On Wednesday Hurriyet published an article by Yusuf Kanli headlined 'The cost is increasing' devoted to the Tuekey's line on Syrian crisis.
"Will the Syria civil war end within the next few weeks, before the winter sets in? According to Turkey’s policy planners, the days of the Baathist regime of Syria have always been numbered and the fall has always been coming in a very short period of time. Somehow, the same policy planners have been making almost identical forecasts for the past 18 months of the Syrian tragedy.," the article reads.
"Obviously, such shortsighted and unrealistic assessments unfortunately lack reason and logic, but they are all based on the emotional great expectations of the Sunni local collaborators in the “Arab Spring” phase of the Greater Middle East and North Africa conspiracy. With tales of moving on to democracy in the region having been set on fire, dictatorships are being replaced with replacement totalitarian regimes, this time enforced with theocratic Muslim brotherhood mentality," the author says.
"What indeed has been the cost of the “Arab Spring” on the Turkish treasury, putting aside the billions lost in direct trade, as well as trade through the troubled territories with third countries? Spending 300 million dollars on refugees and other “humanitarian” assistance to Syrian rebels, is of course peanuts for an economy like Turkey. Besides, through many discreet ways, the Saudi, Qatari and American friends of Turkey were probably assisting Ankara."
"The real cost, however, is not the money spent, but rather the spillover effects on the Turkish economy, stability, security and territorial, national integrity. Turks are fed up with news of scores of sons falling victim to separatist terrorism every other day. Concerns are increasing about the day-after impacts, irrespective of what course Syria developments eventually might take. Will Syria and Iraq manage to preserve their integrity? What will happen to Iran? Will Turkey manage to preserve its integrity in the midst of such volatility in the region?" the author wonders
"Bashing Davutoğlu has become a fashion. However, was Davutoğlu alone in drafting and implementing the failed policies that rightfully earned him the “worst-ever Turkish foreign minister” title? Should Turkey sacrifice him and continue on the adventure? Would it make any difference?"
"The time, perhaps, has come to make a realistic cost analysis and set Turkish foreign policy on a new course," he concludes.
