Turkey

Comment: Strong, weak Erdogan

For the terrorist attack in Ankara, making Turkey the Syrian Kurds are responsible. Immediately, she has the fight on this Front intensified. Long term gains is more than questionable, writes Kersten Knipp.

If not of admiration, but the amazement aroused international the work of the Turkish police. Within hours, it has, according to his own statement made to the author of the deadly attack in Ankara to identify. It was the 1992-born Syrian Kurds, Salih N., the last spring in the Turkey traveled. The young man had Connections to the PYD, the Syrian Kurdenpartei with close ties to the PKK.

The astonishment, not to the admiration grows is due to the fact that clear evidence for the authorship of the young Syrers yet to be decided. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke of “information and Evidence”, decided not to but on this to explain in detail or even to present. At the same time, DISCLAIMED the PYD is any connection to the attack.

Erdogan has decided to

But impressed with the Turkish government little. Soon after the attack they started their so far heaviest attacks on the PYD areas around Aleppo.

Thus, Erdogan finally determined: Turkey fights from now on not so much the terror group “Islamic state”. They fought not so much the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad. Instead, fight them, especially the Syrian Kurds. That a state of their own in the immediate neighborhood of Turkey want to build, Ankara is an abomination. “We will never allow that at our southern border, a new Kandil” explains Erdogan last Wednesday. The Iraqi Kandil is the headquarters of the PKK.

Foreign Policy Consequences

The Turkey against the Kurds: The decision, which Erdogan now has taken will not, without the foreign and domestic consequences remain. With regard to foreign Affairs it is expected the relationship to the United States as well as Russia strain. Both hold the Hand over the YPG, the armed branch of the PYD. The YPG is both a valuable Partner in the fight against the IS.

DW-author Kersten Knipp

Such as Turkey, given these two protectors to be effective against the YPG wants to take action, remains a secret of the Turkish generals. Would Turkey, namely in Syria, invade, or even airplanes send there, would look immediately to the Russian military. Although the Turkish army in November proved that there are Russian Jets shoot down. But it is likely at this unique symbolic act to stay.

This has you already into the political led Off to the side: So the Syrian Kurds recently, a liaison office in Moscow. This hurts Turkey, and is looking forward to the Russian President, alone, to. In Putin, the cynic Erdogan, who until some time ago, nothing found, jihadists through Turkey to Syria, travel to, leave, obvious his grandmaster found. Putin’s planes dropping bombs last but not least, the YPG-fighters of the area, the free – the this that Kurdish state to incorporate the Erdogan necessarily, but, ultimately, probably in vain wants to prevent.

Domestic Risks

Even domestically, is Erdogan’s anti-Kurdish course not remain without consequences. Because in the Türei living Kurds will watch very closely how the President with their compatriots on the other side of the border deals. The PKK has the responsibility for the assassination in Ankara rejected. Your note, however, the attack was perhaps a “retaliation for the massacres in Kurdistan have been”, is a delicate hint of the extent to which the PKK in doubt to go already. In other words: It is a strong terrorist warning.

All this is doing Turkey no good. Less tourists coming into the country, the economy to Stall, the Inflation increases. Add to this the Syrian refugees, their acceptance in the Turkish population also decreases. All of this makes the domestic political pressure to increase. But Erdogan is doing outside – such as domestically, nothing to make him lower it.

The could him long to get in trouble. For the strong man that Erdogan wants to be, he is currently very, very weak. He needs a foreign policy Partner. This can only be the EU – the keywords refugees, for their part some of the requirements of the Turkey. Improving your Verhandlungschancen. For Turkey and the EU could be the cause of enhanced cooperation.

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