10 December 2012

Japan Prepares For North Korean Rocket Launch

Japan has begun deploying a

surface-to-air missile defence

system and is putting its armed

forces on standby in advance of a

planned North Korean missile

launch this month, reports and

officials say. The Japanese public

broadcaster NHK reported that a

naval vessel carrying PAC-3

(Patriot Advanced Capability-3)

ballistic missiles left a western

Japan naval base on Monday,

headed for the country's southern

Okinawa island chain. North

Korea announced on Saturday

that it would launch a rocket

between December 10 and 22.

Japan's defence minister, ordered

the military on Saturday to

prepare for the rocket launch,

with a defence ministry

spokesman telling AFP news

agency that "our ground, marine,

and air forces are now preparing

to deploy troops in Okinawa",

which the rocket may fly over.

Continues in Page 6...

Tensions between the two

countries, which soured

significantly due to oil agreements

Turkey signed with the Kurdish

administration without the

consent of the Iraqi government,

hit a new low this week when Iraq

denied flight permission to a

plane carrying Turkish Energy

Minister Taner Yıldız, who was on

his way to Arbil to attend an

energy conference. Maliki claimed

Yıldız was planning to conclude a

business deal with the Kurdish

administration in Arbil and Yıldız

said ―We were going there for an

international meeting.‖ But he

also added that ―Turkey's being

―sensitive about Iraq's decisions

does not necessarily mean that

we will not develop projects in

Iraq.‖ However, after two days

Maliki has said Baghdad is ready

to improve ties with Ankara only

on the condition that Iraq and

Turkey do not interfere in each

other's internal affairs. He said ―I

am sending a message of

brotherhood again. I am ready to

re-establish our brotherhood.

Continues in Page 10...

Iraq Bars Minister’s Plane From Landing in Arbil

THIS

WEEK

EUROPE

PAGE 2

AMERICAS

PAGE 3

OPINION

PAGE 4-5

ASIA

PAGE 6

MIDDLE EAST&AFRICA

PAGE 7

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

PAGE 8-9

TURKEY

PAGE 10

SOCIAL

PAGE 11

INFO & ADS

PAGE 12

Missile-defence system deployed, with orders to shoot down rocket if it looks set to fall on

Japanese territory.

Volume 7, Issue 8

Maliki 'punished' Turkey for relations with Kurdish region by not allowing minister’s plane to land

EUROPE

PAGE 2

Electronics Firms Fined £1.1bn for

Fixing Prices of TVs and Computers

Germany's NDP party is

one step closer to being banned this week after

Germany's 16 regional

ministers supported the

move to pursue the ban.

Euronews / December, 5

Transparency International

annuals Corruption Index

has revealed Greece to be

the most corrupt country in the EU. The UK came 17 as

those with the most severe

economic problems proved

to be the most corrupt.

The Independent / December 5

Angela Merkel was re-

elected with 98% support

from her CDU colleagues.

This is now the seventh

time the most powerful woman in Europe has been

re-elected party leader.

The Guardian / December

4

ECB cuts growth forecasts and holds rates The European Central Bank (ECB) has revised down its Eurozone growth forecasts for this year

ECB President Mario Draghi (pictured) said the bank expected the bloc's economy to shrink by about

0.5% this year, before recovering later in 2013. He said weak consumer and investor sentiment was

weighing on growth. Mr Draghi said rates had been left unchanged due to

higher energy prices, rising taxes and the fact inflation fell from 2.5% to

2.2% last month. He also said that the bank expected inflation to fall below

2% next year. The target rate is below but close to 2%. Interest rates have

been at 0.75% for five months, after July's cut from 1%. The Bank of Eng-

land also kept its main interest rate unchanged on Thursday, leaving it at

0.5%. Likewise Britain, Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, has cut

its growth forecast for next year, saying the country's economy might be

entering a recession. BBC / December 6, 2012

Companies including Philips, LG Electronics and Panasonic artificially

set prices according to the European Commission .

Executives from some of the world‟s biggest electronics manufacturers met

in Europe and Asia to illegally fix the price of televisions and computers for

a decade, the European Commission ruled on Wednesday. Handing out

huge fines to Philips, Panasonic, Samsung and four other firms, Brussels

ruled that between 1996 and 2006 they held back supply of cathode ray

tubes, then the key component in TV sets and computer monitors. Because

the tubes made up between 50 and 70 per cent of the retail price, consum-

ers consequently paid an “over price” for TVs and computers. The scam was

“among the most organised cartels that the Commission has investigated”,

the EC said. The cartelists‟ “anti-competitive practices” included price fix-

ing, market sharing, customer allocation and exchanging commercially-

sensitive information. The Independent / December 5, 2012

Government has insisted an independent Scotland would remain in the EU, despite reports suggesting the country would have to reapply.

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney (pictured) told, membership was not in question, but negotiations on detail would be needed. He spoke af-ter a report in The Scotsman newspaper said, as a referendum on inde-pendence is scheduled for 2014, the European Commission had confirmed in a letter that a go-alone Scotland would have to reapply for membership. Swinney told that in case of yes vote in referendum, Scotland would be a part of UK and member of the EU, there-fore there has to be negotiations about the details of Scotland‟s membership of the EU. He believed that any talks on agreeing new terms of membership would be completed by 2016. It seems that Scotland will be go-ing through a process similar to the Catalo-nia‟s secession question and EU member-ship as Artur Mas has raised earlier.

BBC / December 6, 2012

Reapplication or Negotiation

AMERICAS

PAGE 3

The fiscal cliff issue in the States is heating up as Obama doesn’t look likely to compromise

The fiscal cliff refers to US tax rises and spending cuts set to automatically come into force in January.

They can only be avoided if Democrats and Republicans agree a budget

deal. On Wednesday, Obama, and Republican House Speaker John Boehner spoke by telephone in an effort to break the continuing deadlock. Both sides

have proposed plans to reach a deal, but they remain divided over how to

reach it. Obama wants to see tax rises on wealthy Americans, but

Republicans object, calling instead for larger government spending cuts. On

Friday, Boehner accused Obama of adopting a "my way or the highway" approach and engaging in "reckless talk" about going over the fiscal cliff.

"This isn't a progress report because there is no progress to report,"

Boehner told reporters. "The president has adopted a deliberate strategy to

slow walk our economy right to the edge of the fiscal cliff." Correspondents

say the White House currently has the upper hand, given that Obama has

just won re-election and that opinion polls show that Americans would blame Republicans if the US went off the fiscal cliff. BBC / Dec. 7, 2012

The US Senate Rejects UN Treaty

59 Corrupt Cops Arrested in Rio At least 20 Revolutionary

Armed Forces of Colombia

(FARC) anti-government

fighters have been killed in

Colombia after the military

launched bombing raids

against their camp in

Narino province, near the

border with Ecuador. Al

Jazeera / December 3,

2012

Enrique Peña Nieto has

formally taken office

as Mexico's new president

with a vow to restore peace

security and prosperity.

Guardian / December 2,

2012.

Fiscal Cliff Arguments Put U.S. Government in Deadlock Post-Election

In preparation to the upcoming Olympics and the World Cup, Brazil

tightened the war on corruption

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro have arrested at least 59 state police officers

accused of receiving bribes to look the other way or aid drug dealing and

other crimes by gangs that occupy the city's sprawling hillside shanty

towns. The arrests are the result of a year-long investigation, dubbed Opera-

tion Purification, that figures as part of the city's broad efforts to reduce

crime and bring order to the shanty villages, called favelas, before the sea

side city hosts the finals of soccer's 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic

games. In recent years, Rio has begun systematically clearing the favelas of

gangs that once ruled the neighborhoods all-but unchallenged by authori-

ties. The officers arrested face a range of charges, from drug trafficking to

corruption. Police also arrested several members of the city's feared Red

Command gang. Wall Street Journal / December 4, 2012

A United Nations treaty to ban discrimination against people with

disabilities went down to defeat in the Senate on Tuesday 61 to 38.

The treaty, backed by President Obama and former Senate Majority Leader

Bob Dole (R-Kan.), that it would create new abortion rights and impede the

ability of people to home school disabled children. Sen. James Inhofe (R-

Okla.) argued the treaty would infringe on U.S. sovereignty, an argument

echoed by other opponents.―This unelected bureaucratic body would pass

recommendations that would be forced upon the United States if we were a

signatory,‖ he said. Supporters of the treaty argued that the Convention on

the Rights of Persons With Disabilities would simply require the rest of the

world to meet the standards that Americans already enjoy under the 1990

Americans With Disabilities Act. The treaty was negotiated and first signed

under former President George W. Bush and signed again by Obama in

2009. At least 153 other countries have signed it. The Hill / Dec. 4, 2012.

PAGE 4

OPINIONS

EUROPE

TURKEY

Agreement to Disagreement : Turkey and Russia

Ever since the beginning, the relations between Turkey and Russia sustained in a circle. That is, periods

when relationships is good and bad have followed each other. Time of the Ottoman Empire and Russian

Empire, the two countries, mainly in opposition to each others condition. Then, until 1945, we see that the Soviet Union and Turkey's Kemalist government become strategic allies. The end of the Second World

War began the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, Turkey took place in the United

States side and broke relations with Moscow. Turkey, until the disintegration of the Soviet Union, mostly,

took place in opposite side of Moscow. From the second half of 1990s, significant progress was seen in

relationships. In this, emergence of groups advocating that turning to Eurasia instead implement pro-

Western policies had an important effect. This convergence continued until 2010. In recent times, Russia has a range attitude towards Turkey because Russia thinks that Turkey is influenced by the United

States in foreign policy. In recent periods, Turkish-Russian relations are going through the most serious

test of endurance with Syria event. The two sides are in different fronts about Syria. Russia, with all his

effort, trying to keep Assad with Syria; however , Turkey is making plans for a Syria without Assad. So,

there is the game which the ones earning means the others loss that is a zero-sum game. The only common point is that both two sides want to solve the problem with non-military methods. However, if

Russia can persuade Assad to go without an international intervention, than the policies of two countries

nearer to each other. Putin postponed all visits abroad about for nearly two months then performed his

first trip to Turkey as a sign of given importance to Ankara. Even the two countries are in different places

in international policies, the most important thing is economic and commercial ties between them. In

order to protect it, lots of mutual concessions were given and will be given.The most important point that both two countries agreed is disagreement about foreign issues.

Didem ELERMAN

Scotland on the Way of Independence As we all know an independence referendum in the autumn of 2014 will be hold on and the franchise in

a Scottish independence referendum would be the same as for a Scottish Parliament election and for a

local council election. But the question is, what are the consequences will be after the referendum? Fur-

thermore how the process would be held by the UK and Scottish governments and also by the citizens? I believe that prior to predict the results we should have an in-depth look at the issue. The starting point,

unification, took place in 1707. The main moves for independence started when Scottish National Party

became the minority government after winning a plurality of seats in the 2007 Scottish election. The first

serious move came on 30 November 2009, with a white paper for the bill. A draft bill for public consulta-

tion has published on 25 February 2010, but SNP failed to obtain support from the other parties, and receded the draft bill. The victory of SNP came on 10 January 2012, when the Scottish Government an-

nounced that they intend to hold the referendum in the autumn of 2014. An agreement was signed on 15

October 2012 by David Cameron and Alex Salmond which provides a legal framework for the referendum

to be held. The principal issues in the referendum are economic policy, defence arrangements, continued

relations with the UK and membership of supranational organisations, particularly the European Union.

As far as I have learned from Andrew Black who is a political reporter at BBC the ballot paper would be something like "The Scottish Parliament should negotiate a new settlement with the British government,

based on the proposals set out in the white paper, so that Scotland becomes a sovereign and independ-

ent state.", and the responses would be "Yes I agree" or "No I disagree". It has been suggested that full

independence, in the event of a 'yes' vote, could be delivered in 2016. Recently, the Scottish government

has insisted an independent Scotland would remain in the EU, despite reports suggesting the country would have to reapply. The BBC's Europe editor Gavin Hewitt said: "There would be a negotiation which

would only start when it was clear what the relationship was between Scotland and London." I am not

sure if it would be the best for Scotland to be independent or not in such an environment, since the Eu-

rozone has “visible” economic problems, but if the referendum would end with the dominance of “yes”

votes, I believe that Scotland deserves a chance to prove that it could be a powerful sovereign state with-

out the endorsement of UK. Asude Dilan YİĞİT

PAGE 5

OPINIONS

ASIA

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

Enough is More Than One Word

Protests, march and slogans are not new for history of Egypt. Before the Arab Uprisings, the history of

Egypt had significant demonstrations. In the past, these events were based on the nationalist feelings

because the Egypt was under control of British Empire or in Nasser period, the politics of Egypt was

dominated by Arab Nationalism. However, in my opinion, Arab Uprisings has not any philosophical back-

ground or political preparation to construct new political systems. After the resign of Mubarek, the Mus-

lim Brotherhood, as the largest and the most organized entity, took the power in the Egypt. Muhammad

Morsi was elected as president however the President of Egypt was constrained by the power of Army and

Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Moreover, for Morsi, the judicial mechanism and the parliament

are other obstacles to get ultimate power in the country, so Morsi acted a decree to reduce effectiveness

of check and balance system over his decisions. I think this decree may be the biggest mistake of Morsi

because Egyptian said enough to not only Mubarak but also all possible pharaoh candidates. In spite of

lack of philosophical background and political roots, Egyptians in Tahrir learnt that a government or a

state cannot be survived without its people, so Morsi retreat the decree that gives to Morsi enormous

power without any control system over his decisions. Now, in Egypt, the people are waiting for new con-

stitution and I am sure that if their demands are not met, Egyptian will say a word: kefaya. The develop-

ments reveal that Liberals are trying to form a front against Muslim Brotherhood, so Morsi may have to

face with more opposition from the different parts of the society. Especially, in the election period, the

instability and protest will be main issues of the agenda of Morsi in my opinion because old pretexts are

not enough to continue dictatorial habits for everyone.

Alper AKGÜN

‘‘Re-Sovietization’’, is it true ? H. Clinton slammed the Moscow-led Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan, apparently

castigating it as a front for reviving the Soviet Union.―Let‘s make no mistake about it,‖ she said. ―We

know what the goal is and we are trying to figure out effective ways to slow down or prevent it.‖ Russian

NATO envoy Grushko rejected Clinton's claim, insisting Russia‘s partnership with its neighbors is purely

pragmatic.―Russia takes the position that every government is interested in using all possible resources

to cooperate with its neighbors,‖ he said.Moscow has sought to pull together many of the former Soviet

republics into what President Vladimir Putin has christened the "Eurasian Union," a political and

economic union between Russia, Belarus and several Central Asian countries. Who‘s saying the truth

Clinton or Gurshko, US or Russia? I think, Russia doesn‟t want a new Soviet Union, wants US of East

Europe and Central Asia because idealist soviet diplomacy isn‟t suitable for new and pragmatist Russia.

And Soviet Union had more larger diplomacy network than Russia can dream about. Arab and African

liberation movements were important as Central Asia for Soviet diplomacy; however, new Russia has lim-

ited diplomatic opportunities. Russia lost superiotiy in most areas like Africa and Middle East during

early 90‟s. If Russia wants to control Central Asia again, it must jar with US and may face new powers

like India, Iran and Turkey. They are more powerful than before. Iran and India are allies of Russia but

nobody knows the future of these alliances and Russia‟s future dream isn‟t Turkey‟s future dream. For

example, Russia is jarring with Turkey because of Syria. We can say the Shanghai Five and the Eurasian

Union are efforts of „„re-Sovietization‟‟ but they aren‟t clear alliances. In conclusion, Russia‟s sphere of

influence is growing but every country wants to grow own sphere of influence like Russia or Turkey. We

can not say that it is signal of re-Ottomanization or re-Sovietization. We can say it‟s signal of the new

diplomatic era. H. Sinan Güler

PAGE 6

ASIA

ASIA

„Magnitsky Act‟ Approved Afghanistan‘s intelligence

chief Asadullah Khalid has

been wounded in

assassination attempt in

Kabul. The attack was

claimed by the Taliban.

Al Jazeera / December 7,

2012

Australia and 36 other

industrialised countries

signed up for binding

emission cuts by 2020 as

part of a package of

agreements extending the

life of the Kyoto Protocol at

a UN conference in Doha.

New Zealand Herald /

December 9, 2012

Former Thai prime minister

is charged over the death of

a taxi driver who was killed

amid a crackdown on

protests in Bangkok in

2010. A court ruled last

month that his death

resulted from military acts

ordered by the prime

minister.

CNN / December 7, 2012

Japan Prepares For North Korean Rocket Launch Continues from Page 1…

Japan is also planning to deploy Aegis warships in neighbouring waters, Japanese media reported on

Monday. Officials are preparing to issue an advance order as soon as Friday to shoot down the rocket if it

looks set to fall on Japanese territory, after an emergency meeting chaired by Yoshihiko Noda, prime

minister. Noda on Monday called for close co-operation with the US, China, South Korea and Russia in

preparation for the planned launch, which has drawn international

condemnation. "I have ordered cabinet ministers to gather and analyse

information closely with each other and as we closely collaborate with

related countries," he was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires as saying. North

Korea has reportedly notified neighbours, including Japan, of the trajectory

of the planned rocket launch. Al Jazeera/ December 3, 2012

The US Senate has passed a new bill normalizing trading relations with

the Russian Federation, while critisizing their human rights record.

In response, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Russia would take

similar, reciprocative actions. “During a meeting with Hillary Clinton in

Dublin, I confirmed that we will close entry to Americans who have been

guilty of human rights violations,” Lavrov said. The act automatically repeals

the Jackson-Vanik amendment placing trade restrictions on Russia and

establishes permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Moscow. The

Jackson-Vanik amendment was enacted in 1974 during the Cold War and

originally targeted the Soviet Union. The act, while finally normalizing trade

relations with Moscow, will allow Washington to deny visas as well as freeze

the assets of Russian officials allegedly involved in the death of the Russian

lawyer, Sergey Magnistky. The bill also stipulates that future possible

violations in the field of human rights would be prosecuted by the same

measures. Russia Today / December 6, 2012

More than 500 members of India's armed forces are accused of human

rights abuses in a damning report on conflict in Kashmir.

In the report by a leading human rights group include custody deaths,

abduction, torture and rape. Army, police and paramilitary officers of senior

rank are among those named. There was no immediate army response. Thousands have died in a separatist insurgency in Kashmir since 1989.

The disputed region, claimed by both India and Pakistan, has seen violence

fall in recent years. But tens of thousands of Indian army and paramilitary

troops continue to be deployed in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley. The

report's authors say they gathered information from the police and under

India's new freedom of information laws, as well from interviews with families and others.

An army spokesman said "If they have sent it

to the defence ministry we have not received it

so far. We can respond after proper perusal of

the document." BBC / December 6, 2012

Indian Officials Accused of

Kashmir Rights Abuses

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

PAGE 7

Egypt's opposition coalition refuses to meet Friday to discuss Morsi's call for Saturday dialogue

meet; several opposition groups holding rallies after Friday prayers.

Backers and opponents of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi planned to

stage rival mass protests on Friday, as the country was locked in a deepening crisis over the Islamist leader's grab for powers and his call for a

referendum on a controversial draft constitution. Opponents of the

president gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, chanting slogans against Morsi

and his Muslim Brotherhood group. Thousands also marched to the

president's palace. The protesters were joined by leading opposition leader

Hamdeen Sabahy. "Down with Morsi Mubarak," chanted the protesters, implying that toppled in a popular revolt almost two years ago. In a televised

address late Thursday, Morsi said that a decree he issued last month,

making all his decisions immune from judicial review, would be

cancelled after the constitutional referendum scheduled for December 15,

whatever the result of the vote. Haaretz / December 7, 2012

US president says there will be "consequences" if President Assad uses

chemical weapons on his own people.

Barack Obama, the US president, has warned Syrian President Bashar al-

Assad not to use chemical weapons on his own people, saying there would

be consequences if he were to do so. "Today I want to make it absolutely

clear to Assad and those under his command: The world is watching," he

said on Monday."The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally

unacceptable and if you make the tragic mistake

of using these weapons there will be consequences

and you will be held accountable."Hillary Clinton,

the secretary of state, who is in Prague, the capital

of Czech Republic, said she would not outline any

specifics."But suffice it to say, we are certainly

planning to take action if that eventuality were to

occur," she said. Al Jazeera / December 4, 2012

Obama warns Syria over chemical

weapons use

Khaled Meshaal is making his first visit in 45 years to celebrate the

founding of the group .

Khaled Meshaal, the exiled political leader of Hamas, will receive a hero‘s

welcome when he arrives in Gaza this week for his first visit to the

Palestinian territories for 45 years, to celAebrate the 25th anniversary of the

founding of the group. It will be Mr Meshaal‘s first ever visit to Gaza, which

has been ruled by Hamas since it overthrew the Fatah administration of

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007. Both Hamas – whose name

is an acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement – and Fatah are trying

to gain domestic support as they try to revive stalled unity talks and hold a

long-overdue general election. Independent / December 5, 2012

Iran's navy has captured

what it says is a U.S.

drone after it entered

Iranian airspace over the

Persian Gulf.However, a

U.S. defense official, who

could not be named

because the official was

not authorized to speak to

the media that whatever

the Iranians claim to have,

it is not an actively

operating U.S. Navy drone.

CNN / December 5, 2012

Jordan's King Abdullah II

paid a rare visit to the

West Bank in a show of

support for Mahmoud

Abbas' successful bid for

UN recognition of a

Palestinian state.

Haaretz / December 6,

2012

Five men were killed in the

Lebanese port city of

Tripoli today during

sectarian clashes between

gunmen loyal to opposing

sides in neighbouring

Syria's civil war, residents

said. Independent /

December 6, 2012

Egypt braced for more protests

Hamas leader returns to Gaza to a

hero's welcome

PAGE 8

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

Thomas L. Friedman

Author and Columnist in The NY Times

These were the main regional news headlines in The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday:

“Home Front Command simulates missile strike during drill.”

Egypt‘s President ―Morsi opts for safety as police battle protestors.‖ In Syria, ―Fight spills over

into Lebanon.‖ ―Darkness at noon for fearful Damascus residents.‖ ―Tunisian Islamists, leftists

clash after jobs protests.‖ ―NATO warns Syria not to use chemical weapons.‖ And my personal

favorite: ― ‗Come back and bring a lot of people with you‘ — Tourism Ministry offers tour

operators the full Israeli experience.‖

Ah, yes, ―the full Israeli experience.‖

The full Israeli experience today is a living political science experiment. How does a country deal

with failed or failing state authority on four of its borders — Gaza, South Lebanon, Syria and

the Sinai Desert of Egypt — each of which is now crawling with nonstate actors nested among

civilians and armed with rockets. How should Israel and its friends think about this ―Israeli

experience‖ and connect it with the ever-present question of Israeli-Palestinian peace?

For starters, if you want to run for office in Israel, or be taken seriously here as either a

journalist or a diplomat, there is an unspoken question in the mind of virtually every Israeli

that you need to answer correctly: ―Do you understand what neighborhood I‘m living in?‖ If

Israelis smell that you don‘t, their ears will close to you. It is one reason the Europeans in

general, and the European left in particular, have so little influence here.

The central political divide in Israel today is over the follow-up to this core question: If you

appreciate that Israel lives in a neighborhood where there is no mercy for the weak, how should

we expect Israel to act?

There are two major schools of thought here. One, led by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu,

comprises the ―Ideological Hawks,‖ who, to the question, ―Do you know what neighborhood I am

living in?‖ tell Israelis and the world, ―It is so much worse than you think!‖ Bibi goes out of his

way to highlight every possible threat to Israel and essentially makes the case that nothing

Israel does has ever or can ever alter the immutable Arab hatred of the Jewish state or the

Hobbesian character of the neighborhood. Netanyahu is not without supporting evidence. Israel

withdraws from both South Lebanon and Gaza and still gets hit with rockets. But this group is

called the ―ideological‖ hawks because most of them also advocate Israel‘s retaining permanent

control of the West Bank and Jerusalem for religious-nationalist reasons. So it‘s impossible to

know where their strategic logic for holding territory stops and their religious-nationalist

The Full Israeli Experience

PAGE 9

reasons. So it‘s impossible to know where their strategic logic for holding territory stops and

their religious-nationalist dreams start — and that muddies their case with the world.

The other major school of thought here, call it the ―Yitzhak Rabin school,‖ was best described

by the writer Leon Wieseltier as the ―bastards for peace.‖

Rabin, the former Israeli prime minister and war hero, started exactly where Bibi did: This is a

dangerous neighborhood, and a Jewish state is not welcome here. But Rabin didn‘t stop there.

He also believed that Israel was very powerful and, therefore, should judiciously use its strength

to try to avoid becoming a garrison state, fated to rule over several million Palestinians forever.

Israel‘s ―bastards for peace‖ believe that it‘s incumbent on every Israeli leader to test, test and

test again — using every ounce of Israeli creativity — to see if Israel can find a Palestinian

partner for a secure peace so that it is not forever fighting an inside war and an outside war. At

best, the Palestinians might surprise them. At worst, Israel would have the moral high ground

in a permanent struggle.

Today, alas, not only is the Israeli peace camp dead, but the most effective Israeli ―bastard for

peace,‖ Defense Minister Ehud Barak, is retiring. As I sat with Barak in his office the other day,

he shared with me his parting advice to Israel‘s next and sure-to-be-far-right government.

Huge political forces, with deep roots, are now playing out around Israel, particularly the rise of

political Islam, said Barak. ―We have to learn to accept it and see both sides of it and try to

make it better. I am worried about our tendency to adopt a fatalistic, pessimistic perception of

history. Because, once you adopt it, you are relieved from the responsibility to see the better

aspects and seize the opportunities‖ when they arise.

If Israel just assumes that it‘s only a matter of time before the moderate Palestinian leaders in

the West Bank fall and Hamas takes over, ―why try anything?‖ added Barak. ―And, therefore,

you lose sight of the opportunities and the will to seize opportunities. ... I know that you can‘t

say when leaders raise this kind of pessimism that it is all just invented. It is not all invented,

and you would be stupid if you did not look [at it] with open eyes. But it is a major risk that you

will not notice that you become enslaved by this pessimism in a way that will paralyze you from

understanding that you can shape it. The world is full of risks, but that doesn‘t mean that you

don‘t have a responsibility to do something about it — within your limits and the limits of

realism — and avoid self-fulfilling prophecies that are extremely dangerous here.‖

The New York Times/ December 8, 2012

TURKEY

PAGE 10

Continue from Page 1…

We are ready for all kinds of agreements. But we have a condition: Neither Turkey nor Iraq will interfere

in each other's internal affairs.‖ He added ―Now, despite all the problems, we want dialogue with Turkey, I

am offering an olive branch. We are ready and willing to cooperate with you on security, oil, trade and

culture. But, there should not be interference in Iraq's internal affairs.‖ Meanwhile, Maliki invited

Turkey‘s main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to a conference on

Turkish-Iraqi ties to be held in Bagdad. However, Kılıçdaroğlu said that he

would not be able to attend the conference, but a delegation of his

Republican People‘s Party chaired by Deputy Head Faruk Loğoğlu will be

joining the event. Loğoğlu said this visit was previously planned and had

nothing to do with Baghdad‘s refusal to allow Yıldız to fly to Arbil.

Today’s Zaman – Hurriyet Daily News / December 4-7, 2012

Despite their differences over Syria, the two countries enjoy strong trade and energy ties, and are expected to look to strengthen those links during talks. President Putin, who paid a one day working visit to Turkey, and Erdoğan met at Dolmabahçe Besides economic relations, the two leaders discussed a variety of subjects, the Syria crisis in particular and gave messages regarding it. Erdoğan said the economic investments made reciprocally gained great momentum and Russia is Turkey's biggest trading partner. Putin said it was planned to raise the trade volume to $100 billion in the forthcoming years, and regarding the Patriot missiles to be deployed on the Turkish border with Syria pointed out that he did not believe Syria would attack Turkey but Russia was understanding of Turkey's concern regarding its border security. They later signed some cooperation agreements and held a joint press conference. Erdoğan also thanked Russia for its support for Palestine to get the non-member observer status from the UN. TRT-English - BBC / December 4, 2012

Iraq Bars Minister’s Plane From Landing in Arbil

Putin meets Erdogan for Syria

talks

Mr. Ban praised the humanitarian work being carried out to care for

the 200,000 Syrians who are being housed in Turkey.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited a camp in

southern Turkey hosting Syrian refugees and thanked Turkey for its

efforts, calling on the international community and the UN SC to unite and

take decisive action to end the conflict in

Syria. ―The government and the people of

Turkey, you have a broad heart for generosity

and friendship. I have so much to say after

visiting this camp. Thank you very much for

your support,‖ he said. After a stopover in the

Islahiye camp which houses some 8,500

refugees, Ban headed to Ankara to meet with

Gul, Erdogan and Davutoglu. Hurriyet Daily

News / Dec. 7, 2012

Ban-Ki-Mun In Ankara

During Justice Minister

Ergin's visits to Brussels,

the EU made it clear that

BDP deputies should not be

"excluded" from politics,

referring to the raging

debate on whether or not

the immunity of those

deputies should be lifted,

leaving them open to

prosecution. Today’s

Zaman / December 6,

2012

Germany will send up to

400 troops to the Turkish-

German border as part of

NATO mission to protect

Turkey from Syrian rocket

attacks. Deutsche Welle /

December 6, 2012

The director of the Greek

Ministry of Defense's War

Museum was removed from

office following a statement

by Turkey declaring its

disappointment on the

promotion in the museum

of a book penned by Murat

Karayılan one of the leaders

of the PKK. Today’s

Zaman / Dec. 3, 2012

10 December 2012:

Basit Bir Ev Kazası (Theater)

ġinasi Sahnesi/20.00

11 December 2012:

Cyrano De Bergerac(Theater)

Cüneyt Gökçer Sahnesi/20.00

33 Varyasyon (Theater)

Akün Sahnesi/20.00

12 December 2012:

Anathema Acoustic Night with

Danny Cavanagh (Concert)

Jolly Joker/21.00

13 December 2012:

Balkan Clarinet Summit(Concert)

MEB ġura Salonu/21.00

Mickey's Musical (Show)

ATO Kongre ve Sergi Sarayı/18.00

14 December 2012:

Dünya Rakı Haftası (Festival)

7 Kapı Bahçelievler/19.00

Metin ve Arkas Trio (Concert)

Bilkent Konser Salonu/20.00

15 December 2012

Levent Yüksel (Concert)

Jolly Joker/22.00

Antonius ile Kleopatra(Theater)

YB Nazım Hikmet Kongre ve Kültür

Mrkz/20.30

PAGE 11

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Zeynep Erdim, BBC World Turkey

GENERAL DIRECTOR

Alper AKGÜN

CO-EDITOR

Yiğitcan ERDOĞAN

COORDINATORS

Hazal AKGÜL, AyĢe ATASOY, Cansu BULUKLU, Begüm

ÇELĠKTUTAN

EUROPE CORRESPONDENTS

Ekin BOZKURT, Dan PRITCHETT, Asude Dilan YĠĞĠT

AMERICAS CORRESPONDENTS

Paddy SPICER WARD, Ayça ġEN

ASIA CORRESPONDENTS

Bektur ELEBESOV, H. Sinan GÜLER, AyĢenur ġANLI

M. EAST & AFRICAS CORRESPONDENTS

R. Sinan USTA, Çağlar YILDIZ

TURKEY CORRESPONDENTS

Didem ELERMAN, Yağmur ERġAN

SOCIAL EVENTS CORRESPONDENT

Yağmur ÇĠFTÇĠ

Twitter: @metunewsreport