Fast changes are happening in the Middle East. I believe they are of utmost interest to us, here in the U.S., therefore should be followed closely. Our media, as usual however, is busy inspecting its nails while the international media sources are exploding with daily, if not hourly headlines, reporting these amazing changes going on in the Middle East. I have been tracking the Turkish Daily (Hurriyet), Milliyet and the AlJazeera while making a list of the headlines, trying to see the big picture that seem to have risen out of president Obama's recent visit to Israel:
So far:
-Netanyahu's apology for the flotilla incident started a speedy recovery of the relations between Turkey and Israel. So much that even the tourism business in Turkey is highly energized with the expectation of receiving hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists starting this summer. Before the relationship going sour, Turkey annually received 500 000 Israeli tourists, as being one of the favorite destinations for the Israeli people.
-Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed PKK leader called out with a message for cease-fire and returning of unity and peaceful relationships between all ethnicities in Turkey. The rebel fighters from Northern Iraq have stopped fighting and are expected to leave the country in the (very) near future. This means more stable and safe Turkey.
-CIA is supplying weapons to the Syrian rebel forces through Turkey
I gave links for the list above in my previous two diaries on the subject which I posted yesterday.
Today, so far:
-"Arab League Welcomes Syrian Opposition," from Al Jazeera:
Link
-The big picture is anything but clear given the gargantuan complexities involving the region but there are little breaks of sunshine where some sort of clarity is coming to the surface. One, for example, is that there is no doubt that both Assad and Iran are becoming mightily isolated and pressured with the sudden turn of these events.
We can also add to this cauldron the news of the Afghani president Karzai's plan to make a speech on possible peace with the Taliban (no doubt part of the plans to end the war in Afghanistan).
I believe we need to pay more attention to these recent news since what happens in the Middle East is an enormous interest to the United States, as we well know from the pains we have suffered during the last decade or so. To me, there really is a chance of peace, benefiting not one or two but all parties in the region. The recognition of this fact (that they can prosper better as friends than enemies) and the fatigue of the endless fighting and bloodshed may just have started to change minds and hearts, showing the people how they can all share and prosper together as the result. I am seriously beginning to hope for the possibility of this change.
Thank you president Obama. You sure move in mysterious ways;)
Stay tuned.