U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said at the Global Security Forum held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, that he considers the possibility of a direct military conflict between Turkey and Israel to be low.
While warning that miscalculations in the region could lead to serious consequences, Barrack stated, "I believe Israel is smart enough not to enter into a real conflict with Turkey."
The U.S. diplomat also touched upon the attack carried out by Israel on an airbase in Syria near the Turkish border. Barrack noted that neither Turkey nor the U.S. had been informed in advance about the deployment of Israeli warplanes to the region.
Turkey was not informed about the arrival of Israeli warplanes. We were not informed either. Turkey could have sent its own warplanes very quickly, and we could have suddenly found ourselves in a completely different situation.
Barrack expressed that neither country wants a direct conflict, assessing, "I don't think Israel wants this, and I know Turkey doesn't want it either." The U.S. diplomat emphasized that for this reason, communication and coordination mechanisms for military activity in the region have become more important.
U.S. REGIONAL POLICY
Barrack's remarks also highlighted his assessments regarding the U.S. role in West Asia. Stating that Washington has attempted to shape the internal politics and administrations of regional countries in the past, Barrack argued that this approach must now change.
Recalling interventions in Libya, Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq, Barrack used the expression, "The U.S. is no longer the master of the world." Stating that Washington will not withdraw from the region but does not aim to establish control over other countries, Barrack said, "The issue is not to control, but not to leave the region. We will not leave."
The U.S. diplomat expressed that interventions aimed at changing governments or regimes have not provided the expected stability. Criticizing past policies, Barrack said, "Whenever we try to intervene, to change a person or a regime, it is seen that this is a mistake."
Touching on the Iran topic, Barrack said that the U.S. wants to reach a peace agreement with Tehran, but the crisis of confidence between the parties complicates the diplomatic process. Stating, "The Revolutionary Guards do not trust the U.S. And the U.S. does not trust the Revolutionary Guards," Barrack expressed that a resolution to the tension in the Strait of Hormuz could pave the way for a more comprehensive agreement.
Regarding the agreement reached in Islamabad in June that could not be implemented, Barrack said, "We don't need to start over." Stating that a possible solution should not be limited to just reducing military tension, Barrack made the assessment, "The only solution is prosperity."
The attack carried out by Israel on the Abu al-Duhur Airbase in Syria on August 18 had increased concerns regarding the risk of a direct military encounter between Turkey and Israel. The Washington administration had announced that it was making initiatives to establish a military coordination mechanism between the parties to prevent similar incidents.
News Source: 12punto
