Ahmet Hakan: Relocating Solomon Shah Tomb and Military’s Strategic Withdrawal Is Right, But It Is Not Heroic

Regarding the relocation of the Suleyman Shah Tomb due to the current turmoil in Syria Mr. Adnan Oktar said, “It is reasonable to bring the Tomb closer to the Turkish border due to the current environment of conflict to assure the safety of both the Tomb and our soldiers,” and added that this was not a matter of abandoning a piece of our homeland;  when the danger is over, the Tomb will be taken back to its original location. In addition, Mr. Oktar stated, “This move was only a precaution. It is not a matter of victory.”

In his column, Ahmet Hakan wrote an article about the Suleymana Shah Tomb witha similar comment to Mr. Oktar’s.

February 22^nd, 2015: A9 TV

ADNAN OKTAR: It was good that they brought the Tomb closer. It was at a far-away place that we cannot watch over. Our soldiers are there. I don’t know what is there is gunfire. War, in a conflict zone;  it is not safe there. It is difficult.

It is good to bring the Tomb closer in terms of comfort. But if we only thought in terms of bravery, the soldiers would be under a lot of stress there because there is the danger of being in the middle of gunfire. What the government did seems reasonable.

(There was social media reaction saying “A piece of our homeland was abandoned.”)

ADNAN OKTAR: You take it and place it temporarily in a safe location and when things cool down, you put it back again because so many soldiers will be under stress there. Both sides clash with one another. For example, what did we do? We got the citizens in Kobane and brought them to Turkey. Then when we take Kobane and re-build it with our religious, Muslim identity and fix the place, and our mothers, brothers and sisters can go there again. We bring them here temporarily as they are entrusted to us. They can also stay here if they want to.

February 23^rd, 2015: A9 TV

ADNAN OKTAR: ISIL would not attack Turkey. And Turkey would not attack ISIL. Are they co-operating? They would not, because ISIL’s ideology is completely against Turkey’s ideology. It is against the government’s ideology. It is impossible for them to agree with one another. Of course there is a basis of faith. That’s everywhere. But ISIL and our government are on opposite sides. They don’t have something in common. But they don’t touch them because I said, “They are off limits.” They will not touch them because we said so. There is no need to discuss this further. Our retrieval is temporary. Of course it is not nice but it is not something we will be happy about. BUT IT IS NOT VICTORY: IT IS A PRECAUTION.  It is not something to be proud of. But since you only give away that land as a temporary tactic in order to protect your soldiers it is okay. Otherwise it is no victory. It is a pity, as we have left a place that was ours for so long. There is nothing to be happy about.

Ahmet Hakan, a columnist for Hurriyet newspaper, wrote the following points about the replacement of the Suleyman Shah Tomb:

There is no need for valor. It was the right move for soldiers to leave there. Not to forget: Had our soldiers not left there and ISIL attacked; today those who criticize this retrieval would say, “Why did they not take any precautions? Why did the soldiers not leave? Our soldiers were put in danger.”

About the matter of loss of our land: What is the important thing? Is it not possessing 10 acres of land in Syria? We lost that land but we moved the Tomb to another place in Syria, thus acquiring the same size of land elsewhere. So we did not defeat anyone, but we also were not beaten.

Retreat? Normal. Destruction of the Tomb? Normal. Losing land? So So, not so much: In this case, can we call what happened “heroism?” I say: We can’t say that it was heroism.

Actually there is nothing to criticize here. The thing to be criticized is the manner with which this incident was presented by the government. If they did not flaunt it in an atmosphere of valor, as in saying, “We made history, the world was amazed by us, we showed the strength of the Turks” and did not promote a perception campaign with photos, then there will be no problem.