Erdogan And The Terrorism Quagmire

Cynical and impudent politics lead to grogginess and lack of balance, eventually leading to the inevitable fate of political obstinacy, particularly in a case such as Muslim Brotherhood party in Turkey, led by a group of extremists who consider themselves above the law and the wishes of the people who elected them.

After six months of large demonstrations challenging the policy of Justice and Development Party (AKP), which started mid-last year in Istanbul, and was followed by similar demonstrations rolling like a snowball to Turkey largest cities. There crowds were object to violent clashes for their protest against Erdogan’s Government and party arrogant policy, and were followed by another political storm, a larger and more violent and expounded one.

The unfolding money laundering scandal rocking Turkey’s political scene has serious implications for the geo-political landscape for years to come. Turkish police launched a campaign against suspects in money laundering operations and gold smuggling. Corruption operations that topped Turkey’s agenda and caused ministers’ resignations are continuing with focus on gold. Since three Turkish Ministers have resigned over their sons being taken into custody in the sweeping corruption and bribery scandal that has rattled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s allies and government. These events were followed by a sudden cabinet reshuffle, intended to control and bypass the events, but to no avail.

Nevertheless, the Turkish street has made his move and the political outgrowth of events have become larger to be covered by ministers’ resignations or cabinet reshuffle to satisfy the Turkish people.

As you might expect, PM Erdogan has denounced the corruption probe as a plot by foreign and Turkish forces to thwart his country’s growing prosperity, and discredit his government ahead of local elections in March 2014. He has accused “forces of darkness” to conspiring against him and against the future and stability of Turkey, threatening opponents of doom and destruction, non-recognizing the thundering scandal triggered by his son, which was associated to a Saudi businessman linked to al Qaeda, and the interconnection of those operations with terrorism funding and arm smuggling to Syria, in which Turkey has entangled itself as a result of Erdogan and his party reckless arrogant politics. Since he could not, despite his claims, deny his link nor his party link with the Saudi terrorist funding Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. 

Besides, those corruption scandals are only the tiniest examples of what did and is daily doing the AKP Government in supporting terrorists and weapons smuggling into Syria. The most recent were through aid trucks and ambulances, just days afore Erdogan’s government has laid off three hundred and fifty policemen and sacked police head department in 16 counties on the background of this scandal that has rocked the Turkish government .

The most remarkable is that Erdogan and his party – that was backed and marketed by the United States as a model of moderate political Islam, and considered as an example in the region to circulate its “futile” experience in ruling to Arab and Islamic countries- is today accusing the United States of being behind an international conspiracy seeking to destroy his reputation and undermine his party, as he claims.

This prompted the U.S. State Department spokeswoman to refute Erdogan’s claims of Washington planning the corruption and bribery scandal that hit Turkey since nearly three weeks, which repercussions are still coming chapter after chapter. Consequences having led to deterioration in Turkish political and parliamentary circles, have led to directing a broad of parliamentary queries to the President of the AKP Government about verified allegations regarding  the shipments of trucks belonging to the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), with weapons and ammunition to Syria, which gendarmes were prevented from inspecting. In addition to the  revelation of important documents about Erdogan and his government direct involvement in terrorism, which should be treated as evidence of Erdogan and his government  crime. All that refutes Turkish government claims that it did not officially open war on Syria. Therefore,  there is no significance of sending reports to the European capitals, alleging they deported 1,100 European who tried to sneak into Syria through Turkish territory to join al- Qaeda.

The AKP and Erdogan Government are immersed in the Syrian crisis and are supporting terrorism since the beginning of the events in Syria, having played the most dangerous role in the flow of terrorists and their weapons,  in addition to harboring and training them. Nonetheless, neither Erdogan nor his party will be able to evade from this fact, since all that happened was under official authorities knowledge, as weapons and insurgents transfer were overtly done under their support.  They caused disastrous outcomes because of arrogance and reckless politics pursued by Muslim Brotherhood Party Government in Turkey, which is a black mark in the history of Turkish foreign policy, and will only vanish with the exit of the AKP and Erdogan Government from power. Especially, after his popularity decline and the Turkish street and active political parties dissatisfaction with these policies, that have generated hatred and animosity, and brought terrorism to both Turkey and Syria, making Turkey’s economy reach a  bottleneck, that no more mollify the Turkish people.

Ahmed Orabi Baaj

Edited & translated by: Lama Al-Hassanieh