miltiades wrote:We are a tiny island with almost half under Turkish foreign occupation, our focus should be on finding a solution that is acceptable to all Cypriots with all troops out.
Only one power can influence, even force, the departure of the Turkish army and other foreign armies. That power is none other than the USA. Cypriot hostility, by some, directed at the USA is not only detrimental to our interests but blatantly f,,ing stupid. The likes of GR who is consumed by an immense hatred of the USA, due to his illness, should try and put the interests of Cyprus above all else.
The USA is not perfect, neither is any other nation, but it is the ONLY power that can exert, demand, force and achieve the withdrawal of Turkish occupying troops.
The balance of power and geopolitical realities in our region are vastly changing, we have to make the right choices now.
...only we, as Cypriots can solve this Problem, milti, and i may add to the benefit of the rest of Mankind, as well as ourselves. Our friendship with Russia, and Syria, are assets, as in our capacity as an EU member, where in developing our relationship with the United States, we can contribute in a dialog which may be helpful to the region generally. Cypriots must stand their ground, as small as it is, it is Cypriot, Cypriots exist, and as members of the larger community of Man, if there is any Pride in being Cypriot, we must seek to better this condition because we are facilitators of exchange.
...indeed the braggarts among us (who betray what should be kept as (their Army's) secrets) surprise me not, they are braggarts after-all, because the 'war' they propose cannot be won by Armies, but by people. They should know that. The value of which cannot be measured with the superiority of their weapons, or numbers, when in the end, the cost, to them, is far more than the same efforts put to reason. Moreso because a man like Erdogan exists, reason seems to be his weakness. We are an easy target as a Tribute in a wider War (which seems, at another level his larger intention) in appeasement, if it boils down to force. We will be reduced to barren destruction if we welcome war, just look around you, our neighbours, not one of them is a 'winner'. Need i remind everyone of the proxy war played out so far? Who benefits, who are its victims? Need i remind you that Cyprus is a cross-road to three Continents? (an unsinkable battle-ship.) And it seems, as such, too important to the interlocutors, for Cyprus, to come under the exclusive influence of "one", over the others so far, when it should not "belong" to any one of them; what solution but a Cypriot solution can work?
But, it takes a Modern intention to rise above "Greekness", or "Turkishness", to rise above what Greeks and Turks have made for themselves with their History, it takes the realisation that we can defend each other, for Universal Principals, that above all we are Individuals (members of the same race, as in Humans), and Cypriots. One solution exists, and that is the Republic of Cyprus. For it to have credibility, and given the compromise (BBF), it is only possible if there exists Cypriot Constituencies as well. I ask then, where is the Greek Constituency, why not a Greek Constituency? Of course i ask, why not other Cypriot Constituencies? Why not each with the Liberty to represent a distinct identity, as Persons, if our Freedom is defined at another level of Government, as Cypriots? Is this racist? Am i a traitor to wish for a State that is a Cypriot State, rather than a Greek state that is the Cypriot State? I ask, (not necessarily going too far,) why not English as our Official Language; are we not inherently Greek, and Turkish, or Maronite, Armenian, or Latin? Is our State based on merit or a bloodline? In any case, i do not consider the Flag of Cyprus temporary, a rag, as i've learned others on this Forum do. It represents to me an aspiration far more noble than the mythic reality of Greece, and/or Turkey, for that matter. And while it remains dysfunctional, i ask you all to remember, we are all traitors by making each other enemies.
...indeed, milti, we have to make the right choices now.
@ Bir, (and bananiot), you, you got me thinking; how are you? i should have sent you Season's Greetings this year....