Doesn't Bahçeli have an egg basket on his back?!

About a week before Trump, who spreads terror across the world alongside the genocidal Netanyahu—against whom the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant—raided Venezuelan President Maduro’s bedroom with his wife and took him to the US, he said the following:

“There is a massive American fleet around Venezuela... Maduro can do whatever he wants. If he plays tough, this will be the last time he can play tough.”

Immediately after the Maduro operation, he issued this threat to acquire Greenland, which he had set his sights on:

“Greenland is of vital importance to American national interests. If Denmark doesn't give up Greenland nicely, I will crash their economy. We absolutely need Greenland.”

In the words of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, to whom had Trump—whose “common sense, rational and moral faculties have evaporated”—previously directed his “don't play the tough guy... I will ruin your economy” threats?

Of course, to Erdoğan.

In the first instance, with his “I will ruin your economy” statement, he had Pastor Brunson released from prison and taken to the US. Now, in every speech regarding Erdoğan, he boasts about this example.

Then, in a letter he wrote to Erdoğan on the day Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring against the PKK in Syria in 2019, he said: “Don't play the tough guy. Don't be a fool! I will call you later... Mr. President, let's make a good deal. You don't want to be responsible for the slaughter of thousands of people, and we don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy—and I will.” and reminded him, “I gave you an example of this in the Pastor Brunson case.”

We know that when Trump last called Erdoğan on the phone this past October to get him to accept a peace plan for Hamas, he said, “I have done a lot for you. Now I need you to do this,” and subsequently remarked, “Erdoğan helped a lot. He is a tough guy, but he is my friend and he was wonderful.”

THE 'UNCLE' POLICY UNTIL CROSSING THE BRIDGE

The reason these come to mind?

Erdoğan remained silent for 48 hours while everyone waited with curiosity to see his stance after Trump abducted Maduro as if he were kidnapping him. But his media outlets attacked CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, who reacted to Erdoğan, and talked plenty about “state stance and seriousness.”

Abdülkadir Selvi delivered the final blow, writing exactly this:

“It is in Turkey’s interest for the relationship between Erdoğan and Trump to be good. PKK means the US. SDG means the US. A ‘terror-free Turkey’ is a matter of survival for us. We must manage this process successfully. Özgür Özel is persistently trying to sour the relationship between Erdoğan and Trump. We call this ‘politics of sedition.’ I think Özel is jealous of Erdoğan... It is a form of banditry that only ‘Caribbean pirates’ could commit. Erdoğan will say whatever needs to be said on that matter, on the right ground and at the right time. However, as I listed above, there is no benefit to Turkey in him doing this before a meeting where he will discuss vital issues for Turkey with Trump. On the contrary, it causes harm. If Erdoğan were to listen to Özgür Özel and sour his relations with Trump, what would Turkey gain from this? Would CAATSA sanctions be lifted, would F-16 and F-35 jets be purchased, would the Halkbank case be resolved, would the SDG-PKK issue be solved?”

In short, as a “world leader,” he suggested calling Trump “uncle” until the bridge is crossed.

THE STATE OF THE SDG

Let us follow Abdülkadir Selvi’s logic.

Is there any possibility or chance that a merchant like Trump would give up those trump cards he holds for the sake of Erdoğan without getting everything he wants from Turkey and making them do everything he demands?

Even if Trump does not recognize law, borders, or Congress; let us assume that CAATSA sanctions, F-16s, and F-35s are long-term issues in Congress, and that the Halkbank case is a judicial matter.

But if he wanted to, he could handle our most urgent issue, the SDG, that is, the Syrian PKK, right?

So what is the situation?

As of December 31, the term of the March 10 agreement expired, and the SDG did not accept integrating into the Damascus administration. At the hours when Maduro was being abducted, a Damascus-SDG table was set up again under the management of a US commander, but before the terrorists even went to Damascus, they issued a challenge: “The SDG and decentralization are our red lines.”

The result? It was reported that no agreement could be reached, that a 3-month extension decision was put on the table, and that the establishment of a joint committee consisting of Syria, Turkey, the US, and the SDG was on the agenda. AKP member Şamil Tayyar himself announced that the terrorist organization was “making unimaginable demands” and emphasized that “the process is working against Turkey.”

So, Selvi’s path is not the right one!..

Indeed, former AKP deputy and Karar columnist Mehmet Ocaktan, while describing what was done to Maduro, asked: “Frankly, it is impossible not to be worried when thinking about what Trump might do from now on, especially regarding our region. For example, if he comes out tomorrow and says, ‘We are creating a new structure in Syria, the SDG gave us great support in the destruction of ISIS, Turkey should stay away from the SDG,’ does anyone know what policy we will follow?”

WAITING FOR 'LAW' FOR HALKBANK

As for Erdoğan’s stance; in the statement he made after Friday prayers while there were hours left until Maduro’s abduction, he announced that he would have the opportunity to discuss “issues between Russia and Ukraine and Palestine” with Trump on Monday.

In an interview he gave to the US-based Bloomberg before the meeting, he spoke of returning to the F-35 program, the Russia-Ukraine issue, the International Stabilization Force planned to be established in Gaza, and focusing on American LNG in the energy sector, and said regarding the Halkbank case, “We hope that we will reach a fair result that is completely in accordance with the law.”

Note that Syria and the PKK/YPG/SDG were not mentioned in either statement.

Finally, after the Cabinet meeting the other day, he sufficed with saying that they would “continue the terror-free Turkey process with determination.”

While touching upon the “regrettable incident” in Venezuela, he said that they “do not approve of any action that violates political legitimacy and international law anywhere in the world,” and that they are “striving to do what is best and right for the people of Venezuela.” Along with this, he attacked the CHP, explaining that “they stand tall everywhere, but do not act arrogantly,” that “they will not fall for ugly provocations because they have an egg basket on their backs,” and that “they conduct both domestic and foreign policy with principles, reason, and conscience.”

Regarding his meeting with Trump, he said, “We conveyed our country’s sensitivities to him. We underlined that Venezuela should not be dragged into instability.”

When the man has trampled on international law and the country’s sovereign rights, and has announced that they will govern Venezuela, what sensitivities and what dragging into instability? Leaving these aside, let alone Maduro, what kind of state is it to not even be able to ask for his wife to be released?!

We were going to remind them that women are not touched even in war; but Salih Tuna from the government’s newspaper Sabah wrote something even harsher, saying, “Even the mafia doesn't touch women”!..

DIVISION OF LABOR OR DISAGREEMENT?

While the government pursues a policy of appeasement towards Trump, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli compared what happened in Venezuela to the July 15 coup attempt while it was still fresh.

And yet, the main reason Bahçeli became Erdoğan’s staunch defender and partner, despite being at each other’s throats for years, was July 15. However, interestingly, Erdoğan and the AKP members did not even come close to mentioning July 15!..

Bahçeli, in his group meeting yesterday, repeated the July 15 comparison and, by hardening his rhetoric even further, described what was done to Maduro as “banditry, piracy, kidnapping,” and condemned and cursed it... Moreover, he demanded that the US Congress intervene immediately to take decisions that would end these actions by Trump, that Maduro be returned to his country, and that the free world stand up against the US imposition, saying, “Otherwise, today’s silence and timidity will brew and become the lever for terrible events in the future... A person dies only once, and it should be with honor. Cowards die every day, but those who are men of their word die only once.” He also pointed out that the SDG/YPG has fallen into line with Israel and that Mazlum Abdi gives the appearance of “preparing to take the place of the PKK’s founding leadership,” and emphasized that “the unitary structure, political and territorial integrity of Syria must be established either by agreement or by force.”

In short; he said everything that Erdoğan should have said.

If there is no division of labor in the form of “good cop, bad cop” against Trump, it means there is a serious disagreement between the partners.

Let’s see if Erdoğan will give Bahçeli a foreign policy lesson as well, just like he did to Özgür Özel, with the words, “We have an egg basket on our backs.”?!