18 March 2013 Volume 7, Issue 13
Habemus Papam Franciscum Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been elected as Pope Francis. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes the first Latin American, as well as the first Jesuit leader of the Catholic Church. In his first words after election, Pope Francis said: “As you know the duty of the conclave is to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals went almost to the end of the world!” Bergoglio becomes the first pope to choose a name in tribute to Saint Francis of Assisi, the 13th century reformer who lived in poverty and told followers: “Preach the Gospel always, if necessary use words.” White smoke was released from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 19:00 C E T on March 13, signaling that the Vatican had elected a new pope. As bells rang out over St. Peter’s Square in Rome, a crowd of thousands huddled under umbrellas cheered. The identity of the new pontiff was revealed to the world from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica by French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran. Pope Francis then stepped forward to deliver his first public address and blessing to the
gathered faithful, asking for the prayers of “all men and women of good will” to help him lead the Catholic Church.
on February 28. The white smoke came on the evening of the second day of the conclave – with the cardinals reaching agreement earlier than many analysts predicted. The last four popes were all elected within two or three days. Seven ballots have been required on average over the last nine conclaves. Benedict was clear frontrunner in 2005 and elected after only four ballots.
Moreover, Pope Francis has telephoned Benedict and is planning to meet him, a Vatican spokesman said. He began his address to the crowds by offering a prayer for his predecessor. In a lighthearted moment, he said his fellow cardinals had gone to the "ends of the Earth" to find a Speaking Italian with a slight bishop of Rome. He went on to Latin American accent he added ask the crowd to "pray to God so the world should set off on a path that he can bless me", before callof love and fraternity. He coning on the world to set off on a cluded by bidding the huge path of love and fraternity. crowd: “Good night and have a "Habemus Papam Franciscum," good rest.” Roman Catholic cardiwas the first tweet by the papal nals took part in the secret voting account @pontifex since Benedict process, known as the conclave, stood down last month. to select a successor for Pope Benedict X V I , who stepped down Continue to Page 2...
THIS WEEK
EUROPE PAGE 2
AMERICAS PAGE 3
OPINION PAGE 4-5
ASIA PAGE 6
MIDDLE EAST&AFRICA PAGE 7
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK PAGE 8-9
TURKEY PAGE 10
SOCIAL PAGE 11
EDITORIAL PAGE 12
EUROPE Habemus Papam Franciscum Continue from Page 1... The election was met with thunderous applause at the cathedral in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis' home city. "It's a huge gift for all of Latin America. We waited 20 centuries. It was worth the wait," said Jose Antonio Cruz, a Franciscan friar in the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, quoted by the Associated Press. "Everyone from Canada down to Patagonia is going to feel blessed. This is an event." US President Barack Obama sent "warm wishes" on behalf of the American people to the newly elected pontiff, hailing the Argentine as "the first pope from the Americas". Argentina's President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner wished him a "fruitful pastoral mission". Correspondents say Cardinal Bergoglio was a surprise choice and not among a small group of frontrunners before the election. Many observers were also expecting a younger pope to be elected. He is regarded as a doctrinal conservative but seen as a potential force for reform of the Vatican bureaucracy, which may have won the support of reforming cardinals. Euronews & BBC / March 13, 2013 Wintry weather disrupts European travel for a second day. Travellers are getting back on the move Wednesday, a day after heavy snowfall caused cancellations and delays across much of northern Europe. CNN / March 13, 2013
For the fourth time in the past month, a Bulgarian has set fire to himself. The man's motives were not known but the incident follows weeks of protests against poverty, high fuel bills and corruption. BBC / March 13, 2013
The German cabinet has agreed a bill allowing women going through unwanted pregnancies to give birth in hospital under a false name. The measure would allow babies to be born safely in hospital and then immediately given up for adoption. BBC / March 14, 2013
PAGE 2
France Backs Ending EU Arms Embargo on Syria French President Hollande has called for the EU arms embargo on Syria to be lifted in order to aid anti-government forces. "We are ready to support the rebels, so we are ready to go that far," he said. He told reporters that France and the UK agreed on the issue but that other countries would have to be convinced. Mr Hollande was speaking in Brussels, ahead of a meeting of EU leaders. Syria is not a formal agenda item for the summit, but a British official said Mr Hollande and UK PM Cameron would raise the conflict with other leaders on Friday. A British official told there was a "perversity" about the embargo, as it meant the Syrian government receives arms but not the opposition. Mr Cameron hinted that the UK might arm the rebels if the EU ban remained in place. However, Russia has stated its explicit opposition to arming the rebels. Germany, Austria and Sweden are among the EU states believed to be reluctant to lift the embargo. In February, the EU renewed its arms embargo on Syria for three months -- but amended it to allow greater nonlethal support and technical assistance to help protect civilians. BBC / March 14, 2013
Turks Die In a Fire In Germany Eight Turkish nationals die in a fire in Germany, among them seven kids and a mother. Fire swept through an apartment building in Germany on March 10, killing seven kids and a mother from a Turkish family that migrated to Backnang. NTV quoted Mehmet Canbolat, as saying there was a possibility that the fire was started deliberately, as the area is dominated by migrants and there is a German-Turkish cultural exchange association on the ground floor of the burnt building. However, Agence France-Presse quoted police sources as saying that “there are no indications of arson or xenophobic motives.� On the other hand, according to the study by TAVAK shows 193,000 Turks come back from Germany in 4 years due to discrimination. In the photo, a group marches to protest killings of Turkish people in Germany. Daily News / March 10, 2013
AMERICAS Obama Meets with Senate Democrats President Obama began three days of meetings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday by fielding about a dozen questions from Senate Democrats. The meeting is about ongoing budget negotiations, an immigration overhaul and his administration’s unmanned aerial drone program. During the 90-minute exchange, Obama also heard objections from more liberal senators regarding potential cuts to entitlement programs as part of a bipartisan compromise on taxes and spending, according to senators in attendance. Without specifically addressing the timing, the president signaled his expectation of a months-long battle on fiscal issues that begins through the “regular order” of the House passing its GOP-drafted budget proposal and the Senate its Democrat-drafted one, the Maryland Democrat said. That process, according to senior congressional and White House aides, is likely to set up a long negotiation that could last into the summer as the debt ceiling approaches. Asked whether Obama’s lunches this week on Capitol Hill help lift the spirits lawmakers as they work on a host of complicated issues, Levin said, “It’s always great, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, I hope it’s always great to see the president.” The Washington Post / March 12, 2013
US Names New Ambassador to Libya Veteran diplomat Deborah Jones set to become new envoy six months after former ambassador was killed in Benghazi attack. Jones, who will have to be confirmed by Senate, carries a huge emotional weight into her new post with the scars of the September attack on the US mission in Benghazi still raw in the American psyche. Stevens was the first ambassador to be killed on duty since the late 1970s. Zeidan, who is on his first official visit to Washington, met on Wednesday Obama who joined the Libyan leader's talks at the White House with National Security Advisor Tom Donilon. Zeidan pledged, however, as he met later Secretary of State John Kerry that the Libyan government will "work with the United States of America in order to find out who were behind the assault. "Who killed this dear friend and his colleagues and they must be brought to trial," Zeidan said, speaking through a translator. "We are keen on reaching the truth and to see that justice is achieved." Al Jazeera / March 14, 2013
An overwhelming %99.8 of Falkland Islands voters have backed British rule in the referendum. Of the 1.517 voters, only 3 islanders voted no to retaining the Island as a U.K. Territory. AP / March 14, 2013 The Pentagon said on Thursday that Iranian plane pursued U.S. Spy drone over Gulf. CBS News / March 14, 2013
Pope Francis: The Reaction Back Home Argentina showed a mixed reaction to the news that Bergoglio will be the first pope from America. Supporters celebrated a breakthrough for a humble man of the church and others unhappy about persistent allegations that he collaborated with the military junta during the 70s and 80s. Eduardo de la Serna, coordinator of a left-wing group of priests who focus on the plight of the poor, told Radio del Plata that "Bergoglio is a man of power and he knows how position himself among powerful people," he said. "I still have many doubts about his role regarding the Jesuits who went missing under the dictatorship." In Buenos Aires, a large crowd gathered outside the city's cathedral waving Argentine fl ag s an d y e l lo w ban ne rs representing the Vatican colours. "This is a great moment for the Argentine Catholic church," said one young man in the crowd. referring to the new Pope's habit of riding on the subway in Buenos Aires even after being anointed Cardinal. President Kirchner sent a co ng ratu l ato ry message . However, she is known to have had a frosty relationship with Bergoglio, clashing over same-sex marriage and other issues. Her husband – the former president Néstor Kirchner – described the archbishop as the "true opposition," according to an article from the country's leading newspaper. There are reports too that contact soured several years ago after Bergoglio refused to express contrition for the Church's actions during the dictatorship era. The Guardian / Mar. 13, 2013
PAGE 3
OPINIONS ASIA The War Games of Enemy Brothers North Korea declares 1953 armistice, which ended the three-year war between North and South Korea in a truce, invalid. "The U.S. has reduced the armistice agreement to a dead paper," Supreme Command of North Korea's army said. North Korea also cut off direct phone links with South Korea at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The phone line was the emergency link for quick, two-way communication between the two sides, CNN said. What is the 1953 armistice? What were its terms? It’s the agreement which ended the war between South and North Korea. The terms of the armistice included the creation of the Demilitarized Zone, a heavily fortified 155 mile long and 2.5-mile wide line separating the enemy brothers. It’s the history of the Korean hostility. What is the future of Korean peninsula? Both of Koreas changed the leaders, that would be a new peace era for Korean peninsula but Kim Jong Un provokes South Korea and US into a war. Moreover, China, which is historically ally of North Korea, got position against N. Korea at last voting in UN Security Council. If Kim Jong Un wants to become a powerful leader of a powerful country, he must choose the road to peace offering a future. North Korea will not have a future if it sees the war as a choice. N. Korea, naturally, doesn’t want the peninsula which is affect by US but it makes dramatically mistakes like third nuclear test in February 12, 2013, which might admit of a UN operation. North Korea must understand that there is no future for a Stalinist or Maoist country. On the other hand, it is normal that the U.S. or Israel have nuclear power. It is also normal that Iran or North Korea have nuclear power. The balance of the world has changed day by day. These are symptoms of change. H.Sinan Güler
TURKEY Achieving the goal of 2013 Ahmet Davutoğlu has been criticized for his actions since he elected to be minister. However he expressed his opinions and future plans about Turkish foreign policy. Ahmet Davutoğlu was highly criticized in the past for his actions or speeches and sometimes even for crying. This week in Diyarbakır, he talked about his policy and said “We spent 600 million dollars on Somalia and it created the legend of Turkey in Africa, if we spent more for commercials at local cinemas it wouldn`t create that public awareness about Turkey as much as we did”. He also stated that these are investments for a more united region. The goal of being one of the 10 biggest economy in the world is not easy since the other nine would be countries which almost a continent by themselves such as USA or Russia and he thinks that only way Turkey can compete with them to collaborate and build European Union Model in the region. But if we look at foreign policy of Turkey, is it really going well for this purpose? Turkey is almost in war with Syria. There is a constant argument with Israel. And there were never really a peace between Turkey, Greece and Armenia. However, it seems like Turkey doesn’t try to solve these problems and when Davutoğlu says “region”, it can be understood that he doesn`t talk about neighboring countries but talks about Muslim countries since the countries Turkey help is generally one of them for example Somalia or being Palestine`s side against Israel. It is hard to believe that these actions will be beneficial for Turkey. As much as the ideas of Davutoğlu for achieving their goal are good, he must work on the definition of region and try to achieve collaboration with other countries Turkey doesn`t get well right now. Okan İDUĞ
PAGE 4
OPINIONS EUROPE From Bergoglio to Francis The Pope has been elected. There was a white smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel; Fumata blanca. The new Pope was in place. But here’s the question: “How new is he?” In many ways, Pope Benedict XVI was a complex man. He came off as aggressive and brash sometimes, especially regarding his comments about Islam and how it was spread on the tip of a sword. His many teachings advocated a return to tradition, and he was not as popular as his predecessor. If you had been in Rome during his reign, checking out souvenir shops; what you would’ve seen was the face of John Paul II more than the face of Benedict XVI on stickers, magnets and t-shirts. Granted, his appearance did not help either. Looking like the main villain of Star Wars is never good if you’re supposed to be the representative of God on Earth. But he had some good moments. Especially when he talked about the greed of the bankers and the plight of the poor during the 2008 recession. His stance on poverty had always been commendable, less so than his stance on the child abuse allegations. Supposedly that is a part of why he resigned, Italian newspapers have been claiming that a huge homosexuality scandal is about to hit the Vatican for months now. When all is said and done, Benedict’s reign was eventless and short. Now here’s the question: “How will Francis’ be?” First of all, who is Francis? He is the first Pope that is born outside of the European continent in the modern times. There have been Popes that were born to Syrian parents, some born in Mesopotamia, but all in ancient and medieval periods. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires in Argentina. He joined the Society of Jesus at the age of 22 and served as the head of the Jesuits between the ages of 37 to 43. This is key, because he is the first Jesuit to become Pope. Society of Jesus is a religious / militaristic society that, due to their founder Ignatius’ militaristic background, see themselves as God’s soldiers, and take orders to live in extreme conditions without question. That’s where Bergoglio’s connection with the poor came from, he is said to often visit the slums of Buenos Aires, even after the junta forbid him to. His connection to the impoverished of Argentina is often regarded as exceptional. But he is not without criticism on this subject, it is alleged that he aided the dictatorship in Argentina. He served as a religious official under their command, but he claims it was in order to soften them, show them the right path. It is debated of course, and most likely we won’t ever know the truth. His stance on many issues are traditional. He is against abortion, against gay marriage. He is, after all, the Pope. There won’t be any shockers there. However, it is said that he washed and kissed the feet of AIDS patients once in a hospital visits. Makes you think he is not without compassion, right? Here’s the tricky part, when Argentina was considering legalizing gay marriage, he wrote a letter. In that letter he said: “This is not a simple political fight. This is devil’s work. Let's look to St. Joseph, Mary, and the Child to ask fervently that they defend the Argentine family in this moment... May they support, defend, and accompany us in this war of God. “ A war of God? Devil’s work? Right. Of course he is not beyond commenting on political issues as well. He once stated that Falklands islands belongs to Argentina. Do you know the first thing Argentine President asked of Bergoglio? Mediating the Falklands dispute. Will this be God’s word? God’s opinion? Bergoglio is not progressive. He is not that different from Benedict. He will fight against abortion, euthanasia, evolution, homosexuality; and apparently, British rule in the Falklands. He is everything you might expect from a Pope. Oh and, one final thing. He is the first Francis among nearly two hundred and fifty Popes. He chose that name because of St. Francis, who lived in the twelfth century, and was the first recorded person to receive the stigmata: Jesus’ wounds at the crucifix appearing in a believer’s body at the exact same place. He was a reformer. Just an interesting bit of information. Will he be like him? Yiğitcan ERDOĞAN
PAGE 5
ASIA
ASIA Karzai Speech 'Put Nato Forces at Risk' International troops in Afghanistan have been put at risk after an "inflammatory speech" by President Hamid Karzai, Nato's commander warned. Mr Karzai accused the US and the Taliban of colluding to prolong the conflict in the country. "His remarks could be a catalyst for some to lash out against our forces," US and Nato forces commander Gen Joseph Dunford said in a leaked email. In a nationally televised speech, President Karzai referred to two Taliban attacks on Saturday in Khost and Kabul that left 19 people dead. He suggested both the US and Taliban were trying to convince Afghans the situation would worsen after 2014. He said: "[The] bombings in the name of the Taliban were aimed at serving the foreigners and supporting the presence of the foreigners in Afghanistan and keeping them in Afghanistan by intimidating us." Some diplomats believe President Karzai's comments are part of an effort to harden his nationalist credentials with the Afghan people. BBC / March 14, 2013 The US has violated Pakistan's sovereignty and shattered tribal structures with unmanned drone strikes in its counterterrorism operations near the Afghan border, a U.N. human rights investigator said in a statement on Friday. Reuters / March 15, 2013
Afghan and U.S. government officials formalized agreements Thursday for the spending of $249 million for joint counternarcotic, legal and law enforcement programs in the Southeast Asian nation. CNN / March 14, 2013 One of the men accused of gang raping and fatally beating a woman on a New Delhi bus was found dead in his jail cell Monday. Police say Ram Singh hanged himself. But his lawyer and parents claim he was murdered. CNN / March 12, 2013
PAGE 6
Russian Navy Starts Forming Mediterranean Task Force A permanent task force to defend Russia’s interests in the Mediterranean, Navy Commander Adm. Viktor Chirkov said Monday. “The defense minister has ordered us to form a task force that will operate in the Mediterranean on a permanent basis,” Chirkov told. “We have already started work on this task.” The move comes at a time of increased international tension in the eastern Mediterranean due to civil war in Syria. The issue has been discussed at the Navy's Main Headquarters, with the focus on logistics and training of commanding personnel. A high-ranking defense ministry source told that a proposed Russian permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean could consist of up to 10 combat and auxiliary ships from three of the existing fleets. The task force may operate on a rotating basis and use ports in Cyprus, Montenegro, Greece and Syria as resupply points, the official added. RIA Novosti / March 11, 2013
Pakistan Defies US with Gas Pipeline to Iran Construction of pipeline, intended to help Pakistan overcome its increasing energy needs, begins despite US opposition. Iranian and Pakistani leaders have begun with good omens the construction of a much-delayed section of a $7.5bn gas pipeline linking the two neighbours, defying the threat of US sanctions. The project involves the laying of a 780km section of the pipeline on the Pakistani side, expected to cost some $1.5bn. There are serious doubts about how Pakistan can finance the project and whether it can go through with the project without facing US sanctions, which Washington has put in place to pressure Iran over its nuclear programme. The US has opposed the project, instead promoting an alternative pipeline that runs from the gas fields of Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and to India. Iran faces separate EU and UN sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme, which the West believes is geared for building nuclear weapons. Al Jazeera / March 16, 2013
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA Iran and Hezbollah Will Help Syrian Regime' Israeli military intelligence chief says Iran hopes to prolong life of Assad regime and maintain influence after his fall Iran and Hezbollah have built a 50,000-strong parallel force in Syria to help prolong the life of the Assad regime and to maintain their influence after his fall, Israel's military intelligence chief has claimed. Major General Aviv Kochavi said Iran intended to double the size of this Syrian "people's army", which he claimed was being trained by Hezbollah fighters and funded by Tehran, to bolster a depleted and demoralised Syrian army. In his speech on Thursday, Kochavi went much further and claimed that since last June Tehran had been using Hezbollah to build up a large Syrian militia that would be Iranian-controlled even in the event of Assad's fall from power."They support Assad operationally on the ground, with strategic consultation, intelligence, weapons so Iran and Hezbollah are both doing all in their power to assist Assad's regime. " The Guardian / March 14, 2013
Israel PM Netanyahu Signs Coalition Deal
Prince Charles attend refugee camp close to Syrian border, home to 1,000 people fleeing civil Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached a deal to form war.Prince Charles and his a new coalition government. wife came face to face with His Likud-Yisrael Beitenu alliance signed the agreement with the centrist the huge human cost of Yesh Atid and the pro-settler Jewish Home, the parties in the coalition say.It the conflict in Syria when is the first time in a decade that an Israeli coalition government will not they visited a refugee camp include any ultra-Orthodox groups. "The prime minister welcomes the in Jordan.The Guardian / coalition agreements that have been signed between the Likud and Yisrael March 13, 2013 Beitenu (on one side) and the Yesh Atid party and the Jewish Home," a statement from Mr Netanyahu's office said."On Saturday evening, the prime minister will inform President Shimon Peres that he has completed the task" Iran to add lawsuit over of forming a government.The government is expected to sworn in on to ci n e m a ti c Monday, two days before a visit by the United States President Barack Oba- ' A r g o ' response.Tehran plans to ma. BBC / March 15, 2013 sue Hollywood filmmakers who contribute to the production of such "antiIran" propaganda films.'The Iranophobic Barack Obama told Israeli television that the US would not stand back American movie attempts and allow Tehran to acquire such a weapon. to describe Iranians as Speaking just days before his first state visit to Israel as president, Mr Oba- overemotional, irrational, insane and diabolical. ma said he had always been clear - that Washington will not allow Iran to CNN / March 13, 2013 become a nuclear power.“I have been crystal clear about my position on Iran possessing a nuclear weapon. That is a red line for us. It is not only something that would be dangerous for Syrian rebels released 21 detained United Nations Israel. It would be dangerous for the world,” Mr Obama told Israel’s Channel peacekeepers to Jordanian 2 News.“...I've also said there is a forces on Saturday, ending window, not an infinite period time, but a three-day standoff that a window of time - where we can raised new tensions in the resolve this diplomatically.”The region.NY Times / March Independent / March 15, 2013 9, 2013
US Will Not Allow Iran to Build Nuclear Weapons
PAGE 7
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK Belen Fernandez The author of The Imperial Messenger: Thomas Friedman at Work, published by Verso. She is a contributing editor at Jacobin Magazine.
Bolton Celebrates Iraq War John Bolton, senior fellow at the neoconservative American Enterprise Institute and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, has produced a dispatch for the Guardian in honour of the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, titled "Overthrowing Saddam Hussein was the right move for the US and its allies". The purpose of the piece is to counteract the supposedly destructive machinations of persons who have come to the conclusion that the US should be "withdrawing around the world and reducing its military capacity". Bolton detects a "relentless hostility by the war's opponents [that] now threaten[s] to overwhelm, in the public mind, the clear merits of eliminating Iraq's Baathist dictatorship". To be sure, opponents of bellicose projects are far more deserving of blame for "relentless hostility" than, say, devotees of the US militarism that is to thank for the devastation of Iraq and countless human beings therein. According to Bolton's inverted reality, war critics pursue the dangerous curtailment of US military might by peddling "myths" such as that "[George W] Bush lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction". As for Bolton's own expansive arsenal of myths that actually qualify as myths, these include the notion that the island of Cuba poses an existential threat to the US. A key "myth" Bolton sets out to debunk in his latest foray is that "Iraq is worse off now than under Saddam", a charge he determines "could come only from people with a propensity to admire totalitarianism". Declaring that "we didn't wage war after Pearl Harbor to do nation-building for our enemies", Bolton lays out the real reason for the Iraq invasion: "[I]n any event, the issue was never about making life better for Iraqis, but about ensuring a safer world for America and its allies." No explanation is offered as to the relevance of Pearl Harbor when Iraq had not attacked the US. As an antidote to the ex-ambassador's war eulogy, I talked to investigative journalist Christian Parenti, author of The Freedom: Shadows And Hallucinations in Occupied Iraq, who assessed Bolton's rationale for the invasion: "That sort of honesty, spoken like a true war criminal, would be refreshing if it didn't reveal such an appalling disregard for the value of human life and happiness. The US has destroyed Iraq and in doing so broken the hearts and ruined the lives of millions of people‌ That sort of psychopathic lack of empathy belies a deep bigotry towards other cultures and a general alienation from the life of our species." Parenti also commented on Bolton's contention that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein
PAGE 8
"achieved important American strategic objectives" and sent "an unmistakable signal of power and determination throughout the Middle East and around the world". Calling the two-front US war in Iraq and Afghanistan an "often air-conditioned, computerassisted counterinsurgency" that has persisted for over a decade and "re-centred a large part of world politics around US war-making capabilities", Parenti noted: "By the measure of the modern imperialist, that process has been impressive, if for no other reason than it has been so spectacularly expensive!" However, Parenti continued, "the product of that process is not so impressive": "the US has been shown as incompetent and incapable of creating functioning vassal states in Iraq or Afghanistan", both plagued by "violence, banditry and fanaticism". But in the land of mythmakers, the responsibility for instability naturally lies elsewhere. According to Bolton, "[t]he fact is that Saddam Hussein, with or without actual WMD, was a strategic threat to peace and security in the Middle East and globally." Bolton once said with regard to the United Nations Secretariat building in New York that 10 of the edifice's 38 stories could be eliminated without "mak[ing] a bit of difference". It thus struck some observers as odd when the same man was later nominated by Bush for the position of UN Ambassador. Needless to say, the organisation's effectiveness was not enhanced by the addition of a proponent of the reduction of the Security Council to one permanent member. In his Guardian piece, Bolton displays his contempt for the notion that the world should be founded on anything other than US military might, insisting that Washington must not "stop short [in its military endeavours] just because of criticism from the international chattering classes". Iran is cited as one particularly neglected area. Though Bolton casts wanton bellicosity as serving "our interests", it is debatable what portion of the US population would have defined themselves as personally or collectively interested in spending an estimated $720m per day on the Iraq war in 2007. Some citizens, for example, may have found domestic health care or education initiatives more deserving of funds than the slaughter of Iraqi civilians at checkpoints. Which brings us to the question of what sort of "security" the rest of the planet might expect if disingenuous agitators for a reduced US military capacity are vanquished and "our interests" are allowed to prevail. Comparing the manoeuvrings of Bolton and his ilk to Richard Nixon's "'madman theory' of nuclear diplomacy‌ now updated and right-sized for application by means of conventional warfare", Parenti says: "Therein lies the danger: in the madman mind of John Bolton and others like him, America is a madman empire ready and willing to drag the world down with it if need be." Al Jazeera
PAGE 9
TURKEY PKK Releases 8 Turkish Hostages PKK handed over 8 Turkish prisoners to the Turkish authorities in Matin Mountain area. The Kurdish militant group has released eight Turkish soldiers and officials it has held captive in northern Iraq for up to two years. Members of the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party helped mediate the release and were in northern Iraq to receive them. "We hope that the release will open the way for the peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue," said a member of the delegation, Adil Kurt. Also, on news of the release, President Gul said: "We are happy that our citizens who had been away from their country for so long, and from whom we had not received any news, are returning." The freed eight are expected to be escorted across the border into Turkey, where they will be reunited with their families and flown home. Following this event, Arınç has stated that Öcalan could issue a call for a cease-fire before March 21, Nevruz, as part of the country’s fledgling peace process. BBC, March 13, 2013 / Hurriyet Daily News, March 15, 2013
of five people between the
Two Resign and a Dismiss For Leak of Imrali Records
ages of 15 and 24 were
Two party assembly members resigned, press officer fired for leak.
According to Turkish Statistics Institute one out
unemployed in Turkey in December, with the country's youth unemployment rate hitting 19.8 percent. Today’s Zaman / March 15, 2013
Frustrated by a stalled process to reunite Cyprus, the de facto Turkish Cypriot state that has run the north for almost four decades says it is considering asking fellow Islamic states for formal recognition. Reuters / March 15, 2013
Prime Minister Erdoğan cancelled group meeting due to illness. TRTEnglish / March 12, 2013
PAGE 10
A statement released by BDP administration says that a party member who was working in the press department of the party headquarters helped a journalist obtain minutes of a meeting between deputies and Abdullah Öcalan. The statement followed the completion of an intra-party investigation initiated by the BDP after the details from the minutes made their way into the media. The incident, referred to as a “leak,” caused a huge controversy among politicians, and was interpreted as an attempt to sabotage the ongoing talks between state authorities and Öcalan aimed at disarming the PKK. The BDP also apologized to Öcalan, the public and the institutions named in the documents, saying the contents of the meeting with the PKK leader were not supposed to be published. The party also condemned those who intentionally targeted the party by spreading misinformation on the issue. Today’s Zaman / March 12,2013
Iran Sends Arms to Syria via Turkey Despite Iraqi and Turkish officials denied the claim, diplomats’ allegations have left a question marks in the minds. The Western diplomats stated that Iran has stepped up military support to Syria by sending lots of arms to the regime via Turkey and Lebanon, in violation of a UN arms embargo on Iran. One Western diplomat cited intelligence reports that a new avenue for sending arms to Syria went on occasion through Turkish airspace to Beirut and from there to Syria by truck. There was no suggestion, he said, that Turkish officials were aware of the illicit arms shipments. However, in the past Turkey has intercepted Iranian arms shipments and reported them to the UN SC’s sanctions committee. Hurriyet D.N./Mar. 14, 2013
EVENT CALENDAR 19 March 2013 -Ankara Filarmoni Orkestrası (Concert) CerModern/20.00
Vatican City Capital: Vatican City Official Language: Italian
20 March 2013 Yatak Odası Diyalogları (Theater) Şinasi Sahnesi/20.30
Population: 836 Government: Ecclesiastical, sacerdotal, absolute elective theocracy Sovereign: Francis President of the Governorate: Giuseppe Bertello
21 March 2013 -Ceylan Ertem(Concert) IF Performance Hall/23.00 -Mahşer-i Cümbüş (Theater) Ankara Sanat Tiyatrosu/20.30
22 March 2013 -24.Ankara Uluslararası Film Festivali (Festival) Batı Sinemaları/12.00-21.30
23 March 2013 -TED Ankara Kolejliler-Aliağa Petkim (Basketball) TOBB ETÜ Spor Salonu/16.00 -Mojo (Theater) CerModern/20.30
PAGE 11
INFO & ADS GENERAL DIRECTOR Alper AKGÜN CO-EDITOR Yiğitcan ERDOĞAN COORDINATORS Hazal AKGÜL, Cansu BULUKLU, R. Sinan USTA EUROPE CORRESPONDENTS Ekin BOZKURT, Asude Dilan YİĞİT, Özge YÜKSEKKAYA AMERICAS CORRESPONDENTS Didem ELERMAN, Ayça ŞEN ASIA CORRESPONDENTS H. Sinan GÜLER, Ayşenur ŞANLI M. EAST & AFRICAS CORRESPONDENT Meriç YAŞAR TURKEY CORRESPONDENTS Okan İDUĞ, Deniz PERÇİN SOCIAL EVENTS CORRESPONDENT
100. Yıl
Yağmur ÇİFTÇİ
284 20 00 — www.dominos.com.tr