Book on the World and Turkey: The Next 100 Years, by George Friedman, 2009

The colorful cover of the book has a globe with four arrows, one of them pointing to Turkey with the following boxed statement: 2050: Global War Between U.S., Turkey, Poland, and Japan – The New Great Powers.” (1) Anyone who reads just the cover, let alone the contents, would say, “Let us get Turkey before they declare war on the US.” The events leading to the passage of the HR 232 on March 4 seems to be another way to fight the Turks and take revenge on the defeat of the Western Imperialism by the Turks, first in the history of the mankind.

Following “Overture: An Introduction to the American Age,” George Friedman describes the events of the past 100 years, declares the supremacy of the United States in the 21^st century and makes references to Turkey in several sections of the 13 Chapter book, closing it with an “Epilogue”. There are 28 illustrations, including a map of Turkey in 2008 (p.81) and the Ottoman Empire at its peak (p.82) There is also a map of the “Silk Road” which extends from Xian in China to Antioch (Antakya) on the Mediterranean shores of Anatolia and on to Constantinople through the sea route. But there is not a single reference to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder and the first President of the Republic of Turkey who paved the way for the establishment of a new Turkey. There is very little about the current situation in Turkey either, which many believe is showing the signs of the abandonment of the basic principles of Ataturk, despite calls from many prominent people in the US that what is needed in the US today is another Ataturk. It is unimaginable to talk about the progress that Turkey has made since 1923 without explaining the great achievements of Ataturk, unless you have a secret agenda, like Friedman. Ataturk is the leader of freedom and enlightenment for all the developing countries who showed how it is not so and changed Turkey for ever. Freedom is everything. All we look for is to live as free souls  living in peace with all of our neighbors and work hard. Ataturk said “Peace in Turkey and peace in the world!” Since then Turkey never fought unless attacked, and still regrets being in Korea for the sake of NATA, and rejected to participate in WWII and Gulf and Iraq Wars. Whatever the present government has inherited is embodied in his words and thoughts. Turks hate no nation, yes they criticize, but do not hate. This is what Ataturk taught us, but never mentioned in this 255 page by a tricky Friedma, the founder of STRATFORD, the darling of many who obviously can not see behind the illusions.

I would recommend anyone interested in learning what is behind all these actions against Turkey, openly but under the hay, should read this book. If not checked now, Turkey faces great dangers from those who pretend to be her friends.

Yuksel Oktay

Washington, NJ

Notes. (1) The other 3 boxed comments are: 2020 China Fragments, 2080: Space – Based Energy Powers Earth, and 2100: Mexico Challenges U.S.

— On Mon, 3/8/10, Oya Bain <oyabain@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Oya Bain <oyabain@gmail.com>
Subject: Book on Turkey: The Winter Thief by Jenny White, review in Washington Post 3/8/10
Date: Monday, March 8, 2010, 9:33 AM

Vile and valorous in 1880s Turkey
(By Maureen Corrigan, The Washington Post)