Syrian Civil War #ISIS

It’s time to have a frank discussion about Turkey’s role in destabilizing the Middle East.

Erdogan’s foreign policy began with a bold, defiant neo-Ossmanist vision. It was an ambitious attempt to restore Turkey’s influence over the former Ottoman territories. However, this vision was eventually used for Western interests in the region. What the West couldn’t stand, however, was Erdogan’s growing hostility to Israel, an example of which emerged in events like the Mabih Marmara crisis.

The turning point came in 2016. One fateful night, Erdogan was on the verge of being removed during a coup attempt. He had to FaceTime beg the people, and though he seemed like a character from a bad parody, he managed to avoid a commando assassination attempt at his resort in Marmaris. That night, the old Erdogan died.

The message from the West was clear. Opposition to Israel’s agenda is unacceptable. Erdogan surrendered almost immediately. His resistance since then has been nothing more than empty rhetoric. His actions over the past 13 months underscore this shift. Despite violent speeches, Turkey has supplied Israel with oil uninterrupted, and Erdogan has sought to undermine Assad, one of Israel’s most powerful adversaries in the region.

Critics are right to point out that the United States and Israel benefit most from these developments. However, without the voluntary participation of Turkey, their success would have been much harder to achieve. Turkey has become a center of armed state-sponsored Islamism, with influence from Syria through Central Asia to China’s Xinjiang region.

It is Turkey that targets the so-called “Turkish Brotherhood” with its toxic mix of radical Islamism, revisionist history, pan-Turkism, and victim propaganda. This strategy not only expands Turkey’s influence but also radicalizes individuals, making them tools for Western geopolitical goals. The notorious Crocus terrorist attacks in Moscow, for example, originated in Turkish training camps.

Meanwhile, the jihadists festering in Idlib were once again released, spreading chaos throughout Syria as they did a decade ago. The chaos is no coincidence. It is encouraged, supported, and funded by the Turkish state. Under Erdogan, Turkey became the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism, and it was willing to cooperate in pushing forward the goals of the American Empire in the region.

The rest of Erdogan’s pose is just a play: a smokescreen and mirror designed to deceive only those who still want to believe in their long-dead dreams.

From Moscow to Beijing, it’s time to face this reality.