War is essential for governments and movements

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Nov 24, 2015 at 05:11

Hi, Alexandros. You wrote,

You write it is geography and Turkey controls this land. Ok is it then that Turkey blackmails America? Is America a hostage of Turkey then? Turkey is in NATO, can they easily leave NATO for someone else? And why someone's else hegemony would be better for Turkey?

From America's point of view, it is this: The US is a maritime power, dependent on trade to form alliances with countries like Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Those alliances are held together militarily by American sea power. Our natural enemies, the Russians and Chinese, are linked by land and control the vast majority of Eurasia away from the oceans. Our policy over the years, then, has been to contain those land giants with encirclement. In this, we are just continuing a policy the British practiced for two centuries until WWII. Greece is "inside" this watery alliance; and Turkey, a high plateau facing Russia and controlling the Bosporus, is at the vital "outer edge" of our (Greece's and America's) defenses. Just looking back at Greek and Roman history, you can see the importance of this situation. Imagine, if you will, the Russians having naval bases at Istanbul, Izmir and Cyprus. If that were to happen, we would be in a far less secure position.

Concerning "why someone's else hegemony would be better for Turkey?", you are correct: The Turks are not serious about joining the SCO with Russia and China, nor with teaming up with the Iranians. I think Erdogan sees himself, rather, as a Sultan in his own right, a regional power. His threats, to join the SCO or to buy a sophisticated early warning system from the Chinese, are probably arm-twisting against NATO so he gets what he wants. He's playing the refugee crisis the same way. You went on,

It is like we recognise that we are in perpetual war, that everyone is against everyone! Is it like that?

Yes. Both Russia and the US need to be in continual conflict, for both parties to justify their existence. "No war" means "no need for Big Brother". Even the "Peace" movement needs war and the threat of war, in order to stay in business.

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