Speeches

Militant Islam and Atatürk’s political philosophy

Metin Camcigil, Former President of ASA The following excerpts from a paper presented by the President at the 25th Energy Conference organized by the Global Foundation, Inc. on "Addressing Vulnerabilities: Science & Technology in Secure Energy Systems" in October 2002 in Washington DC are reproduced with his permission because of their relevance to the topic discussed in this issue. "The antithesis of...

When Kemalist Reforms Become Turkish Reforms

Metin Camcigil, Former President of ASA The following views do not represent those of the Atatürk Society of America. They constitute the personal views of the President, and are intended for a constructive purpose. Introduction The ASA was founded with the objective of studying and enhancing awareness of the original reforms of the Turkish Republic. In this publication of the Society I have...

Understanding Kemalism

Metin Camcigil, Former President of ASA What is Kemalism? The Atatürk Society of America, many other civil societies, scholars, politicians and media people study, understand or portray Kemalism differently. One might even ask does Kemalism exist at all? If Kemalism means a dogma, a set of dicta or a doctrine of static ideas and norms it does not exist. When suggested by a...

Turkey’s choice in education

Metin Camcigil, Former President of ASA As a new development in Turkey’s gradual but steady reinstatement of religious education in all types of schools at all levels the Administration proposed to increase the number and hours of Koran courses in schools. After a renewed bout of usual objections from the intellectuals the President pleaded with the Chairman of the Religious Affairs...

Archaic Dogma or Rational Progress

Metin Camcigil, Former President of ASA Turkey is currently engulfed by a debate over religious education as it frequently was since WWII. The government is intent to increase the number and hours of already practiced Koranic courses in public schools. The intellectuals object to it. The President pleaded with the religious authority in the government, and the officials consented to review...

Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasa (Atatürk) and an American Journalist

Ayse Cebesoy Sarialp An American navy man, Admiral Bristol, American Ambassador to Turkey, became a true friend of Atatürk and his friends and supported the Turkish national struggle in all sincerity. Ambassador Grew, the first American Ambassador after the proclamation of the Republic, who had attended the Lausanne Treaty Conference as a member of the American delegation, presented a true picture...

Kemal Atatürk

Prof. Carl Leiden Andrew Mango, in his definitive biography of Atatürk, begins his book with the following sentence: "Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is one of the most important statesmen of the twentieth century." I have italicized two words that can be deleted and if we change "statesmen" to the singular we can say, and I believe without serious contradiction, that Kemal Atatürk...

Dr. Pipes’ views on Islamic Terrorism and Turkey

Dr. Pipes presented an excellent analysis of the threat of violence against the modern world. He did not agree with the Administration’s identification as terrorism. He clearly and accurately identified the enemy as an ideological militant Islam. "In general, I think the US government and many other institutions have made a profound mistake in declaring this to be a war...

Atatürk in His Lifetime and Today

Dr. Andrew Mango Throughout the history of humanity, the possession of territory has been an important, possibly the most important, object of conflict. Tribes, peoples, nations - what sociologists call primordial communities - have fought over land. In their fight they have sought to dispossess, assimilate, evict or reduce to subordinate status people they considered as strangers who lived in the...

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