From the PKK’s declaration targeting the Turkish state to US and NATO military exercises at Türkiye’s border.
From the PKK’s declaration targeting the Turkish state to US and NATO military exercises at Türkiye’s border.
In our previous article, we talked about the new US Ambassador to Türkiye, Tom Barrack, and the “carrot and whip” policy he brought with. While Barrack extends various carrots to lure Türkiye away, he also speaks about whipping Türkiye into line. Now, the carrot and the whip have taken concrete form.
Özal references from Erdoğan and the PKK
What does the “carrot” consist of? It is the so-called “disarmament of the PKK”. This opens the door to a “Kurdistan” project under Türkiye’s patronage. We can clearly see this in the references both the PKK and President Erdoğan have made to Turgut Özal, prime minister from 1983 to 1989, and president from 1989 to 1993. Özal was as the executor of the US-backed “Three Israels” plan, a “Kurdistan” plan under Türkiye’s patronage.
“The Lausanne Treaty is no longer enough for Türkiye”
Similarly, the PKK’s anti-Lausanne stance in its declaration also fits into this plan. Although Öcalan has defended the Lausanne Treaty, the PKK’s open attacks on it should be understood as part of this federalization plan. This will be marketed to the Turkish public by saying the “Lausanne Treaty is no longer enough for Türkiye”.
Against centralism
This plan can also be seen in the PKK declaration’s opposition to the centralist 1924 Constitution. Before 1924, Türkiye had a constitution where local powers held a larger authority. Now, there are signs of efforts to draft a similar, decentralist constitution once again.
The whip of Barrack through PKK’s declaration
Meanwhile, despite all the talks on it, there is no real disarmament. PKK’s declaration refers to a “more organized PKK”. It includes references to “self-organizations”, and clearly states that “attacks will still be met with armed responses”. This is one dimension of the “whip” in Ambassador Barrack’s hand. Also, the declaration claims that the Turkish state committed “genocide” on Kurds.
Moreover, the declaration is totally plunged into neoliberal ideology. This too aligns with the federalization plan and the “carrot” extended to Türkiye.
The target is Türkiye in the military drill in Alexandroupoli (Dedeağaç)
Another whip of the US Ambassador Barrack is the military drill right on Türkiye’s border, in Alexandroupoli (Dedeağaç) that stars on May 26. Türkiye is excluded from this drill, and the official reports make it clear that the target is Türkiye itself. This is not the first time, either. You may recall that in 2002, the US carried out a military drill called “Millennium Challenge 2002” in which the opposing force was openly modeled after Türkiye.
The Turkish government’s stance is beyond indifference
Unfortunately, despite all these developments, the Turkish government is completely unaware of the threats. On the contrary, as mentioned there are even signs of drafting a new constitution in coordination with the PKK. Meanwhile, the pro-government media is cheering up like at a festival.
This indifference also holds true for the drill in Dedeağaç. In fact, it’s not just indifference, the governments try to cover up the anti-Türkiye character of the drill and to whitewash the US and NATO.
The governments matter
Looking at international dynamics, we see that a multipolar world is taking shape. But what matters now is who is steering this process, who holds the reins of power. The AKP government is showing fragilities on the domestic front. The economic crisis is deepening, no viable solutions are being offered. Instead, the same crisis-producing policies are being stubbornly pursued. The government continues to make wrong choices in foreign policy. Especially after the presidential elections in May 2023, Ankara has been aligning more closely with the Atlantic. Also, the negative consequences of missteps in Syria are now fully visible in the near future of Türkiye.
Taking advantage of favorable international conditions, disarming the PKK, securing Türkiye’s national security, even establishing equal relations with the West, and overcoming the economic crisis: all these hinge on who governs the country. It is now very clear that the AKP can no longer manage this alone. A new government that includes the Vatan Party is becoming a necessity with each passing day.