Achieving Law and Order

The radical Ba'th ideology made Saddam adopt a cruel policy even toward his own citizens. However, in order to totally eliminate the detrimental effects of this ideology, a cultural struggle must be carried out against the ideologies in question.

It is highly probable that the Iraqi invasion will cause wide-ranging and prolonged instability in the Middle East. It appears that circles with influence over American policy at the period when the invasion started wanted to rearrange the whole Middle East, and even the Caucasus and Southeast Asia, if necessary, by war. Some members of the then American administration expressed the view that "America could take action against '40-50 countries'," by which they divulged such plans.³²  Irving Kristol, a PNAC participant, argued that "it is always a positive sign when the American people are prepared to go to war,³³ which is another example of this mentality. All of this means that even those who devise these plans will probably not live long enough to see the end of this continued state of war.

This state of war, which will drag the world into pain and destruction, will rock the world order and deeply affect the people in the region and mankind as a whole. As we pointed out earlier, America and all other nations have the right to protect their national interests and to take precautions against situations endangering their security. But like all nations, America, as the only superpower, must use this right on the basis of ensuring world order and peace. The national security strategies of all countries, especially America, must comply with international law in order to prevent arbitrary actions. Also, when issues like terrorism threaten world security, multilateral cooperation and international alliances increase the probability of peace. Reducing tension and resolving conflict by supporting moderate and democratic forces, instead of trying to suppress violence with violence, must become the way forward. If we want to make the twenty-first century one in which all people's prosperity and security are guaranteed, all leaders must drop any ambition of creating a world order in which only the strong rule and have rights by means of continuous warfare.

Both America and other Western nations, as well as all Muslim nations, want potential threats to world peace to be eliminated, wish for economic stability, call for the strengthening of democratic regimes, demand an end to human rights abuses, seek to end all forms of tyranny over people's lives, and seek a better quality of life and an equal share of world's rich natural resources. Some strategists portray Muslims as the intended targets, which, in addition to affronting the entire Islamic world, is an equally dangerous and flawed strategy. People who interpret religion wrongfully are susceptible to myths and false beliefs and become extremists by moving against the grain of religion. Such people, who can be found among Muslims, Jews, and Christians, are all a great danger to world peace.

Some circles in the American government seek to secure stability and order in the Middle East through war. If their policies are followed, wars will follow one another and the so-called goal of establishing security will bring the entire region closer to war. However, establishing the Turkish Islamic Union will eliminate the possibility of war and thus enable a permanent order to exist.  (in the middle) Tercüman Gazetesi, 4.4.2003 (below) Yeni Şafak Gazetesi, 25.4.2003

Removing this danger is only possible by preventing extremism and forming an alliance of all moderate, peace-loving, civilized, and sincerely religious people. Only such an alliance can weaken the influence of those who present war as the only option and believe, erroneously, that it guarantees security. Thus, even more bloodshed, tears, and financial losses will be prevented.

In order to create this alliance, Westerners need to abandon their prejudices, come to really know and understand the Islamic world, and formulate joint policies that will help it develop. All parties can eradicate mutual misunderstandings by means of educational and cultural programs, for radicalism is the result of ignorance. While these educational projects will enable the West to understand Islam better, the myths and false beliefs anchored in the Islamic world will be done away with so that mutual compassion and understanding will take root. Hate, anger, and malevolence will be replaced by peace, compassion, and security. The resulting culture of peaceful coexistence will lead to peace between different civilizations, and cultural sympathy and interaction will deliver social progress, contrary to the claims of those who advocate a clash of civilizations.

Clearly, the Islamic world needs a culture of compassion just as much as the West. From time to time, some Muslims come under the influence of bigoted views that make them hostile to people of other religious denominations or ethnic groups, even though this is against the Qur'an's morality and the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

Throughout history, Islamic societies were centers of justice and compassion, especially at the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Ever since that time, history has been full of examples of oppressed Christians and Jews seeking refuge in Muslim lands, known for their compassion and protection.

Bearing this in mind, especially at a time when peace is so badly needed, Muslims need to develop exemplary models based on the prophetic Sunnah and the Qur'an's values. These models will develop the Islamic world's core values and deprive all foreign powers of their ability to claim that they will bring stability and democracy to the Islamic world. Rather, the Turkish Islamic Union will lead the way.