After the post-Cold War security paradigm shattered, the nations were unable to replace it with a new one. Occupations, inequalities in income distribution, refugee mobility, and displaced people created widespread chaos. All the circumstances are reminiscent of the situation before World War I. This situation disturbs the great powers as well as annoys the nation-states. Countries like Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia can take precautions regarding their national security. However, most Islamic countries have to maintain their dependent relations for security. In a possible chaos scenario, the most vulnerable countries still seem to be Muslim countries.
Recently, Turkey's changes in its security paradigm and ability to deal with big states or negotiate on an equal level have attracted attention in the Islamic world, African and South American countries. These countries have formed a subliminal partnership with Turkey and discovered similarities between their future and Turkey’s destiny.
Turkey's historical background plays a role in forming such symbolic value. Another factor creating this strong image of Turkey is the leadership effect. Inspiring all oppressed people in the post-Cold War chaos, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan raises the symbolic value of a great Turkey.
Turkey's effort is critical for its interests. But no country in the world lives alone. And states coexist through alliances. In this context, I suggested establishing a nonaggression pact a few years ago, when Turkey was the acting president of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Recently, the president of Qatar made a similar offer to Iran and Turkey, which brings me to a discussion on the Islamic Countries Nonaggression Pact.
When World War II was over, Middle Eastern, African and Asian countries had the opportunity to gain independence, as England and France had gotten weaker and lost their colonial powers. Today, we are in a similar atmosphere. Western influence on African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries is declining. The direct and indirect influences of the colonialists are weak. Western states are no longer as powerful as in the past.
The current frontier of the West, the United States, has never established order in the countries it intervened in, and it has never been able to conduct a program properly from beginning to end in this regard. Afghanistan or Iraq's experiences are a disaster. The United States enters, knocks down everything, dismantles the existing orders, can not establish a new order and leaves behind material and moral debris, leaving the elements that supported them in the country to their destinies. These examples are a nightmare for all the states.
Conflicts between Islamic countries facilitate the influence and occupation of Western states in these countries. Today, Saudi Arabia and Iran see each other as threats. Although there seem to be more balanced relations between Iran and Turkey, there is always a struggle for regional power included. Pakistan has problems originating from India. The Gulf countries, since their establishment, have been in the hinterland of Saudi Arabia. They were almost drawn into a conflict in the Qatar crisis a few years ago. Iraq's attack on Kuwait and the U.S. occupation did not end in favor of any of them. There are stability problems and weakness in administration in most countries of Africa. It is possible to extend this list.
In this context, as a first idea, the stronger Muslim states can come together and form a nonaggression pact. Turkish states, which are in a relatively safer environment, can participate in this process.
In recent years, Libya experienced a civil war and was about to be divided into pieces. Five Muslim countries adopted a position against Turkey. If Turkey's dominant stance had not emerged, Libya might have turned into Syria today. Many Western countries would have arrived as invaders; Libyans would have continued to die for another 50 years.
The idea of an Islamic pact of nonaggression can be irritating for many, at first glance. Because for 200 years, Westerners have shaped the world order and security architecture. Muslim countries have been subject to occupation, exploitation or manipulation by Westerners due to security concerns among themselves. Such a pact would reduce the security concerns of Muslims related to each other and thus enable them to distance themselves from the undesirable effects of the Westerners.
One thing to remember is that the Asian continent has ruled the world for most of history. In addition, the Ottoman state existed strongly within the European system for 400 years.
The world, whose traditional security paradigms collapsed after the Cold War today, requires a new order of justice and compassion. The new world order must be compatible with the developed human mind and meet modern societies' security and welfare needs.
It no longer seems possible for Europe to establish such a new order. Muslims must take the lead for such a step. Establishing the Islamic Countries Nonaggression Pact may also be the beginning of the third Muslim renaissance – because such ideas only flourish in safe environments.
