STEVE PIECZENIK TALKS

A Realignment of Business and Power in the Middle East: Turkey, Israel, Hamas, Gaza.

All in Line for Potential Free Trade Zone!

For some time now, we have been hearing about the mutual animosities between Israel and Turkey and Israel and Hamas. Yet recent developments between Turkey and Israel indicate that there may be some type of rapprochement about to arise between two former friends.

Turkey has always been the major Sunni ally of Israel since the days of Ben Gurion. The reason is quite simple: Ben Gurion and Ataturk were close friends. They lived and worked together in Istanbul for some time. Ben Gurion’s strategic philosophy for the nascent state was to develop a non-Arab geopolitical ring around the Arab countries so that Israel would have potential allies; within this arena of presumed friendship was Iran and the Kurds [Barazani –Jewish]. Remember that Israel’s formidable air force had to practice within the expansive areas of eastern Turkey because their Phantom Jets[French made] could traverse their tiny country in seconds.

Now Israel and Turkey have met in the Gaza strip to consider the possibility of recreating a Free Trade Zone in that devastated area which would employ fifteen to twenty thousand Palestinians. This has the quiet support of American Intelligence. As fanciful as this idea might seem to many of you, the truth is that during the time of PLO occupation in the Gaza, Israel and Arafat did have a thriving free trade zone.

Yes, the AH-HA moment. 

What do I mean?
For too long Israel has been fighting too many enemies, real and perceived- to no real constructive end. Yet when Israel partners it’s formidable Hi-Tech capability with its historical ability to create diverse manufacturing companies, then peace and prosperity prosper in the region. No country can benefit more from the horrendous destruction created in Gaza, Syria, Iraq than the highly capable Turkish construction companies who have been in the business of building for centuries during the Ottoman Empire.

So we are beginning to see subtle changes as a result of a successful treaty between Iran and America. Turkey and Saudi Arabia will pick up the mantle of coordinating moderate Sunni activity through the Middle East; while Iran in conjunction with Putin’s Russia will negotiate a sustainable peace settlement in Syria. Obama’s military/intelligence strategy which allowed our allies to work out their differences is starting to blossom. There will be ups and downs but Americans must be patient and allow the constructive aspects of this treaty to take fruition. Tectonic shifts in geopolitical strategies require patience and quiet nurturing from all interested parties.

Peace always starts with a treaty; no matter how porous it may seem on the surface, especially to those who have never been involved in such negotiations. I speak from experience. Ironically, the most successful treaty or initiative that was created during the Baker/Bush Sr tenure was one that neither man ever mentions: The 1991 Cambodian Peace Treaty.  This treaty was initiated by the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, Dr Richard Solomon Phd [MIT].

Now twenty years later, the once ruthless Khmer Rouge are engaging in democracy and business –too busy to kill each other. 

Hun Sen, the leader who was put at the helm of this amazing experiment had morphed from a former Khmer Rouge Commander into a successful Prime Minister. BTW, this is an example where the United Nations served quite successfully as peace makers.

It’s a pity that our civilian leaders do not laud their own accomplishments toward peace… that’s their problem.Those of us who were involved in both Camp David Peace Accord [Jimmy Carter] and the Cambodian Peace Conference [Bush Sr.] are quite proud of how American initiated peace overtures that seemed, from the very beginning, destined to fail. Yet they succeeded contrary to the broadcasts of the Washington pundits. 

Give peace a chance and allow our military/intelligence community do what it does best: work quietly and effectively, sub rosa.