Warning the U.S. not to mess with Turkey’s economy, 64-year-old President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted that his country could replace the U.S. with the Russian Federation. Erdogan looks desperately to blame the U.S. for Turkey’s currency crisis, watching the Turkish Lira lose nearly 50% in the last years to the U.S. dollar. Trump applied sanctions on Turkish officials Aug. 1 for incarcerating an American evangelist, charging him with spying against the Turkish state. But Turkey’s currency crisis precedes recent U.S. sanctions, stemming more from the martial law imposed by Erdogan after the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt. Erdogan’s response to the coup, ordering mass arrests and purges in Turkey’s government and elsewhere, was a widespread crack down on the Free Press and practically every other aspect of Turkish society, leaving investors gun-shy.
Erdogan’s bold public remarks blaming the U.S. for Turkey’s economic woes accomplishes the kind of diversion needed to avoid public blame. Most Turks think that Trump can waive a magic wand and tank the Turkish economy. Erdogan doesn’t want to take any responsibility for Turkey economic woes, conveniently blaming the U.S. Telling Trump to respect Turkey sovereignty “before it is too late,” Erdogan continues to blow smoke to avoid any blame. But if one look at Turkey’s economy under Erdogan, it’s no longer a business-friendly environment, driving Western businesses away. When you consider life after the July 15, 2015 coup, it’s one of suspicion and paranoia, believing that outside influences tried to topple Erdogan’s Islamic government. Erdogan knows how to toss around the propaganda, leaving ordinary Turks in the dark about the Turkish economy.
When you consider that most Turkish citizens get their news from only government sources, it’s no wonder that average Turks blame the U.S. for Turkey’s economic woes. “Washington must give up the misguided notion that our relationship can be asymmetrical and come to terms with the fact that Turkey has alternatives,” said Erdogan. Turkey’s been at odds with a Russia over the last seven-years, backing a Saudi-funded proxy war in Syria to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. When Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet Nov. 24, 2015, Turkey-Russian relations almost came to blows. Yet Erdogan, a member of NATO, now threatens Trump to joining force with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Failure to reverse this trend of. Unilateralism will require us to start looking for new friends and allies,” said Erdogan, showing he has zero loyalty to NATO or the U.S.
Erdogan’s threats divert attention away from his brutal post-coup crackdown, driving Western businesses out of Turkey. Dismantling Turkey’s free press, Erdogan no longer meets the criteria to join the European Union. With the EU no longer viable, Erdogan’s free to shop around Turkey’s military needs to the Russian Federation and China. Considering a multi-billion dollar purchase of Russian S-400 air defenses, Turkey’s put Trump on notice that he’s leaning toward Moscow. “Our relations are not good at this time,” said Trump, referring to Erdogan’s incarceration of U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson. Raising U.S. steel tariffs by 11%, caused the Turkish stock and currency markets to swoon. “If they have their dollar, we have the people, we have Allah,” Erdogan said, pandering to his Islamic base, blaming the U.S. for Turkey’s current economic woes.
Erdogan knows how to toss around the propaganda.. “It is wrong to dare bring Turkey to its knees through threats over a pastor,” Erdogan said, urging Trump to reconsider sanctions against Turkey. Instead of admitting his post-coup martial laws has driven away Western businesses, Erdogan blames to Washington. “I am calling on those in America again. Shame on you, shame on you. You are exchanging you strategic partner in NATO for a priest,” referring to Brunson. Erdogan despises Turmp’s backing of the Kurd’s YPG militia that he used to help defeat ISIS. Erdogan considers all Kurds the enemy of Turkey. “We have no made concessions on justice so far, and we will never make any,” said Erdogan, referring to resolving the Brunson case. Erdogan blamed the U.S. for not extraditing 76-year-old exiled Pennsylvania-based Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen, blaming him for the coup.
Jumping all over the U.S. and Turkey, Iran opened the door to closer ties with Ankara. Erdogan promised to develop alternative economic alliances with “Iran, to Russia, to China and European countries,” to spite Trump. Taking a cheap shot at the U.S., Iran’s 56-year-old U.S.-educated Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.chimed in on the issue. Trump’s “jubilation in inflicting economic hardship on its NATO ally Turkey is shameful.” Since Trump bailed out of the Iranian Nuke Deal May 8, Zarif’s been slamming Trump, looking for ways to retaliate against the White House. Whatever’s wrong with the Turkish economy, it has little to do with Trump’s sanctions. Repressing dissent, persecuting alleged enemies, wrecking Turkey’s Free Press, Erdogan’s inflicted plenty of damage on Tureky’s fragile economy. Threatening Trump won’t win Turkey points anytime soon.
