Tom Barrack must be declared persona non grata, and Washington’s plan to use Türkiye against Iran and Russia must be discarded.
Tom Barrack must be declared persona non grata, and Washington’s plan to use Türkiye against Iran and Russia must be discarded.
We had previously read the statements made by the new US ambassador to Ankara. The new ambassador talked about bringing Türkiye into line, even taming it with a whip.
There are some comments in the Israeli press. They elaborate on how the new ambassador’s attempts and intentions to use Türkiye against Iran and position it as a balancing factor against Russia. While doing this, the comments say, he could offer Türkiye some incentives, like involving it in the stillborn EastMed project.
Persona non grata
Of course, the ambassador’s remarks cannot in any way be considered diplomatic. They are arrogant, threatening, and are completely unacceptable to Türkiye. First and foremost, Türkiye should declare Tom Barak persona non grata.
An attempt to intervene in the PKK’s disarmament
The comments about Tom Barracks in the Israeli press clearly reflects the US’s plans for the Middle East. The US, through so-called incentives, is trying to position Türkiye against Iran and Russia.
On the Syrian issue, the US may seem to be taking steps back, especially regarding the disarmament of the PKK. It may appear as if doing Türkiye a favor. However, on a strategic level, the goal is to provoke Türkiye against its real allies and leave it in a much more vulnerable position.
Öcalan’s call is important. The disarmament of the PKK is essential, Türkiye must insist upon that using every means. But Türkiye must never allow itself to be used against Iran under the guise of such “incentives”.
Not only against Iran
Using Türkiye against Iran isn’t just about hostility toward Iran. It’s the very part of a plan to divide Türkiye. Why? Because they want to strip Türkiye of cooperative opportunities that could help it counter threats. As we all know, mistakes made in Syria have already strained Türkiye’s relations with Iran and Russia. Now, allowing the US and Israel to use Türkiye to balance against Iran or Russia would push our country into full isolation.
Two birds with a stone
In the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye faces serious challenges. Threats against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are increasing. Military air and naval exercises are being held one after another in the region. Falling into this trap severely weakens Türkiye. Because the most important allies, Türkiye can rely on to overcome these threats are Russia and Iran. Now, with this plan, the US is seeking to isolate Türkiye, luring with carrots in one hand while holding a whip in the other.
The US ambassador’s plan is essentially to kill two birds with one stone: use Türkiye against Iran and Russia to implement broader plans against them, and isolate Türkiye and turn it into an easy target.
The meaning of “whip”
If these plans truly had Türkiye’s best interest in mind, then surely Ambassador Tom Barrack wouldn’t be talking about taming Türkiye with a whip. The “whip” in his hand means this plan can only be imposed by force, and it’s against Türkiye’s national interests. The mere mention of the whip proves that the plan is not aligned with Türkiye’s interests.
A must: strategic cooperation
Thus, with Tom Barrack’s arrival in Ankara, a challenging period will begin for Türkiye. Türkiye must respond firmly to this arrogant stance. Tom Barrack must be declared persona non grata, and Washington’s plan to use Türkiye against Iran and Russia must be discarded. Moreover, opportunities for strategic co-operation with these countries should be rapidly put into practice.