Thoughts 🤔
July 14, 2023 - A few thoughts on Turkey and the EU and, separately, France
There’s a lot to comment on this week - NATO, Ukraine, Dutch PM Rutte. While I’d love to dive into all of it, I’m going to limit it to a few thoughts about Turkey and the EU, along with a thought about France. Happy Bastille Day. 🇫🇷
At the NATO Summit this week, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, dropped his objection to Sweden’s bid to join NATO. He had previously held up Stockholm’s application to join the defense alliance, pointing to Swedish tolerance of individuals Turkey believes to be terrorists.
Many had predicted that following the May elections in Turkey, Erdoğan would reverse course, since his supposed grievance was rooted more in domestic posturing and desire to extract concessions from the West. An economically weak Turkey not only is desperate for foreign investors, it is keen on procuring F-16 fighters from the United States.
Indeed, this week, the Turkish leader said that Sweden’s application to NATO should be considered in parallel to Turkey’s application to the EU, a comment that one too many people took literally. Cue the numerous pieces on why Turkey would never make it in the Brussels club. 🥱 Relax people. Erdoğan is under no illusion that the EU would entertain Turkish membership. Moreover, he is smart enough to know that EU membership would be a mistake for Turkey.
To start, Europe has more to gain from Turkish membership in their club than Turkey would. With a dwindling population, Turkey’s young and energetic demographic could fill critical jobs across the continent, contributing to growth. (Europe may not want brown people, but it needs them.)
The downsides for Turkey are numerous, including getting Turkish farmers and businesses to comply with EU regulations and norms. It would be expensive and cumbersome, making no one happy. And speaking of red tape, Turkish membership in the EU would crush Turkey’s entrepreneurial hustle. The country is full of innovators taking advantage of high skills and relatively low costs and Turkey’s geographic location that makes it ideal to export to not only Europe, but across the Middle East, the Caucasus, and North Africa. Let them innovate, I say. To do so, keep Turkey out of the EU.
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France marks Bastille Day today, marking the day that the French stormed the Bastille, one of the first acts of the French Revolution that upended monarchical rule and ushered liberté, égalité, fraternité - liberty, equality, fraternity.
Did it?
Following the murder of Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year old of Moroccan-Algerian descent, at the end of June, violence and protests erupted across France — decrying the country’s colonial legacy and its failure to come to terms with it. Interestingly, France maintains a “color blind” model of public policy. That means that there are no policies towards racial, ethnic, or minority groups. Rather, social policies are developed according to class and democratic principles, such as hate speech. In fact, as this piece points out, France does not recognize race as a category. Instead, the country considers all French nationals to be “French.” Therein lies the problem.
Having colonized large parts of Africa and South East Asia, France not only opened the door to diversity — it walked into it. The country is home to several million non-white, non-Europeans, who are contributing to and enriching French society. (Mbappé anyone?) Yet, so many trapped in the banlieues, the concrete suburbs of cities, they are marginalized.
Charlotte Kilpatrick sums it well in this New Republic piece,
“Being French does not exclusively mean buying a ham-baguette sandwich from the local bakery at lunch and chasing it down with a nice burgundy wine. It can also mean spending Friday afternoon at the mosque or spending Sunday eating Senegalese fish and rice.”
Identity is a tricky thing. It can be anchored in place, belief, and, as France shows, along with many other countries, history. France contains multitudes. That’s what the French should celebrate.
— Elmira
Elsewhere in the World.....
On our radar...
NATO Summit
How can NATO be strengthened? Kelly Grieco and Marie Jourdain offer some ideas, including the US embracing EU defense. (WPR)
What can Ukraine bring to NATO? Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko makes the case for the country’s accession, citing its battle-tested military and functioning democracy. (Project Syndicate)
Biden whispered the sweet something Turkey’s Erdoğan wanted to hear: “I’ll give you the F-16s.” Aslı Aydıntaşbaş on how the White House got Turkey’s president to agree to Sweden’s accession into NATO. (Washington Post)
Also making an appearance at the NATO Summit: the leaders of South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Japan is planning to open a NATO office in Brussels. Why? It’s all about China. And that, says Yelena Biberman, only increases tensions and the risk of conflict. (Responsible Statecraft)
While the European Union and the United States are busy finding a compromise for Ukraine’s NATO membership, Serb leader Milorad Dodik is launching an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, writes Majda Ruge. It’s time for NATO to put Bosnia back on its agenda. (ECFR)
Of note:
The international grouping known as BRICS, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, is set to grow, adding 13 new members including Saudi Arabia and Iran. It holds a meeting next month in South Africa. Helena Cobban on its growing power. (The Nation)
Of note: All eyes are on whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin will attend. The International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest for his role in launching the war in Ukraine. Will South Africa turn him over? 👀
Strongmen worldwide are eager to roll back democratic and human rights. It’s time for multilateral bodies to take the offense and counter them, says Rana Siu Inboden. (Just Security)
US
The Biden administration will include cluster bombs in the latest $800 million weapons package for Ukraine. A cluster bomb is just that - a weapon that contains multiple explosive devices. That has made a lot of people in DC angry (rightly so). Kelly Garity takes a deeper look. (Politico)
Listen: The US-India relationship reached new heights following Modi’s visit to Washington. Catherine Putz and Ankit Panda on the budding relationship and where it’s headed. (The Diplomat)
Mexico surpassed China as the top US trading partner. Emily Peck on what this means for the dynamics of the global economy. (Axios)
How can the US win over the global South? Suzanne Nossel says it’s time to expand the UN Security Council. (Foreign Affairs)
Africa
Since the outbreak of war in Sudan, Bayan Abubakr shares her insights on her home country, urging the international community to redirect their resources to grassroot organizations. (NYT)
Rape is being used as a weapon in Sudan’s civil war, writes Kate Hairsine. (DW)
The Biden administration is looking to restore ties with Ethiopia’s leadership. That’s a mistake say Kate Hixon and Kehinde Togun. Abiy Ahmed’s government has to account for numerous human rights violations from the recent hostilities in Tigray. (Foreign Policy)
Asia
When we last left off in Thailand, Move Forward garnered the most votes in May. Its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, was poised to be the next prime minister. Except, Thailand’s parliament failed to back him yesterday. Helen Regan and Kocha Olam on what’s happening. (CNN)
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s trip to China raised hopes that Trump-era tariffs would be cut on Chinese imports. But Andrea Shalal and David Lawder explain how US politics might get in the way. (Reuters)
All drones come from China – and that’s a problem. Faine Greenwood dives deep into the Chinese company DJI’s drones and the legal issues in the US surrounding Chinese drone usage. (Foreign Policy)
The Americas
Drama in Guatemala (hey, we try here).... Progressive candidate Bernardo Arévalo was supposed to head into a run-off election with Sandra Torress next month. Yesterday, the country’s attorney general suspended him. Sonia Pérez on Guatemala’s election turmoil. (ABC News)
In Brazil, the country’s Superior Electoral Court barred Jair Bolsonaro from holding office for the next eight years. Nara Roberta Silva doesn’t think that’s enough to stop the former president from propagating his broader authoritarian neoliberal project for Brazil. (Truthout)
After many progressive victories on various issues, has Latin America’s left lost touch with voters? Andrea Moncada on the conservative backlash painting progressives as elitist in the region. (Americas Quarterly)
If you think mosquitoes are annoying at night, look at Peru, where dengue, a mosquito spread disease, is at a high. Katherine Bliss, Rolf Erik Honger, and Ricardo Izurieta explain why and how Covid-19 might have helped their preparedness. (The Dialogue)
Europe
On June 27, French police shot 17-year old Nahel Merzouk, who was of Moroccan and Algerian descent. It sparked violence and unrest throughout the country. France rejects that race is an issue where the constitution sees everyone as a French national. Lydia Wilson ruminates on whether France’s race-blind constitution is actually racist. (New Lines Magazine)
In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte resigned, causing a political earthquake. At issue: immigration policy. Opposition parties had grown increasingly frustrated with Rutte’s anti-immigration stand. Ellen Ioanes has more. (Vox)
Spain holds snap elections on Sunday, July 23. It’s a risky move on Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s part. Belén Carreño and Andrei Khalip lay it out for us. (Reuters)
File under: Weird. Putin met with Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin this week in Moscow. Michel Martin talked to Nina Khruscheva about what this meeting means - about the attempted coup, Putin’s position, and Prigozhin’s status. (NPR)
Middle East
Israel launched a raid on the Jenin refugee camp in Palestine last week. Belén Fernández says that it wants to turn the area into another Gaza and crush Palestinian resistance. (Al Jazeera)
Bethan McKernan and Sufian Taha are on the frontlines in Jenin, talking to Palestinians impacted by Israel’s attack. (The Guardian)
Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have renewed humanitarian aid delivery into northern Syria. Elizabeth Hagedorn on the expected consequences (which are bad). (Al-Monitor)
Science and Climate Change
In her essay, Jia Tolentino discusses climate emotions, probing: “If the goal is to insure that the planet remains habitable, what is the right degree of panic, and how do you bear it?” (The New Yorker)
It’s world-record-breakingly hot — and the global temperature will not stop rising, says Andrea Thompson. With El Niño taking place, the extreme heat will continue to be harmful to humans. (Scientific American)
A lack of public investment in infrastructure by the government has left parts of Uruguay without drinking water. Mayra Castro explains the situation and how we got here. (Public Services International)
The space race is back on! 🚀China and the US are going head to head so this might be a good time to figure out how we are supposed to resolve disputes over space say Julie Bedard and Timothy Nelson. (South China Morning Post)
Technology
Data protection seems to not apply to refugees. Biometric data collection goes unquestioned and rarely involves meaningful consent. Belkis Wille outlines the risks for vulnerable people with evolving technology. (HRW)
AI’s underlying racism comes through in the new Barbie movie campaign. Mera Aladam shows us why people are upset. (MEE)
LGBTQ+
Conservative lawmakers around the world are targeting the trans community, according to Tamara Evdokimova. The US, Russia, India, and Uganda are on the list of countries targeting LQBTQ+ communities. (Coda Story)
Links We Loved....
We love when we hear from our readers. Chloé Nwangwu wrote us to say how seeing the female bylines here reminded her “how powerful act it is to recognize those overlooked by default” and inspired her to write and pitch this piece, “Why we should stop saying “underrepresented.” Yeah, she got it into Harvard Business Review. 💅 It’s a must read.
Can we get a woman to reboot Indiana Jones?
Planning a beach vacation this summer? Here’s a list of books to read while you’re lounging 😎📚
A yummy and refreshing take on a watermelon salad
Another perfect summer snack: Persian ice cream!
📚 Interrupt Your Bookshelf 📚
This is a book right up Interruptrr’s alley…. The Everyday Feminist: The Key to Sustainable Social Impact - Driving Movements We Need Now More Than Ever by Latanya Mapp Frett. “It shows how grassroots feminists are changing the world—and what we can all do to support them. The book includes exclusive interviews with well-known activists like Tarana Burke, founder of the “me too.” movement, alongside unsung women committed to transforming their communities and advancing movements—what she calls everyday feminists. She delivers a powerful exploration of the factors that make a feminist social movement impactful in its place and time.”
Enter the drawing for a free copy by Monday, July 17 9:00am ET. Woot.
Job Opportunities
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In NYC, Columbia University’s Earth Institute is hiring for a Content Manager.
Applications for the Pickering Fellowship are now open. If you’re interested in a career in at the US State Department, check it out.
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