Historical Development and Future of Turkish-Arab and Turkish-Kurdish Relations

• Scientific Policy Congress

• 10 Haz 2021

• It can be read in 4 minutes.

At the heart of Western policy, implemented under the name of the "Eastern Question," lies the goal of securing economic dependence and exploiting religious and ethnic differences for separatist purposes.

Turkish-Arab, Turkish-Kurdish Relations / Scientific Politics Congress   2021-05-25 23:06

The so-called "Eastern Question," implemented as a Western policy, centers on securing economic dependence and exploiting religious and ethnic differences for separatist purposes. This incitement, fueled by financial and political support, is transformed into a systematic and continuous policy of external interference. Combined with poor governance that fails to address the problems of impoverished populations, this policy creates a fertile ground for internal tensions and divisions.

Turkish-Arab Relations: Turks, who began to accept Islam after the 9th century, have lived according to this religion for over a thousand years. Unlike other nations that embraced Islam, they were not merely ordinary believers; they spread and institutionalized this religion across a vast geographical area, preserving it.It was the Turks who resisted the Crusades, conquered Istanbul, and carried Islam to the heart of Europe. They integrated with this religion and became its true representatives. Studies and judgments on this subject should be a matter of history, not religion; and history should be approached based on science, not belief. Interestingly, however, this was not done in Turkey; history was mostly interpreted through the lens of religion. This approach inevitably led to the distortion of Turkish history, and so it happened.Turkish-Arab relations began in the 8th century, after the arrival of Islam, with the Umayyad attacks on Turkish regions, and almost all Turkish tribes found themselves in the midst of intense violence. The ideological justification used in the attacks was the spread of Islam, but the hidden real aim was the plunder of wealthy Turkish and Persian regions. Like the Crusaders who used Christianity to plunder the Middle East, the Umayyads claimed that their actions were a war for religion (jihad), legitimizing their aggression through this rhetoric. The Turks' acceptance of Islam, due to their unyielding nature, was not due to Umayyad pressure, but rather a conscious choice and their own will from the 9th century onwards.During the Abbasid period, the Turks, trying to overcome the Umayyad collapse, perhaps unknowingly changed the course of Turkish-Arab relations and quickly seized control of the governing system. Their cultural sophistication, political and military organizational capacity, and educational level made this possible. This dominance, which became evident in various forms in the 10th century, continued until the 20th century. In the numerous states established during this period, the Turks were always in a governing position, while the Arabs were always governed.The first resistance to Ottoman rule was initiated by the Wahhabis in the early 19th century. Emir Muhammad Saud attacked Mecca at a moment the Ottoman forces least expected. For the first time, the great European powers were using "religious incitement for political purposes" within the Ottoman Empire, and they were extremely successful. Despite being Christian, they relied on the power of money and collaborators to "pit Muslim against Muslim," and they did so very skillfully.This policy, which continues to this day, has been used against all modernization attempts by both Turks and Arabs towards independence for the last 200 years. The Eastern policies of the British, French, or Germans (and now the Americans) are entirely based on the use of religion as a political tool.

Turkish-Kurdish Relations: In terms of origin, Turks and Kurds share a common history spanning thousands of years and have integrated with each other by living together in a peaceful environment. They share a common life and feelings in many respects. There is no consensus among historians regarding the ethnic origins of the Kurds. Some historians believe that the Kurds are of Iranian origin, some Georgian, and others a Turkic tribe from Central Asia (1). The Ottoman Empire did not implement the timar system in the region where Kurds lived in large numbers. It left the administration of the region to tribes that passed the land from father to son and granted them special rights. They did not pay haraj, jizya, and aşar taxes. Their surroundings were also under protection. These were privileges never before achieved in history. Anatolian Turks suffered greatly from these practices. Turks either migrated to Iran or preferred to hide their true identities. The Turkmen tribes who speak both Kurdish and Turkish and are known today as "Kurds" are products of this period. However, today neither the Kurds can go anywhere nor can Turkey be divided into ethnically predominantly divided parts. There is neither a place to go nor a border that can be determined. Both are essential elements of the Turkish nation; intertwined through social and cultural integration, they live together throughout Turkey. Separatist organizations, guided by the US and the EU, are conducting anti-Turkish propaganda, which has not yet reached the general public, fueled by financial and political support. They are creating a chaotic environment filled with endless conflicts, acting as implementers of imperialist policies towards the region. The rhetoric of equality and freedom, which they frequently use in their struggles, is of course worthless. They are intent on disrupting the balances that have been established in Anatolia over the years. During the Republican era, the elimination of ethnic (and religious) divisions and privileges was considered a necessary condition for nation-building. These initiatives disturbed some tribes that had lived in unchecked autonomy for centuries, as they feared a change in their customs. This unease, representing conservatism, was skillfully exploited by Western powers, and separatism was supported. Anti-nationalist resistance and uprisings, encompassing a small minority of the Kurdish population, developed during this period. Conclusion: The negative view and evaluation of Turks in Western Enlightenment is mirrored, and more intensely so, in Arab culture. This negative view dates back a long time and continues to the present day. The contemporary relevance of this attitude lies in the existence of a pan-Islamic understanding that, despite being Turkish, denies Turkish identity, and the fact that this understanding has been transformed into a political force and has reached influential positions. This is a global endeavor; however, its intellectual foundation lies in centuries of anti-Turkish sentiment.  

          Turkish-Kurdish unity is built upon a multifaceted fusion resulting from centuries of shared life. Understanding the nature of this fusion, grasping its true dimensions, and acting accordingly is essential for preserving and developing national unity, and especially for neutralizing ethnic incitement targeting citizens of Kurdish origin. At the heart of the Western policy implemented under the guise of the "Eastern Question" is the goal of securing economic dependence and exploiting religious and ethnic differences for separatist purposes. This incitement, fueled by financial and political support, is transformed into a systematic and continuous policy of external interference. When combined with poor governance that fails to address the problems of an impoverished population, this creates a fertile ground for internal tensions and divisions. Depending on the nature of ethnic or religious unity, separatist movements and conflicts emerge. The events of the late Ottoman Empire are a painful consequence of this policy.    

Sources: - Source: Metin AYDOĞAN, Management Traditions from Antiquity to Globalization and the Turks, Volume-1, Pages: 733-793 - (1) Cengiz ÖZAKINCI, Butundunya Magazine, February 2010 issue: http://www.butundunya.com/index.php?arsiv=2010-02#e-dergi&Sayfa=16