On Monday, US National Security Advisor HR McMaster added to tensions in the Middle East when he condemned Turkey and Qatar as prime sponsors of extremist Islamist ideology.
He tore into the Turkish leadership, saying the country’s growing problems with the West are largely due to the rise of the Justice and Development Party in Ankara.
A few days ago, McMaster had described China and Russia as “revisionist powers” encroaching on US allies and undermining the international order, and castigated Iran and North Korea as outlaw regimes that “support terror and are seeking weapons of mass destruction.”
McMaster now rounds on Turkey and Qatar for mentoring a radical Islamist ideology that “is obviously a grave threat to all civilized people.” The stunning part is that Turkey is a NATO ally, while the US Central Command is headquartered in Qatar.
Arguably, Turkey no longer qualifies to be a NATO member. McMaster spoke at a rare public policy platform with his British counterpart Mark Sedwill, at an event hosted by the Policy Exchange think tank in Washington. How any of this transmutes into Anglo-American policy will bear watching. (Interestingly, on a visit to Greece last week, Erdogan publicly sought a revision of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which was negotiated under the tutelage of Britain and the US and ceded, amongst other things, all Turkish claims on the Dodecanese Islands and Cyprus.
Significantly, McMaster’s outburst came within hours of a meeting in Ankara between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, their eighth this year, during a combined day-long trip by the Russian leader which included stops in Egypt, Turkey and the Hmeimim airbase in Syria.
Ironically, if it was the perceived Soviet threat to Turkey that Harry Truman and Dean Acheson blew out of proportion to lay the ground for an enthusiastically pro-American Turkish prime minister, Adnan Menderes, to bring Turkey into the NATO fold in 1952, 55 years later the blossoming of Russo-Turkish cooperation prompts Washington to doubt Turkey’s credentials as an ally.
But then, NATO has no precedents of ousting a member state and its decisions are taken unanimously. To be sure, Erdogan will only leave the NATO tent kicking and screaming. His intent is to shake off US hegemony, which he can do better while inside the NATO tent. He is in turn taunting, provoking, snubbing, defying and – worse still –ridiculing US regional strategies.
Erdogan’s intent is to shake off US hegemony, which he can do better while inside the NATO tent. He is in turn taunting, provoking, snubbing, defying and – worse still –ridiculing US regional strategies
Erdogan’s talks with Putin on Monday suggest a new stage in their coordination to undermine US interests in the Middle East. Putin announced that they agreed on a loan agreement, which will be signed “very shortly,” to pursue the “significant prospects for expanding our military and technical cooperation.”
Erdogan added that “the relevant agencies of our two countries are expected to complete what needs to be done this week” with regard to Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system. It is a huge snub to Washington and some of its NATO allies that the Russian system cannot be integrated into the alliance’s defenses.
Again, Erdogan announced that Turkey and Russia are “determined to complete in the shortest possible time” the Turkish Stream (which will bring more Russian gas to Turkey and use Turkey as a hub to supply southern Europe) and the US$25 billion Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. The US opposes the Turkish Stream, which will frustrate its plans to export LNG to Europe.
Putin joined Erdogan to criticize the US decision regarding Jerusalem. Putin said, “It is destabilizing the region and wiping out the prospect of peace”; Erdogan said he was “pleased” by Putin’s stand. Erdogan said the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) summit in Istanbul on Wednesday would be a “turning point” on the crisis; Putin promised to send a representative.
Most stunning, though, are the emerging contours of a profound Russo-Turkish action plan in Syria. They attribute centrality to the Astana peace process, which also includes Iran but leaves the US and its regional allies in the cold. Following Putin-Erdogan talks, the next meeting at Astana has been announced.
Equally, Russia and Turkey are collaborating to organize a congress of Syrian National Dialogue in Sochi. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu signaled on Tuesday that Turkey no longer objects to Kurdish participation. Evidently, Russia is leveraging its influence with the Kurdish groups. This badly isolates the US, which is increasingly left with rump elements of Kurdish militant groups as its remaining allies. An open-ended US military presence in Syria becomes pointless since the capacity to influence a Syrian settlement is nearing zero.
After returning to Moscow, Putin submitted to the Duma a new agreement on expanding the Russian base in the Syrian port city of Tartus. The balance of forces in the Mediterranean region is dramatically shifting even before a Syrian settlement is negotiated.
Meanwhile, Cavusoglu hinted that Turkey and Russia plan to create new facts on the ground in northern Syria. “Threats for Turkey are coming from Afrin. We may enter this region without a warning. If we carry out the operation there, we will agree on all its aspects with our allies, including Russia.”
Putin apparently heeded Erdogan’s concerns that Afrin is a crucial region for Turkish national security. This is a paradigm shift. If Turkey kicks out the Kurdish militia from Afrin in coordination with Russia, it is a slap to America’s face. A flashpoint may arise.
What emerges is that denying the US any form of land access to Syria’s Mediterranean coast and reducing the American bases in Syria as remote and isolated pockets would be a Russo-Turkish enterprise. McMaster’s rage is understandable.
Was easy to guess he was a US citizen
One thing is for sure———that is Vladimir Putin has outsmarted the two of the worst American Presidents———-the dummy, war monger ——George Walker Bush and the incompetent, coward——–Barack Hussein Obama. Erdogan, himself is not playing with a full deck and the reported coup in 2016 sent the dude over the edge——–he was tipped off by the cagey, shrewd Mr Putin——–BUT I believe Mr Putin knows that Erdogan is not playing with a full deck so the future is cloudy when dealing with Mr Erdogan.
Not really "Jewish" it more appropreate to say Zionist controlled US media. Many Jews dislike what the Zionists are doing. Zionists are the billionaires who may or may not be Jewish.
Jo Snow True, Russia is Turkey’s neighbor the US is thousands of miles away, it makes more sense to be nice to your neighbors.
Very well written analysis, thank you Mr. M.K.
Erdogan was even the target enemy in the recent NATO war game.
Even though Erdogan downed his jet, Putin did not rush to attack him even as Erdogan refuses to apologise. Erdogan was forced to apologize for the downing.because the wily fox can see the outcome of the Syrian campaign. Now with Jerusalam declaration, Erdogan has become a immediate target for NATO and also neocon Zionist regime changes, he has no other choice but to seek refuge under Putin.
With his crushing of IS terrorist state, Putin has become the Pivot in the Levant. Now with Turkey seeking refuge under his protective wing, Putin is again the Pivot of the whole Eurasian landmass in one masterly stroke.
Putin with 2 acolytes under his wings, Iran and Turkey seeking his protection from the neocon Zionist regime changes now have twin pincer formations – (1) complete control of a contigious Shia crescent from Persian Gulf into the Mediterrean and (2) complete control of the Eurasian landmass from the Pacific Ocean to the Black sea.
US forces must be pushed back behind its own American borders. Turkey’s new alliance with Russia is an important step in that direction. The end of NATO and the end of the American presence in Japan – starting in Okinawa – and South Korea are also necessary to end US imperialism. Hopefully Europeans, Japanese and South Korea will finally realize the need to end American occupation.
Without further discussion Turkey should throw out NATO and American military forces from bases in Incirlik Turkey, American nuclear weapons should be confiscated if not moved within stipulated time. Turkey, Iran, Pakistan should immediately sign a defence treaty of alliance…..between These three countries there are close to two million soldiers under arms, Pakistan is a nuclear power with sophisticated delivery systems and Iran and Turkey are major military powers….no country in their right mind dare to confront these three. This is the end of Christian Jewish Hindu alliance and the tables are turned….otherwise nuclear wars will be our future and this planet will become an uninhabitable radioactive wasteland. The American and Zionist evil.has to be stopped no matter what the cost.
Time for the neocon Zionists forces to regime change Erdogan more forcefully.
Yet another excellent article by M.K. Bhadrakumar.
I suspect that the CIA/Jewish-controlled mainstream media is pushing the anti-Iran and anti-N.Korea propaganda partly because N.Korea is now in a position to nuclearize Iran in defense against a common enemy – the US, itself under strong influence of the powerful Jewish lobby.
Bryon Gross. Oh yeah, Turkey (the bird) doesn’t trust Russia because it’s been America’s favorite food in every November. (that’s the only interpretation for your statement to make any sense)
The Turkish government is calling the US (and Israel) a terrorist sponsor and a major cause of chaos in the Middle East. Do you have any reason to believe that Erdogan or any of his government officials have misspelled "Russia" as "the US and Israel"??? Turkey (the country) is buying Russia’s S-400 air defense suites despite repeated warnings from the US and NATO. Would you claim that it’s fake news?
Turkey is upset mostly because of US coooeration with PKK(YPG). Its hilarious that the article actually claims the US wants the reach the Mediterranean with a terrorist group. It is enough reason for turkey to cooperate with russia. Which is understandable
The article emphasizes alot on the missile defence system purchased by russia, but makes no mention of the agreement signed with France and Italy to coproduce the systems. Also they have also said they plan to buy the patriot defence system.
Once again Mr Putin is three moves ahead in the game !
Turkey have to live with Russia next doors, but does not have to live with US.
It won’t happen in the long run.
BS. Turkey doesn’t trust Russia, nor the presence of troops so close to its border.
The failed US/Gulen coup attempt against President Erdogan and the Turkish Democracy is the biggest blunder of the century. Turkey, a founding member of NATO, and strategically most important country in the US Geopolitical strategies in EurAsia/Middle East! Turkey’s exit from US alliance bring new hopes for peace in the Middle East and EurAsia. Who is next exiting alliance with the US?