Turkey Can't 'Lend Unquestioning Support for US Plans in Middle East'

© AFP 2023 / Ramzi HaidarA US Marine covers the head of a statue of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with the US flag before pulling it down in Baghdad's al-Fardous (paradise) square 09 April 2003 as the marines swept into the Iraqi capital and the Iraqi leader's regime collapsed.
A US Marine covers the head of a statue of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with the US flag before pulling it down in Baghdad's al-Fardous (paradise) square 09 April 2003 as the marines swept into the Iraqi capital and the Iraqi leader's regime collapsed. - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Anti-American sentiment has been rapidly growing among the Turkish public. Ankara condemns what it labels as anti-Turkish behavior and is searching for an alternative to the partnership with the US, former Turkish ambassador in Finland, Sweden and Jordan Oktay Aksoy told Sputnik.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara (File) - Sputnik International
Turkey Informed US Using Kurds to Fight Daesh in Syria Impossible
According to Aksoy, Ankara hoped for the United States to understand its concerns about the growing US military cooperation with the Kurdish forces in Syria.

He noted that the Turkish authorities have repeatedly denounced US plans to cooperate with Kurdish militants in the fight against Daesh.

"However, the US ignored Turkey's request, and this is very disappointing. Such intransigence of the Americans shows that the US' and Turkey's positions on the situation in Syria radically differ," Aksoy told Sputnik.

Kurdish and Arab fighters advance into the Islamic State (IS) jihadist's group bastion of Manbij, in northern Syria (File) - Sputnik International
Turkey Views Possible US Arms Deliveries to Syrian Kurds as ‘Hostile Act’
The United States has been providing military assistance to the Kurdish YPG (People's Protection Units) forces, and top Pentagon officials have described the Kurdish forces as capable and successful fighters against Daesh.

Ankara, for its turn, considers the YPG operating in Syria an affiliate of PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), which is outlawed in Turkey. The difference in positions led to tensions in the US-Turkish relationship and forced Turkey to start looking for new partners.

"Turkey definitely should take some action in this situation. But what can Turkey do against such a great power on its own? I think nothing substantial. However, the US may lose Turkey, which may well consider other options for strategic cooperation. American policymakers should have this in mind," Aksoy stressed.

The expert noted that, of course, the United States may have their own interests and certain preferences for cooperation with various players in the region. However, Turkey has interests, too, and they can't be ignored, he stressed.

"The US has no right to expect from Turkey an unquestioning support for its plans in the Middle East. Turkey opposed the US actions in Syria based on its own interests, and the US should have treated it with understanding. However, this somehow irritated it, which is very difficult to explain. It is really strange and sad that Americans have chosen to lose its important ally — Turkey," Aksoy concluded.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала