{"id":27404,"date":"2020-01-08T23:11:07","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T21:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onisilos.gr\/?p=27404"},"modified":"2020-01-08T23:11:07","modified_gmt":"2020-01-08T21:11:07","slug":"the-soleimani-affair-reveals-turkeys-directionless-regional-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onisilos.gr\/?p=27404","title":{"rendered":"The Soleimani Affair Reveals Turkey\u2019s Directionless Regional Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

By <\/b>Burak Bekdil*<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

January 8, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,396, January 8, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Turkish Foreign Ministry\u2019s belated statement in response to the Soleimani killing was dry in its language, reflecting the government\u2019s confusion over what position to take. While the government is expressing itself with caution, the Islamist pro-Erdo\u011fan press is expressing a wide range of often contradictory responses. The lack of clarity in Ankara over the Soleimani affair betrays Turkey\u2019s directionless regional policy.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The Turkish Foreign Ministry, which is usually quick to weigh in on matters of world affairs, was silent for hours after news broke of the killing by the US of elite Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.<\/span><\/p>\n

The killing sent messages on many wavelengths to Turkey\u2019s Islamist government. At the same time, it unveiled the conflicting strands of Turkey\u2019s regional and wider policy calculus, its deep inconsistencies, and its fractures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turkey has a deeply pro-Sunni sectarian nature. Iran, an expansionist Shiite state, has thus always been problematic for Turkish Islamists. They are divided over whether to support it against the American \u201cGreat Satan,\u201d to support the Great Satan against the Shiite Satan, or to simply support every conflict that develops between the two Satans.<\/span><\/p>\n

Soleimani\u2019s killing has only added to Turkish confusion over Iran, with which it fought its last war in 1639. The two states have ranged since then from friendship to cold friendship to hostility, going through periods of conflict and proxy conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Turkish Foreign Ministry\u2019s belated statement was dry in its language, reflecting the confused Turkish mind over what position to take\u2014or, indeed, whether a position should be taken at all. The ministry expressed grave concern over the escalating tensions between the US and Iran and said increasing hostilities in Iraq would destabilize the Middle East and hamper peace efforts. It said the US move would increase instability and violence: \u201cTurkey has always been against foreign interventions, assassinations and sectarian clashes in the region. We call upon all parties to show restraint and act responsibly, avoiding moves that can threaten the peace and stability in the region.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan\u2019s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, said Soleimani\u2019s killing posed a threat to regional security and stability, stating, \u201cViolence begets violence and hurts the interests of all sides\u2014without exception. We call on all parties to exercise common sense.\u201d Presidential spokesperson \u0130brahim Kal\u0131n called on all sides to remain calm and avoid steps that would fuel tensions. Ankara would continue to use diplomacy to achieve regional and global peace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman \u00d6mer \u00c7ellik urged all parties to show restraint. \u201cThe security and stability of Iraq is of vital importance to Turkey and to the region. Actions that cause instability in Iraq are detrimental to the entire region,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Erdo\u011fan\u2019s statement was no less dry. Turkey expends great effort to reduce tensions between the US and Iran, he said. \u201cTurkey always stands against foreign intervention and considers the recent US attack in Baghdad with this same understanding.\u201d He predicted Iran will respond to the killing of Soleimani, stating, \u201cThe choice of the US to kill a top Iranian commander will fuel tensions in the region.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Such were the official Turkish responses to the drone airstrike that killed Soleimani. Nuances have been revealing themselves, however, in the Islamist\/pro-Erdo\u011fan press.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fuat Bol, a columnist for H\u00fcrriyet<\/i>, fears the killing will boost Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s political popularity. Many commentators say the killing should be celebrated if it boosts Donald Trump\u2019s political popularity, as the US president is \u201cErdo\u011fan\u2019s only friend in the US.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0130brahim Karata\u015f, columnist for the militant Islamist publication Yeni Akit<\/i>, wrote: \u201cThe deaths (of Soleimani and others in his motorcade) are good for the ummah<\/i>.\u201d Karata\u015f calls Soleimani a murderer and the mastermind of Shiite expansionism in the Middle East. \u201c[Soleimani] killed babies for the dangerous ideology called Shiaism\u2026 The Shia do not view Christians or Jews as enemies. Their biggest enemy are the Sunnis. What matters is not who killed [Soleimani]. It is who was killed\u2026 With that [killing] Iran will have to deal with the US instead of Muslims.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ali Karahasano\u011flu from the same daily has a different opinion. \u201c[Soleimani] was killed by an oppressor, not by the oppressed,\u201d he wrote. \u201c\u2026As he was killed by the US, he died a victim.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Yakup K\u00f6se of the daily Star,<\/i> \u201ca Shia imperialist was killed by another imperialist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Zekeriya Kur\u015fun from Yeni \u015eafak<\/i> wrote: \u201cThe killing will fuel hatred of the West by the East, and Shia by the Sunni.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yusuf Kaplan of the same paper thinks the US is a rogue state, but adds, \u201cThe Iranians have always conspired with the West against Turkey and stabbed us from behind at every opportunity\u2026Iran is a secret, useful ally of the US.\u201d Kaplan cautioned, however, that Turkey should maintain good relations with Iran in order to avoid falling into a Western trap.<\/span><\/p>\n

The confusion in Ankara over the killing of the Talented Mr. Soleimani betrays the lack of direction in Turkey\u2019s regional policy. Sentiments among Turkey\u2019s fiercely pro-Erdo\u011fan Islamists over Soleimani\u2019s death range widely and include the following, among others:<\/span><\/p>\n