ill-informed columns about Nadire Mater, an Istanbul-based author of a popular
book on the Turkish military. Mater's book, "Mehmedin Kitabi," was based on
interviews with dozens of Turkish veterans, some of whom described
less-than-flattering images of Turkish military life and behavior.
Ms. Mater received a grant from the Chicago-based MacArthur
Foundation to cover her research and living expenses while writing the book. Emin Colasan of Hurriyet and Deniz Som of Cumhuriyet say MacArthur is an ally of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA. This is one of the most bizarre conspiracy theories I've ever heard. Fortunately, it does little more
than expose the ignorance of its creators.
No journalist in the U.S. would ever claim that MacArthur is pro-CIA.
Indeed,I read one of the articles that Colasan and Som cite as the "source"
For their claims, and it makes exactly the opposite argument. The article
Published by J. Michael Waller on August 21, 2000 in Insight Magazine, is
entitled, "Funding Subversion of National Security," and argues that
foundations such as MacArthur are not promoting U.S. national security interests and agencies enough. As a result, Waller argues, "the next generation is intellectually rooted in a fundamental distrust of the United States and of U.S. might and mission during the Cold War and sees the United States as even less to be trusted as the world's sole superpower."
Insight Magazine is a right wing journal, and it is concerned that
Liberal foundations such as MacArthur are too critical of the CIA and its
Sister agencies. How Colasan and Som managed to miss this point is beyond
me. One wonders whether they ever read their "sources." More likely than not,
the relied on research assistants who have made them seem very foolish.
I am a sociology professor at McGill University in Canada, and before
That at Johns Hopkins University. I am also a frequent critic of the CIA, the
U.S. military, and America's military allies, and have published my views
İn major newspapers around the world. Just recently, for example, I wrote in
The -Boston Globe and Le Monde, France's top newspaper, that there should be an
investigation into U.S. human rights abuses during the Cold War, including
actions by the CIA.
I have also received more than $60,000 in MacArthur Foundation grants
Over the years. If MacArthur worked for the CIA, why would they fund my work?
The record of virtually all my close professional colleagues is
similar. Most of them are professors in political science or sociology at top U.S. universities, and most of them are vocal critics of one or another
aspect of U.S. foreign policy. All of them are critics of CIA covert
operations, and none of them could be remotely considered CIA agents. Yet they have ALL received MacArthur grants at some point in their career. How do Colasan And Som make sense of that?
Some years ago, I wrote to Nadire Mater and encouraged her to apply
To MacArthur for a grant. I knew she had conducted a few interviews with
Turkish soldiers, and realized she would need financial support if she was to
Continue her important work. All militaries have their dark side, especially
During times of war. Few Turkish journalists, however, had the courage to
Write about those sensitive topics. Having received $15,000 myself some years
Earlier to interview Israeli soldiers about their actions against Palestinians,
I figured that MacArthur might be interested in Nadire's project. MacArthur
does not have any particular interest in Turkey, but it does like to fund
courageous researchers willing to discuss sensitive issues.
If Colasan and Som had done their homework, they would have quickly
Discovered that MacArthur is uniformly considered a left-liberal foundation
Because it funds research into human rights abuses, environmental issues,
İnternational legal reforms, and the like. These are the kind of topics to which the CIA is allergic, seeing them as subversive of U.S. national interests. If the US were another kind of country, the CIA would have tried to shut MacArthur down years ago.
There are U.S. foundations that are more sympathetic to the CIA and
İts conservative brand of foreign policy, of course. The U.S. has a wide
Range of foundations created by wealthy individuals who have sought to
İnfluence public opinion while protecting their money from taxation. Families such as Ford, Gates, MacArthur, Hewlitt Packard, Rockefeller and others have
Created such foundations, all of which fund research, seminars, radio programs,
Television documentaries, and the like. Each foundation supports a different
Package of political views; indeed, much of American politics is conducted
Through ideological debates funded by private foundations.
In the foundation world, however, MacArthur is considered one of the
Most critical when it comes to the CIA, FBI, the military, and other
National security agencies. There is not a single reputable journalist in this
country, either right or left, who does not know this. Indeed, every day the
entire country listens to the news on National Public Radio, and learns from
the credits that the MacArthur Foundation helped fund programs on the
environment and human rights. When Colasan and Som next visit the US, they should tune in and learn.
Colasan and Som's mistake is so basic it would be akin to a U.S.
Journalist writing about Turkey and confusing MHP with the PKK, or True Path
With Hizbullah. Their allegations reflect badly on them, their newspapers,
And the entire Turkish newspaper industry.
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(*) James Ron, Professor, Canada Research Chair in Conflict and Human Rights, McGill University
