US Ambassador to Ankara and former Turkish MP warn: "US interests in the region are in jeopardy"
Netanyahu, Trump, Putin and Erdogan
Photography:
Reuters, EPI, AFP and IPI
The Middle East has undergone extraordinary changes in the past year, and not just because of the corona virus.
Arab countries that no longer hide their aspirations for normalization with Israel, the Turkish presence in Syria, and the recent decision to withdraw American forces from Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia - all indicate that the entire region is expected to undergo further changes very soon.
In an article published today (Tuesday) in the Fund for the Protection of Democracies (FDD), entitled "American interests in the eastern Mediterranean", the authors - former US Ambassador to Turkey Arik Edelman and former Turkish MP Aiken Ardmir - deal with US influence in the region. , And in what ways Washington should change the way they conduct themselves.
According to them, the mistakes began with the conduct of the Obama administration, which chose to turn its attention to the east - and transmitted to the countries of the region that it leaves them to deal with on their own.
To this was added the withdrawal of forces from Syria that deepened this feeling.
Photo: Foundation for the Protection of Democracies (FDD)
In their view, the US should soon establish a coherent strategic vision for the Middle East, for two main reasons. The first of which is a growing list of countries and organizations that are not a country that has filled the void in the region - and poses a direct threat to both the US and its allies. In the area.
The second reason concerns Turkey.
Edelman and Armedmir say that "Turkey under Erdogan has become not only a threat to Cyprus, Egypt, Greece and Israel, but also a threat to US ambitions to develop energy sources in the region, in a way that will reduce European countries' dependence on Russian natural gas."
At the same time, Moscow is making good use of the Syrian civil war.
"The war has allowed Russia and Iran to expand their presence in the territories controlled by the Assad regime," the authors note, emphasizing that "the Russian military's anti-aircraft batteries, located on Syria's coastline, endanger the United States and its allies."
Joint patrol of Russian and Turkish armies in Syria / Photo: AFP
Edelman and Ardmir, who are well acquainted with the Middle East, warn of Iran's "proxy network" expansion north of Israel, which includes Hezbollah alongside other pro-Iranian militias, "which helped Iran gain a land bridge to the Mediterranean."
The two authors warn that the supply of Iranian weapons to Hezbollah could become a breach of balance in the region, and "could lead Israel to launch a major military operation in Lebanon, one that could turn into a wider war with the Iranians as well."
Further cooperation between the country and terrorist organizations is coming, according to Edelman and Ardmir, from Turkey.
"The transfer of Syrian jihadists to Libya illustrates the great difficulty in dealing with non-state actors, who receive assistance from the state," the two say.
Last Friday, the US Congress approved sanctions on Turkey, but unlike those imposed abundantly on Iran - for which President Donald Trump is expected to oppose.
The same sanctions on Ankara have several different factors.
First and foremost, the acquisition of S-400 air defense systems from Russia.
Beyond that, Turkey's forceful conduct in the eastern Mediterranean, sending mercenaries to Libya, and sponsoring the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas - all severely hurt the way Turkey is perceived outwardly.
"Erdogan's Turkey is becoming a bigger part of the overall problem," the former US ambassador and former Turkish MP explained, "its presence in the NATO alliance is also problematic."
Soldiers of the Revolutionary Guards / Photo: AFP
The authors of the article concluded that similar to the Cold War era, "the eastern Mediterranean is re-emerging as the main arena of struggle between the powers."
A week and a half ago, Israel Today reported on an offer by Erdogan's associate, Admiral Jihat Yaiji, for a maritime border with Israel.
Regarding the issue of natural resources, the authors of the article noted that "they are many, and have many effects on freedom of movement in the eastern Mediterranean and on the balance of power in the region."
Nevertheless, Edelman and Aradmir also find opportunities in the proliferation of natural gas reserves for the United States. American encouragement for regional energy cooperation, led by Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz with Cyprus and Greece, is an excellent tool, in the opinion of the two, to strengthen American interests. They call for the expansion of the US military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, and in the diplomatic pan - to appoint a special US envoy to the region who will cooperate with the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, and even encourage joint naval exercises.
American F-16s at Ingirlik base in Turkey / Photo: GettyImages
Meanwhile, another significant point in the relationship between Ankara and Washington is the "Ingerlik" air base in southern Turkey, where American forces are also stationed.
"The United States should prepare plans for options beyond other bases," Edelman and Armedmir recommend. They conclude that "failure of American conduct in the eastern Mediterranean will have dire consequences in the region, in Europe and in the United States itself."
