Forbes: Ankara doesn't want Obama to win over his pledge to recognize Armenian Genocide
There is no doubt that much of the Muslim world is rooting for Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race, Asli Aydintasbas, an Istanbul-based journalist and former Ankara bureau chief of the newspaper Sabah, writes in "Obama, Turkey And The G-Resolution" published by Forbes magazine.
"But here in Turkey, the Obamania in the rest of the Muslim world was quick to fade early in the race. Once intrigued by the young senator and his life story, much of the Ankara establishment and the Turkish elite now say they prefer John McCain to snatch the presidential seat. And all this has little to do with Barack Obama himself," the article says.
"Modern Turkey is a nation still sorting through the cultural and political clashes that have emerged with the foundation of a secular modern republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in 1923. It is a nation accustomed to both domestic and foreign conflict and obsessed with the idea of its loneliness on the world stage. So it is no surprise that, on any given subject under the sun, most Turks would ask, "But is it good for Turkey? In this case, the political establishment in Ankara and Turkey's secular elite seem to think that Barack Obama is not good for Turkey," it goes on.
It all has to do with the Armenian issue, according to a Turkish politician.
"Barack Obama has pledged he would support a genocide resolution. Worse for Ankara, his running mate Senator Joe Biden has long been an ally of Greek and Armenian lobbies in Washington and sponsored bills questioning Turkish policies on Cyprus and Armenia," he said.
"John McCain on the other hand knows Turkey well and can understand our strategic value," the politician added.
"But here in Turkey, the Obamania in the rest of the Muslim world was quick to fade early in the race. Once intrigued by the young senator and his life story, much of the Ankara establishment and the Turkish elite now say they prefer John McCain to snatch the presidential seat. And all this has little to do with Barack Obama himself," the article says.
"Modern Turkey is a nation still sorting through the cultural and political clashes that have emerged with the foundation of a secular modern republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in 1923. It is a nation accustomed to both domestic and foreign conflict and obsessed with the idea of its loneliness on the world stage. So it is no surprise that, on any given subject under the sun, most Turks would ask, "But is it good for Turkey? In this case, the political establishment in Ankara and Turkey's secular elite seem to think that Barack Obama is not good for Turkey," it goes on.
It all has to do with the Armenian issue, according to a Turkish politician.
"Barack Obama has pledged he would support a genocide resolution. Worse for Ankara, his running mate Senator Joe Biden has long been an ally of Greek and Armenian lobbies in Washington and sponsored bills questioning Turkish policies on Cyprus and Armenia," he said.
"John McCain on the other hand knows Turkey well and can understand our strategic value," the politician added.
