Foreign Soldiers to Turkey, Mehmetçik to Gaza, Is That So?!

Our "strategic ally" and partner in NATO, the US, shot down our UAV in Syria. As if that were not enough, it did not consider our "world leader" a counterpart in the Palestine-Israel conflict. Naturally, a very angry Erdoğan has been lashing out at the US for a week. Along with this, he is asking various questions and demanding an "explanation."

Here is a selection from those statements:

"In the latest operation, we experienced the biggest problem with our ally that supports the terrorist organization under the pretext of DAESH... There is no doubt that this incident has been recorded in our national memory, and when the time comes, the necessary action will certainly be taken."

"What is an American aircraft carrier doing in Israel, what is it coming to do?.. It will take steps toward very serious massacres there by striking and leveling the entire Gaza and its surroundings."

"Today, America has over 20 bases in Syria. What are America's bases doing in Syria? What is being done with these bases? Doesn't all of this need to be evaluated?.. While America is shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle, isn't this Turkey currently a partner of America in NATO? Aren't we together? How are we going to explain this?"

"Mr. America, for heaven's sake, where is America; where are the Mediterranean, Israel, and Palestine? What business do you have there?.. Think about it, there is a mentality that has lost its discernment to the point of shooting down a Turkish UAV while it is fighting terrorism."

Don't Ask the US, Ask Yourselves... And Explain It to the Nation

Look at the situation; they have been governing the country for 21 years, it is claimed that he is 'the most experienced leader in the world' and that 'no table can be set without him'; yet they act as if the US has betrayed our country for the first time or failed to keep its promises, asking these questions and demanding explanations.

Aren't they the ones who should know the answers to the questions they pose—that is, what the US wants to do in our region—better than anyone else, and who should explain what is happening to our nation? If they don't know, it's grave; if they do know but are still saying 'I'll both cry and go' with these discourses, it's even graver!..

Two days ago, at his meeting with TÜGVA, he spoke of the state of 'our brothers in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya,' and said that they 'have tried to stop oppression wherever it exists and to be a balm for every bleeding wound.'

Well then, who was it that supported the invasion of Iraq, ordered 100,000 tents in Syria before the civil war even began, subsequently called NATO to duty, and never once asked, 'What is the US doing here?' Yes, we saw the roar of 'What is NATO doing in Libya?' But we also saw that we participated in the invasion of Libya with Turkish ships immediately afterward!..

WHAT WAS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER DOING IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN?

What is the US aircraft carrier doing in Israel!..

If only, when the US decided to arm the Greek Cypriot administration;

When it was proudly announced that the USS Mount Whitney ship visited Istanbul in August, that we conducted exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean with the aircraft carrier USS GERALD R. FORD, when a reception was held for high-level officials and TSK personnel on the USS Mount Whitney, and when Selçuk Bayraktar was invited to that aircraft carrier; if only someone had asked, 'What are US ships doing in the Eastern Mediterranean?'...

Lest we forget; there is also the US deployment in Alexandroupoli, right under our noses, which should be demilitarized according to the Treaty of Lausanne. Erdoğan first, 'A planned program that the US has been carrying out since 2014' made the statement... 3 months later, he said he told Biden and Macron, 'What is this Alexandroupoli incident? The establishment of such a base here seriously disturbs us and our people.'... Despite this, the then-Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar, 'The US is not there against us. What we see at the moment is that these are developments for exercise purposes' made the assessment.

The result? The US has settled in here thoroughly; but now, there is no one left to ask, 'What are you doing in Alexandroupoli?'...

FROM WHERE TO WHERE IN 1 MONTH?

You know the development that followed the US shooting down our UAV. While President Biden extended the state of emergency regarding Syria for another year, he accused Turkey of "threatening the peace, security, and stability of the region" due to its operations against the PKK/YPG.

Erdoğan reacted to this accusation with the words: "The activities that America conducts in this country with the Syrian extensions of the PKK constitute an extraordinary threat to Turkey's national security... We have a security problem between us."

Let's look at the statements Erdoğan made in New York, where he went for the UN Summit last month. Explaining that they have not given any breathing room to DAESH, FETÖ, and the PKK, he said exactly the following:

- "There are some interest groups acting to poison Turkish-American relations. We will put a stop to them by telling the truth, by being a good example, and by representing Turkey and the Turkish nation as they deserve."

- "There can always be differences of opinion in relations between states; this is normal. However, we also know that there are more common denominators and that there are many windows of opportunity to be opened in this vein."

- "In our meetings with Mr. Biden, we have overcome a significant portion of the bottlenecks and decided to increase our contacts within the framework of a positive agenda. We will strengthen our cooperation on terrorism, which is a source of threat for both countries."

Have we seen where the "normal" so-called "differences of opinion" have led? The US is an "extraordinary threat to our national security." Well, did this happen in 15 days?

I hope these words will not be forgotten when Biden makes a phone call regarding the Palestine-Israel war or when Turkey is included in Secretary of State Blinken's visit schedule!..

THE 'FOREIGN SOLDIER' CONTRADICTION OF AKP AND MHP

Last week, the agenda of the political parties included the Syria-Iraq mandate, which will be discussed in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in the coming days.

Before the group meetings, we wrote about who was meant by the term 'foreign soldier' in the mandate, based on the debates in 2021. According to official statements, what was meant was the 'International Coalition Against ISIS,' which is under US guidance, multinational, and even includes Turkey.

We pointed out that this coalition protects, watches over, and trains the PKK/YPG in Syria, and most recently, when they shot down our UAV, 'We always reserve our inherent right to self-defense when we encounter threats that endanger our forces' they issued a threat in this manner.

However, we saw that neither MHP leader Bahçeli, who defended the mandate with all his might, nor CHP Chairman Kılıçdaroğlu, who asked about the mandate, 'I do not want the boots of foreign soldiers to touch Turkish soil... Who are these foreign soldiers?', understood this glaring contradiction.

Think about it; on one hand, it is declared that the US has become our "national security problem," while on the other hand, under the guise of "fighting against DAESH," propaganda is being made for a motion that will pave the way for all kinds of foreign soldiers, primarily from the US, to come to our country, and those who oppose it are called "traitors." Those who oppose it cannot even point out this contradiction and explain their concerns!..

"MEHMETÇİK IS READY FOR GAZA" APPARENTLY

The day before yesterday, there was a press briefing at the Ministry of National Defense. Press and Public Relations Advisor Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk made assessments regarding current developments.

There has been a pattern for some time: official statements are conveyed through the mouth of Rear Admiral Aktürk, but on critical issues, they are attributed to "MSB sources."

It was the same in the last meeting. For example, while Pentagon Spokesperson General Pat Ryder was loudly explaining that the US had shot down our UAV, the information that the US plane that carried out the attack did not take off from Incirlik but from Jordan was provided based on "MSB sources."

Hooray; it didn't take off from Incirlik, but from Jordan... As if it would have been better if it had taken off from Incirlik!..

More importantly, the pro-government newspaper Yeni Şafak, while reporting the MSB sources' statement that "the TSK is ready to carry out tasks assigned for the delivery of aid in line with directives to be given by the President," used the following headline:

"Mehmetçik ready for Gaza: A striking message from MSB sources"

As in many of our provinces, slogans of "Mehmetçik to Gaza" were chanted at the rally held yesterday in Beyazıt Square to support the Palestinians.

Go ahead, here is another question that truly requires an explanation:

Foreign soldiers will come to our country to fight against DAESH, and the Mehmetçik will go to Gaza, is that so?!

Müyesser YILDIZ

October 14, 2023