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The change in White House residents in the recent past has not caused much excitement and concern around the world. This situation is probably due to the fact that a president with no political background entered the ranks of political presidents.
The Trump presidency was a different experience for the world than it was for the United States.
The election of Joe Biden, President Obama’s deputy, has caused a kind of cold panic in many parts of the world, especially in the Middle East. Or to put it another way, many have pretended to panic.
Among the wary countries are two allies, the dictatorial Egypt and the monarchical Saudi Arabia. On the other side is Turkey. What is Turkey’s concern about Biden, even if the Egypt-Arabia issue is not being discussed at this time?
There are good reasons for Turkey’s concern over Biden. During the Obama administration, relations between the United States and Turkey were tense. One of the reasons was the problem in Syria.
Turkey and the United States have worked together since the beginning of the Arab Spring in Syria. But when ISIS prevails, the United States uses the Kurds.
Meanwhile, the Kurdish armed group PKK is considered a terrorist group in the eyes of Turkey. Turkey’s deep conviction that the United States was behind the failed 2016 coup attempt.
Furthermore, Turkey believes that the CIA is also behind the subversive activities of Kurdish armed groups in various parts of Turkey, including Ankara and Istanbul, towards the end of the Obama administration.
During the Trump administration, US relations with Turkey improved, but they were not warm, but labor relations were established. Therefore, the United States has not effectively blocked Turkey’s anti-PKK campaign in northern Syria.
However, the purchase of the S-400 from Russia created tension. However, despite pressure from Congress, Trump has not imposed any sanctions on Turkey over the issue.
The Obama administration’s second-in-command after Trump is likely to return to controversy. Biden didn’t hide it.
He spoke of plans to expel Erdogan (albeit a year earlier). That is why he has called for the strengthening of the opposition, including the Kurdish party.
He also criticized the conversion of Aya Sophia into a mosque. Biden has criticized Turkey for openly supporting Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh war and its conflict with Greece over natural resources in the Mediterranean.
After becoming president, Biden may not speak the above language in public. But it is clear that his foreign agenda will include plans to surround Erdogan.
According to a source, Turkey will be his seventh foreign agenda. The implementation of this policy can be seen in March.
There are a lot of anti-Turkish people in the US administration, especially in Congress. So far, Trump has ignored pressure from the House and has helped Turkey. Now, if the White House agrees with Congress, there will be very few people in the US administration to speak on behalf of Turkey.
A review of the reasons for the conflict between the United States and Turkey would seem trivial. Actually, so be it. The reasons behind this are different. For many years, Turkey did not exercise such independence.
Erdogan is now pursuing independence and extroversion. It is impossible for the United States to accept that such an independent ruler would rule a vast country in Europe and Asia.
What will Biden do a year ago? Sanctions, cooperation with the Kurds in armed activities, strengthening of the opposition and removal of Erdogan?
You can take some action, such as imposing penalties. Taxes on some Turkish products also increased during the Trump era. You can take those steps totka.
But will Biden take steps to change the regime in Turkey? You must have thought about it many times before. The attempted coup in Turkey has failed. The country is not like Iraq or Libya. Turkey, a member of NATO, is somewhat pro-Russian.
Will Biden take steps to speed up Turkey’s trip to Russia?
External accusations of human rights abuses, restriction of freedom of expression, political repression, and the murder of democracy, which the United States generally removes from one country’s government, can be directed against many more countries in the Middle East.
Biden himself called for MBS to be punished for killing journalist Khashoggi. Will you take the initiative to change the regime in those countries?
The answer to this question will be found in time. However, the naked dichotomy in US foreign policy during Biden’s tenure is unlikely to be addressed.
Author: Dr. Zubair Muhammad Ehsanul Haque, Professor, Department of Arabic, University of Dhaka
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