Jim Bennett writes (regarding Turkey) that friends don’t let friends join the EU.

Given the upcoming turmoil and upheaval (badly needed) in the Middle East, it’s not too early to start thinking about desirable post-war scenarios. A useful one to think about, in terms of liberalizing both the governments and economies of the region, might be MEFTA–the Middle East Free Trade Association. We could help form it now, and invite others in as they become eligible, by dint of democratizing and rationalizing their economic policies. It might eventually be integrated into NAFTA, but just having such a stand-alone organization would be a vast improvement for the region. The charter members could be Israel, Turkey and perhaps Jordan.

Something like this would be a much better bet for the Turks, rather than harnessing themselves to European policies with the effect, if not the intent, of holding economies back. It would allow them to forge their own destiny, and help stabilize the dangerous region around them, rather than allying with a Europe that doesn’t really want them, while their borders remain bloody.

Once formed, a post-mullah Iran would also be a good candidate, and offering this as a carrot could hasten the day that such an entity appears. Afghanistan could be brought in as well, as a means of continuing to stabilize the latter, as well as Armenia and some of the other appropriate ex-Soviet ‘stans.

And obviously, we would want to restructure a post-Saddam Iraq, or whatever new nations emerge from the end of the Ba’athists, to perhaps be a key anchor for such an organization.

It would have another benefit. Ultimately, the only solution to the Palestinian problem is to create neighboring states in which they can go and prosper–states that will no longer encourage them in their hopes of destroying Israel, and instead welcome them in building new, freer societies. Creating democratic Arab states with growing economies can provide a demand “pull” to complement the inevitable Israeli push, as the Israelis come to realize that they simply cannot share a land with many of these people.

I wonder if anyone at Foggy Bottom is thinking along these lines?