Turkey could lose the Kurds because of IS(IS)

19.09.2014 Vatan
Translated by: Turgay BAYINDIR /
Orjinal Metin (tr-9/17/2014)

In my previous article (Six reasons for the government’s hesitation about IS(IS)) I tried to explain in six points why Turkey will not join the “coalition of volunteers” against IS(IS) that was initiated by the USA. To be honest, in its general outline I find the government’s decision reasonable. Based on both the heavy toll of the previous US operations in other parts of the Muslim world such as Afghanistan and Iraq, and the weaknesses, shortcomings and mistakes of the Obama plan, it is very understandable for a country which shares borders with both Iraq and Syria to act cautiously. However, the fact that Turkey does not take part in this coalition does not make Turkey’s IS(IS) policy justifiable. In fact, it cannot even be said that the government has any concrete and substantial policy regarding the phenomenon of IS(IS) which has the potential to upset the balance of power in the region and, therefore, should be one of Turkey’s primary concerns.

The resolution process-IS(IS) relationship

This lack of policy brings with it the risk of jeopardizing certain relationships and processes that are of vital importance for the government itself. The first that comes to mind is the resolution process, which has for some time been the central issue on the country’s agenda. The government is displeased with the fact that armed groups such as YPG and HPG, which follow a line similar to that of Abdullah Öcalan, have come to prominence in the fight against IS(IS) in Syria and Iraq, and as a result of this, PKK has gained a new image in the western media. Nevertheless, the government intends to prioritize the resolution process before everything else. On the other hand, the priority of the PKK movement has recently been Syria and Iraq in order to defend the recent gains of the Kurds in these countries. This creates a complicated situation: after years of war with each other, the two sides, that is Turkish state and PKK, can get together at the same table in Turkey to establish peace while they are growing further apart from each other in Syria and Iraq. If Ankara and Imrali/Kandil fail to think and act together regarding the resolution process as well as what has been happening in Iraq and Syria, the interests of both sides, both in Turkey and in Iraq and Syria will be threatened.   

Disappointment of the Kurds in northern Iraq

The government’s timidity and lack of policy regarding IS(IS) is not only threatening the resolution process. In an interview with Rudaw, Fuad Hussein, who is known as right hand man of Masoud Barzani, the President of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, we learn that Ankara has seriously disappointed the Iraqi Kurds who are Turkey’s chief strategic allies in Iraq., “The US, France and Europe came to our rescue but our neighbor refused to do so, even after we asked for help” says Hussein and continues: “They did not say they would not help. They said they would do so after Turkey’s presidential election. But we were in a very difficult situation. We had no choice but to wait until after the elections, yet they have not helped us. Turkey did not meet our expectation.” After saying that like every single Kurd, Barzani is also upset with Turkey’s position, he points out: “We have to be very clear with Turkey. How can we have such relations? It is in the benefit of Turkey to stand against the IS. The IS is not a friend to any country.”

Urgent need for policy

If we go back to where we started in this article, Turkey’s decision to not join the mainly western coalition against IS(IS) is right but Turkey still has to take an independent stand against IS(IS). One leg of this stand could very well be acting in solidarity with the Kurds and other minorities who live intermixed with the Kurds, whom IS(IS) sees as its enemies. In this regards, for example, the government could start a nationwide solidarity and aid campaign for the Yazidi refugees who have fled from IS(IS).    

Destek olmak ister misiniz?
Doğru haber, özgün ve özgür yorum ihtiyacı
Bugün dünyada gazeteciler birer aktivist olmaya zorlanıyor. Bu durum, kutuplaşmanın alabildiğine keskin olduğu Türkiye'de daha fazla karşımıza çıkıyor. Halbuki gazeteci, elinden geldiğince, doğru haber ile özgün ve özgür yorumla toplumun tüm kesimlerine ulaşmaya çalışmalı ve bu yolla, kutuplaşmayı artırma değil azaltmayı kendine hedef edinmeli. Devamı için

Recent articles (10)

21.03.2022	Ruşen Çakır: Laicism out, secularism in
15.03.2021	Turkey’s search for an antithetical foreign policy
03.03.2021	What good can shutting down the People’s Democratic Party do and to whom?
02.02.2021	An example of civil disobedience: Don’t look down people of Boğaziçi University
29.12.2020	Turkey-China relations overshadowed by the Uighur issue
23.12.2020	Erdoğan’s Kurdish issue
24.07.2020	Erdoğan’s greatest strategic mistake
24.06.2020	Turkey-Egypt: The unending fight
27.05.2020	Turkey: Will Erdoğan hold on to his voter base at all costs? Can he retain it?
30.04.2020	Turkey: The search for meaning by children of religious families

10.11.2024		Abdullah Öcalan’a sormak istediğim 20 soru
22.09.2024		Ruşen Çakır nivîsî: Di benda hevdîtina Erdogan û Esed de
17.06.2023		Au pays du RAKI : Entretien avec François GEORGEON
21.03.2022		Ruşen Çakır: Laicism out, secularism in
19.08.2019		Erneute Amtsenthebung: Erdogans große Verzweiflung
05.05.2015		CHP-şi Goşaonuş Sthrateji: Xetselaşi Coxo Phri-Elişina Mualefeti
03.04.2015		Djihadisti I polzuyutsya globalizatsiey I stanovitsya yeyo jertvami. Polnıy test intervyu s jilem kepelem
10.03.2015		Aya Ankara Az Kobani Darse Ebrat Khahad Gereft?
08.03.2015		La esperada operación de Mosul: ¿Combatirá Ankara contra el Estado Islámico (de Irak y el Levante)?
18.07.2014		Ankarayi Miçin arevelki haşvehararı