafa Kemal insisted on the country's complete independence and the safeguarding of interests of the Turkish majority on "Turkish soil". He persuaded the GNA (Grand National Assembly) to gather a National Army. The GNA Army faced the Caliphate (since 1521, with the occupancy of Egypt and the Arabic peninsula by Yavuz Sultan Selim each Ottoman Sultan was also the Caliph) army propped up by the Allied occupation forces and had the immediate task of fighting the Armenian forces in the Eastern Front and the Greek forces advancing eastward from Smyrna (modern-day ?zmir) that they had occupied in May 1919, on the Western Front. In January 1920, Mustafa Kemal advanced his troops into Mara? where the Battle of Mara? ensued against the French Armenian Legion. The battle resulted in a Turkish victory alongside the massacres of 5,000-12,000 Armenians spelling the end of the remaining Armenian population in the region.
Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, who built a modern nation out of a medieval backwater by what amounted to sheer force of will, was a truly amazing giant of history.
The ensuing Battle of Sakarya was fought from 23 August to 13 September 1921 and ended with the defeat of the Greeks. After this victory, on 19 September 1921, Mustafa Kemal Pasha was given by the Grand National Assembly the rank of Mare?al and the title of Gazi. The Allies, ignoring the extent of Kemal's successes, hoped to impose a modified version of the Treaty of Sèvres as a peace settlement on Ankara, but the proposal was rejected. In August 1922, Mustafa Kemal launched an all-out attack on the Greek lines at Afyonkarahisar in the Battle of Dumlup?nar and Turkish forces regained control of Smyrna on 9 September 1922, by pushing the entire Greek arm into the waters of the Eagean Sea. On 10 September 1922, Mustafa Kemal sent a telegram to the League of Nations saying that the Turkish population was so worked up that the Ankara Government would not be responsible for any sort of massacre.
The Conference of Lausanne began on 21 November 1922. Turkey, represented by ?smet ?n?nü of the GNA, refused any proposal that would compromise Turkish sovereignty, such as the control of Turkish finances, the Capitulations, the Straits and other issues. On 24 July 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed by the Powers with the GNA, thus recognizing the latter as the government of Turkey. On 29 October 1923, the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed. Since then Republic Day has been celebrated as a national holiday on this date. Atatürk spent his time until his death on 10th of November 1938 with modernization, westernizing, economically stabilization of the nation. Few of his target establishing words:
? The religion of Islam will be elevated if it will cease to be a political instrument, as had been the case in the past. ? Today, our most important and most productive task is the national education [unification and modernization] affairs. We have to be successful in national
education affairs and we shall be. The liberation of a nation is only achieved through this way. ? In the face of knowledge, science, and of the whole extent of radiant civilization, I can not accept the presence in Turkey's civilized community of people primitive enough to seek material and spiritual benefits in the guidance of sheiks. The Turkish republic cannot be a country of sheiks, dervishes, and disciples. The best, the truest order is the order of civilization. To be a man it is enough to carry out the requirements of civilization. The leaders of dervish orders will understand the truth of my words, and will themselves close down their lodges [tekke] and admit that their disciplines have grown up. ? We must liberate our concepts of justice, our laws and our legal institutions from the bonds which, even though they are incompatible with the needs of our century, still hold a tight grip on us. ? The social change can come by (1) educating capable mothers who are knowledgeable about life; (2) giving freedom to women; (3) a man can change his morals, thoughts, and feelings by leading a common life with a woman; as there is an inborn tendency towards the attraction of mutual affection. ? To the women: Win for us the battle of education and you will do yet more for your country than we have been able to do. It is to you that I appeal. To the men: If henceforward the women do not share in the social life of the nation, we shall never attain to our full development. We shall remain irremediably backward, incapable of treating on equal terms with the civilizations of the West ? Republic means the democratic administration of the state. We founded the Republic, reaching its tenth year. It should enforce all the requirements of democracy as the time comes. ? There is no logical explanation for the political disenfranchisement of women. Any hesitation and negative mentality on this subject is nothing more than a fading social phenomenon of the past. ...Women must have the right to vote and to be elected; because democracy dictates that, because there are interests that women must defend, and because there are social duties that women must perform.
The young republic, like the rest of the world, found itself in a deep economic crisis during the Great Depression. Mustafa Kemal reacted to conditions of this period by moving toward integrated economic policies, and establishing a central bank to control exchange rates. However, Turkey could not finance essential imports; its currency was shunned and zealous revenue officials seized the meager possessions of peasants who could not pay their taxes. In 1931, Mustafa Kemal's intention to establish the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey was realized. The bank's primary purpose was to have control over the exchange rate, and Ottoman Bank's role during its initial years as a central bank was phased out. Later specialized banks such as the Sümerbank (1932) and the Etibank (1935) were founded. From the political economy perspective, Mustafa Kemal had to face the same problems which all countries faced: political upheaval. The establishment of a new party with a different economic perspective was needed; he asked Ali Fethi Okyar to fulfil. The Liberal Republican Party (August 1930) came out with a liberal program and proposed that state monopolies should be ended, foreign capital should be attracted, and that state investment should be curtailed. Mustafa Kemal supported ?n?nü's point of view: "it is impossible to attract foreign capital for essential development." In 1931, he proclaimed: "In the economic area ...the programme of the party is statism”. However, the effect of free republicans was felt strongly and state intervention became more moderate, more akin to a form of state capitalism. One of his radical left-wing supporters, Yakup Kadri Karaosmano?lu from the Kadro (The Cadre) movement, claimed that Mustafa Kemal found a third way between capitalism and socialism. Turkey successfully stayed away from World War II and saved much what many other nations have lost. Hitler has, via his ambassador to Ankara at time, Franz von Papen tried to get Turkey to join Nazi Germany in fighting the war. Smartly Ankara has refused this request and luckily Hitler has listened to the cautioning of his ambassador, Franz von Papen and did not open a front against Turkey. Of course to say that Hitler would have won the war in such
case, is not more than conjecture, but it is sure that Hitler would have chosen not to declare the war against Russia to get to Baku petroleum, required for his fighting machine, and would not have experienced one of his initial major defeats by opening a war against Russia and the extreme winter. Today, as Erdo?an states the “new Turkey” the direction has changed. Understanding of the secular nationalism, democracy has changed. The religion of Islam is very obviously being utilized as a political instrument. With every occasion from any official bench, it is being said that Turkey is an Islamic Republic, which is far from being true. Turkey is a secular republic and does not have a state religion. Every Turk, regardless of his religion, his/her ethnic background is an equal citizen.
Today Erdo?an goes as far as having the Turkish National Anthem performed by the Janissary band at the opening day of his fortune costing presidential palace. This is nothing but being disrespectful to Atatürk and to the directives given by him, the reforms he has made or started. He refuses to see the understanding of Mr. Harold Wilson, former PM of the UK, whilst he was coming to Brussels for the NATO prime-ministers meeting using the regular line flight London - Brussels or José Mujica, President of Uruguay, who is very careful when spending tax payers money. Mr. Erdo?an, true or not, has given enormous sums from the budget to have a 1,000 room counting palace built, of which has an electricity bill of US$ 310,185/month, calculated by the Chamber of Electrical Engineers. Plus the US$ 300 MM costing presidential jet. How can he justify, spending such amounts, where there are still high need of schools, hospitals etc..Whilst there is poverty. Why does the palace where he will work and live has to be 50 * greater than the White House, so many times bigger than the Elysee.
Whilst starting from Atatürk until now, Turks have always said that Republic of Turkey was built on the ruins of Ottoman Empire but never claimed that it was the successor of Ottomans.
In 1929, Gazi Mustafa Kemal signed a treaty that resulted in the restructuring of the nation's debt with the Ottoman Public Debt Administration. He did not fault the Ottoman debt. He had to deal with the turbulent economic issues of the Great Depression along with the payment of the high debt known as the Ottoman public debt. Until the early 1930s, Turkish private business could not acquire exchange credits. It was impossible to integrate the Turkish economy without a solution to this problem. This increased the credibility of the new Republic. One of the main reasons Ottoman Empire has left so huge debts is because of the expenditures, for example to build the Dolmabah?e Palace: The construction cost five million Ottoman mecidiye gold coins, 35 tonnes of gold, the equivalent of ca.US$1.5 billion in today's (2013) values. This sum corresponded to approximately a quarter of the yearly tax revenue. Actually, the construction was financed through debasement, by massive issue of paper money as well as by foreign loans. The huge expenses placed an enormous burden on the state purse and contributed to the deteriorating financial situation of the Ottoman Empire which eventually slid into state bankruptcy with the subsequent establishment of financial control over the "sick man of Europe" by European powers. One must note that, the Dolmabah?e Palace was the biggest palace until the recent palace (it is called AkSaray = white palace, taking the first two letters A and K of Erdo?an’s party) of Erdo?an was built. Today I am reading an interesting book: “Bir Asker, Bir Diplomat (A Soldier, A Diplomat)”, written by Taner Baytok (ISBN 975-6612-06-1). It contains conversations between retired Admiral Güven Erkaya, former Commanding Officer of Turkish Navy and the author of the book, a retired ambassador. Conversations during regular meetings have taken place until the death of Güven Erkaya, 24 June 2000. Güven Erkaya has a special place in Turkish parliamentarian history. According 2 April 2001 dated Hürriyet, a high circulated Turkish newspaper; he tells during these meeting to his friend Taner Baytok: QUOTE (from Hürriyet)
The unknown aspects of events that lead Turkey to February 28 action (start of a military coup) is the increasing fundamentalism, and the details of the difficult and tense anticipation that took place in the Armed Forces, as transferred from the mouth of the closest witnesses. “I am publicly known to be fighting any movement/discussion, which is against secularism. Following the YA? (Yüksek Askeri ?ura = Supreme Military Council) meeting of 1996, a dinner was given by the Prime Minister (at the time of event N. Erbakan was the PM) for the YA? members. I have requested a glass of rak? (Turkish National Drink), which became a country wide event. It is traditional that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense jointly give a dinner for the members of YA?. Prior to leaving my residence to go to the dinner, I have told my wife Gülden “they will probably have no alcohol during the dinner and to evidence this, they will also invite the press”, she responded “what a neurotic person you are”. Five minutes before the dinner I've arrived at the residence of the Prime Minister. I glanced at waiting media group. Seeing this, I knew that I knew that the first part of my estimate was correct In fact, it is not traditional to invite to the dinners given after the YA?. Prior to seating at the table, I looked at the service trays of the waiters, and noted that there were no alcoholic beverages. When a waiter has approached, I asked for a glass of rak?. '' No sir, there are no alcoholic beverages '' he said. ''Will you not serve even if I have asked for one?'' I asked. '' We were ordered not to give alcoholic drinks, however, I will ask again'' and he walked away. He returned repeating that they do not serve rak?. As follows, I asked my adjutant, Lt. Kaya, “please go to the kitchen and find for me a glass of rak?”.His response upon return was “they have no rak?, however, if the commanding officer insists, we will find some”. I have answered “commanding officer insists”. A protocol officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noticed what was going on and approached me “since there is no requirement, we do not inventory alcoholic beverages. But if you want it, of course we will find it for you”. I replied “yes I do, please have rak? served to me”. After a while the waiter brought a glass of rak?, wrapped in a napkin. I removed the napkin and gave it to the waiter and said “this looks much more beautiful”. I took a sip from my glass, then arrived the Chief General of Staff at PM’s residence and PM took him directly to the dining table, I took my seat at the table as well. I placed my glass of rak? in front of me. Two waiters were, without asking filling everyone’s glass with orange juice. Chief of Staff said that he will drink wine and I told waiter to continue to fill my glass with rak? as it becomes empty. Wine for the Chief of Staff arrived after the press members have left the dining room, so next day all of the newspapers were writing about me being the only one drinking alcoholic beverage. The meal was over, I came home. As he was about to go to bed when the phone rang. Chief of Staff was on the phone. '' Well done, Güven, you have done very well. I drank wine, whether you know it, or not'' he said. This was my initial meeting with Refah Partisi (Welfare Party) of Erbakan. UNQUOTE Of course, relaying this short story has no relevancy with my write-up, however, today’s Turkey, with Erdo?an being in power more than a decade, has slowly moved away from Atatürk’s secularism, secular democracy to the direction of fundamentalism.
This I write, to show how unsuccessful Atatürk was in establishing a secular nation, even though he did manage to form the basis for it. He should have lived another 20 years until his ideology was fully settled. With current regime, it was very easy to go back to the period prior to Atatürk. It is the same with was 1915 happenings a genocide or not. Whilst Atatürk’s young Turkey was very powerful/successful in forming excellent, mutually trust based relationships with its neighbors; today’s Turkey, due to instability in her Middle East foreign policy, have much difficulty in making others believe of being sincere. Whether true or not, Turkey has gone back to middle ages sect struggle between Shiite and Sunnites