The Da'ish That is to be Served Cold

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Oct 20, 2014 at 13:44

History tells an intriguing story of the Turkish/American dichotomy in Middle Eastern politics; for even the term of Middle Eastern politics defies a truly rational description. The Turkish American relationship has fared well in the better times of the last part of the twentieth century, something that has been put to various tests of resolve as Turkey under Erdoǧan attempts to trample softly through the political quagmire of its own diffidence in Western/Middle Eastern relationships. Simple put; they are waiting for the 'moment.'

Politics in the Middle East is not politics as usual in the western concept of things, for politics in the modern democratic vernacular was antithetical to the Asian mindset of the powers of empires and satrapies and the like. Control for the Turkish of times past was of that type, of an oligarchic head that head the lives of its subjects within the influences of the kind that ISIS/ISIL/IS seeks to impose again under their version of shari'a. While Turkey was separated for its season of democracy, it never really left its influences of being 'ottoman' at heart. This is Erdoǧan's underlying aspiration; but he does not want ISIS/ISIL/IS to dictate the terms.

As bad as it can get there in the Syrian and Iraqi domains of contested territory, Turkey will be vigilant to make sure it does not go farther north and if that means to placate the ISIS/ISIL/IS until the right moment; then comes the next act of containment, if at all possible. Then Turkey will pull its strings to get the assistance that is thought to achieve the results Erdoǧan thinks he needs. Then the world will see just how powerful ISIS/ISIL/IS really is and whether Turkey can weather those results.

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