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Eurasia Review: a review of Turkish and Iranian roles in the region
http://times.am/?l=en&p=8876
Eurasia Review wrote a large article about the Turkish regional policy and
its relations with the neighbors.
''With American clout in the Middle East on the decline, the historic power
struggle between Turkey and Iran has intensified, each attempting to fill
the vacuum in the region by expanding its influence. Syria and Iraq have
become the battlefields between Turkey and Iran. In Syria, a proxy war is
underway, with Iran supplying weapons to its Alawite client and Turkey
actively arming the opposition. In Iraq, Turkey and Iran vie for political
influence along Sunni-Shiite fault lines. In neither arena is Turkey seen
as the regional leader it aspires to be. The US withdrawal from Iraq, and
its corresponding decline in regional influence, has left a power vacuum in
the Middle East. Two historic rivals, Turkey and Iran, have stepped into
the fray; each hoping to extend its influence at the expense of the other.
With Syria and Iraq serving as the battlefields, the lines of battle have
been drawn mostly along Sunni-Shiite sectarian divisions.
In Syria, where the Sunni majority is struggling to overthrow the Alawite
Assad regime, Turkish-Iranian differences can have dire consequences for
Arab lives. A proxy war has effectively developed, with the Iranians
supplying weapons to their Alawite clients and Turkey actively arming the
opposition.
The victims of the recent massacre in Houla, who numbered more than 100,
half of whom were children, served as pawns in the regional game between
the ancient rivals. Tehran sided with the Assad regime in claiming that the
murders were perpetrated by terrorists and foreign forces. Whereas Ankara
demanded that Syria withdraw its diplomats from Turkey within 72 hours. The
Turkish foreign ministry also threatened to take further `measures' if
such
crimes against humanity continued in Syria.
In contrast with the Syrian scenes of carnage, the Turkish-Iranian showdown
in Iraq includes less bloodshed and more political maneuvering. Ankara and
Tehran each has its favored political groups and personalities. The pro-
Iran Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the pro-Turkish Sunni Vice
President Tarek Hashimi each serves as a respective `man in Baghdad.'
Under pressure from the Iran-aligned Maliki, an arrest warrant was issued
for Hashimi on charges of running death squads against Iraqi Shiites.
Interpol subsequently issued its own arrest warrant for Hashimi. However,
the erstwhile vice prime minister has found refuge in Turkey, and Ankara
has made clear that it is not about to hand over its man in Baghdad.
Clearly, a Cold War has developed between Turkey and Iran in the Middle
East. While so far tensions have remained relatively stable, there is a
real possibility of things hearing up'', the article writes and then refers
to the situation separately in Syria and Iraq.
''Adherents of the Turkish foreign policy doctrine, the so-called Davutoglu
Doctrine, wish to see Turkey as the rising star of the region; as the
leader of a regional `spring.' Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu has
declared that, `Turkey will lead the change in the Middle East as its
master and servant.'
However, in Syria and Iraq the `Arab Spring' has turned into the sectarian
winter of the Islamic world, with Turkey as a problematic protagonist, not
a leader. Early on, Davutoglu promoted a 'zero problems with neighbors'
foreign policy, which aimed to enhance Turkey's power in the historical
Ottoman territories and promote integration for making national borders
meaningless -all in an attempt to restore Turkish (Ottoman) regional
hegemony. Yet Turkey's involvement in Shiite-Sunni conflicts renders this
doctrine an unattainable utopia. None of the local players see Turkey as
the regional leader it aspires to be'', the article concludes.
The whole article can be found
here
.
http://www.eurasiareview.com/21062012-the-cold-war-between-turkey-and-iran-analysis/
22.06.12, 11:15
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://times.am/?l=en&p=8876
Eurasia Review wrote a large article about the Turkish regional policy and
its relations with the neighbors.
''With American clout in the Middle East on the decline, the historic power
struggle between Turkey and Iran has intensified, each attempting to fill
the vacuum in the region by expanding its influence. Syria and Iraq have
become the battlefields between Turkey and Iran. In Syria, a proxy war is
underway, with Iran supplying weapons to its Alawite client and Turkey
actively arming the opposition. In Iraq, Turkey and Iran vie for political
influence along Sunni-Shiite fault lines. In neither arena is Turkey seen
as the regional leader it aspires to be. The US withdrawal from Iraq, and
its corresponding decline in regional influence, has left a power vacuum in
the Middle East. Two historic rivals, Turkey and Iran, have stepped into
the fray; each hoping to extend its influence at the expense of the other.
With Syria and Iraq serving as the battlefields, the lines of battle have
been drawn mostly along Sunni-Shiite sectarian divisions.
In Syria, where the Sunni majority is struggling to overthrow the Alawite
Assad regime, Turkish-Iranian differences can have dire consequences for
Arab lives. A proxy war has effectively developed, with the Iranians
supplying weapons to their Alawite clients and Turkey actively arming the
opposition.
The victims of the recent massacre in Houla, who numbered more than 100,
half of whom were children, served as pawns in the regional game between
the ancient rivals. Tehran sided with the Assad regime in claiming that the
murders were perpetrated by terrorists and foreign forces. Whereas Ankara
demanded that Syria withdraw its diplomats from Turkey within 72 hours. The
Turkish foreign ministry also threatened to take further `measures' if
such
crimes against humanity continued in Syria.
In contrast with the Syrian scenes of carnage, the Turkish-Iranian showdown
in Iraq includes less bloodshed and more political maneuvering. Ankara and
Tehran each has its favored political groups and personalities. The pro-
Iran Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the pro-Turkish Sunni Vice
President Tarek Hashimi each serves as a respective `man in Baghdad.'
Under pressure from the Iran-aligned Maliki, an arrest warrant was issued
for Hashimi on charges of running death squads against Iraqi Shiites.
Interpol subsequently issued its own arrest warrant for Hashimi. However,
the erstwhile vice prime minister has found refuge in Turkey, and Ankara
has made clear that it is not about to hand over its man in Baghdad.
Clearly, a Cold War has developed between Turkey and Iran in the Middle
East. While so far tensions have remained relatively stable, there is a
real possibility of things hearing up'', the article writes and then refers
to the situation separately in Syria and Iraq.
''Adherents of the Turkish foreign policy doctrine, the so-called Davutoglu
Doctrine, wish to see Turkey as the rising star of the region; as the
leader of a regional `spring.' Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu has
declared that, `Turkey will lead the change in the Middle East as its
master and servant.'
However, in Syria and Iraq the `Arab Spring' has turned into the sectarian
winter of the Islamic world, with Turkey as a problematic protagonist, not
a leader. Early on, Davutoglu promoted a 'zero problems with neighbors'
foreign policy, which aimed to enhance Turkey's power in the historical
Ottoman territories and promote integration for making national borders
meaningless -all in an attempt to restore Turkish (Ottoman) regional
hegemony. Yet Turkey's involvement in Shiite-Sunni conflicts renders this
doctrine an unattainable utopia. None of the local players see Turkey as
the regional leader it aspires to be'', the article concludes.
The whole article can be found
here
.
http://www.eurasiareview.com/21062012-the-cold-war-between-turkey-and-iran-analysis/
22.06.12, 11:15
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress