Tariq Saeedi
Ashgabat, 2 March 2012 (nCa) — Someone sent me a bad joke the other day: If the world is a global village, Uncle Sam is the village idiot.
Bad joke but true nevertheless. And, what do you do if the village idiot also happens to be the village bully?
This is the question that all the countries of Greater Central Asia – Turkmenistan and Turkey being no exception – must be struggling with in their own way.
The recent visit of President Berdymuhamedov to Turkey has opened new areas for mutual partnership but the regional atmosphere is less than ideal for promoting grassroots prosperity.
Although the leaders of both the countries did not make any public statements, it is logical to assume that the situation in Syria and Iran came under discussion.
For those who are faithfully mesmerized by the one-sided media hype, it is necessary to remind that the break up of the Soviet Union was not actually the undoing of the Russian might; it was the Harvard Project, so lovingly and foolishly nurtured by the western media; it created the Chubais-led group of Oligarchs that plundered the Russian wealth and resources neatly – and legally.
The same media that cheered Iraq invasion is now party to human tragedies in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Egypt has shown its disgust openly and others may not remain quiet for long.
The systematic blood bath, shamelessly engineered and encouraged by Madam Clinton and her errand boys on both sides of the pond, is moving toward Central Asia. Much depends on the end result in Syria.
The fate of Syria will dictate the fate of Iran. Although Iran is a difficult country to deal with – both as friend and foe – it is ludicrous to assert that Iran will make an atomic bomb and immediately throw it on someone.
The multiple layers of sanctions on Iran amount to a silent but deadly war against the people, not just the people of Iran but also Central Asia and Turkey.
Both Turkmenistan and Turkey share borders with Iran, and both are being denied the full potential of mutual interaction because of undue pressure and restrictions on Iran. In denying the use of Iranian space as transit territory, the west is committing economic genocide of Central Asia. In every sense of the word, it is crime against humanity.
Then, there is the matter of drones and corridor to Afghanistan. We shall return to it soon. For now, all we would like to say is that Central Asia should not succumb to pressure, even from a dear friend.
To be continued . . .