BY SEMIH IDIZ
AKSAM- Columnist Semih Idiz writes on Turkey’s northern Iraq policy. A summary of his column is as follows:
As a nation, we like to reinvent the wheel. This is one of our oddest habits. We like ‘rediscovering’ certain already known facts like they were new. Then we suddenly stir up a wave of indignation, as if we were facing these previously known facts for the first time.
Such is the case on the northern Iraq issue. We’re currently ‘rediscovering’ the fact that Washington doesn’t want us to unilaterally deploy our troops to Iraq. According to Ankara’s recent agreement with the US for $8.5 billion in loans, our government must cooperate with Washington in Iraq and furthermore musn’t unilaterally deploy troops into northern Iraq. What our Economy Minister Ali Babacan recently said on this issue was correct: This conditional loan isn’t a new issue for us. Washington has been clear on it since the very beginning of negotiations on Turkish troop deployments.
I’m not trying to say that the US is right in putting forward such conditions for its financial assistance. As a matter of fact, I believe that it’s very inconsistent for the US – which intervened unilaterally in Iraq heedless of worldwide opposition – to lecture Turkey on not making unilateral moves in the region. However, Washington has finally managed to cobble together a patchwork, token international coalition. But on the northern Iraq issue, our country stands completely alone. No other country believes that we have the right to unilaterally deploy our troops there. In the past, Washington turned a reluctant blind eye to Ankara’s cross-border military operations. ‘We understand your reasons, but your forces must withdraw as soon as possible,’ was what the US always said during such operations.
In addition, the European Union’s stance is no secret. There are even certain EU circles which contend Brussels should completely break off relations with Ankara in case of an intervention by our forces in northern Iraq. What about the Arab countries? In the past, the Arab League was always the first to reproach Ankara whenever our military held a cross-border operation. In brief, we’re all alone on this.
Under such circumstances, instead of getting angry at the world, it would be better for our government to consider the reasons behind our international isolation. Otherwise, no matter how great our indignation, eventually having to abandon our fiercely stated red lines is all but inevitable.