This side of the table: Russia-Turkey-Israel

By: Nedret Ersanel*

For the last 25 years, we have been presented with tens of maps of Turkey divided, the overwhelming majority of them by the West.

Now these maps are being changed.

Referring to Turkey’s analyses, Western media is publishing these new maps of the “Great Turkey.” (‘Turkey’s New Maps Are Reclaiming the Ottoman Empire’, 23/10, Foreign Policy.)

The reason for this is, Ankara’s new security methods of “don’t wait for them, you go.”

Don’t get too excited about the “Great Turkey” maps. The National Oath drove them crazy…

They are trying to achieve the plans that they couldn’t apply by “dividing” through “adding on,” and this is probably the most dangerous of their methods…

The National Oath, in the way we know it…

How large is Turkey’s appetite?

While President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan explained the Iraq and Syria policies, he said, “We are trying to be active in the field for the security of our own land,” which meant that he emphasized two points: Being powerful enough to sit at the table and not leaving the region to them which will cause a national security issue for us.

This means we are sitting at the table.

For example, Israel understands “the issue” immediately!

“Turkey is now aware of the rules of the game in the region. If you don’t intervene and train the local militia and you don’t have your men in the field that means you aren’t sitting at the table either.” (‘Jerusalem Post: Turkey can now have a seat at the Table’, 24/10, Sabah.)

They are scared to death when you mention Mosul-Kirkuk-Aleppo…

The invitation to respect Iraq’s domination sent via Bashiqa isn’t suitable with the flow of life. Because Iraq’s domination cannot be used.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s statements after visiting Turkey that they reached an agreement with Ankara on Baghdad was denied by Iraq.

Not many countries would have the chance to refute the U.S. This is impossible especially for a country like Iraq. Therefore this news that comes after Carter visited Baghdad shows that glowering at Turkey aims to soften down Iran…

Because this is the situation: “Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned that a third country intervening into the Iraq issue without permission would create dangerous results.” (‘A message from Rouhani to Turkey’, 24/10, Hürriyet Daily.)

This is an incident… But Baghdad is underhandedly sending warm messages to Turkey too! This is another incident. It is understood that the U.S. said, “Don’t prolong it.” Similar signals are coming from Syria too.

Leaving the child-like diplomacy of trying to attract attention aside, no one can say that Turkey and Syria don’t have secret intelligence contact going on at the moment.

The map you call ‘large’ is a map shown to children at ‘treasure island’

Real maps won’t have “X” signs on them. Because large maps are interactive based on where you look.

For example…

“The possibility that the Sisi administration, which is fighting an economic crisis after the coup, would fall, is expressed with concern by the U.S. and Israeli officials”… (‘The regime in Egypt might fall’, 19/10, Dünya Bülteni.)

For example…

“We are so close that, if I called out they would hear me from Sochi, and if they called out from Sochi I would hear.’ I am sending my warm regards on behalf of my people to the people of Russia. Spasibo!” (‘Erdoğan: I need my friend Putin’s support to fight terrorism in the Middle East’, 23/10, Sputnik.)

For example…

“Lavrov: It is hard to believe that the U.S., which always boasts about being privileged and irreplaceable, is desperate”…

Or…

“Izvestiya newspaper, argued that Moscow would share intelligence with Ankara for the Euphrates Shield. The agreement happened during Putin’s visit to Istanbul.” (‘Flash Claim’, 24/10, Hürriyet.)

It is like “connect the dots.”

“There are concerns on how Russia will act on the Syria and Ukraine topics [especially] after the rising tension with the U.S. Russia has a 195-kilometer border with Norway on the shores of the North Sea.” (‘The U.S. soldiers are being deployed to Norway’, 25/10.)

And it continues…

“After the Philippine Leader Duterte said ‘We will put our diplomatic relations with the U.S. on hold,’ Washington replied: The Philippines is our ally.” (‘The U.S. steps back’, 24/10.)

And then…

“It was said that, three of the people who died in the plane crash in Malta, after leaving from Europe to Libya, were from French intelligence.” (24/10)

And it continues…

“While a big project like the Turkish Stream is on the agenda, it was said that the 1927 Soviet Union administration had taken secret decisions to have a stronger hand in the Turkish oil market.” (24/10, Sputnik.)

And again…

“A helicopter carrying 22 passengers crashed in Siberia. Nineteen of these passengers were people who worked for a company in the region.” (23/10, Sabah.)

And finally…

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service’s (SVR) former Director

Vyaçeslav Trubnikov said: “My ‘adorable colleagues’ in Mossad agree that Syria should be one country. If Syria is divided, a Kurdistan will be formed. Israel absolutely supports Russia in this issue.” (22/10)

There is more to talk about, but no more room left to write.

I will write about the other side of the table once it is complete.

 

*Nedret Ersanel is a Turkish journalist and columnist at Yeni Şafak daily newspaper.
     (published in Yeni Şafak on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016)