Mayor Bloomberg: Erdogan’s “Diaries” Are Not Just About Gas | WORLD



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In his analysis, the American Bloomberg describes how Recep Tayyip Erdogan aspires to make Turkey a regional Muslim power that will “compete” even with such powers as the EU, the United States and Russia.

The dispute over natural resources in the eastern Mediterranean has recently attracted international attention not only from Turkey, but also from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel who claim a stake in one of the most “populated” areas of the sea. worldwide. However, the root of the tension runs deeper, the post notes.

Turkey is rapidly arming itself at sea

Through the rapid development of Turkey’s navy, Erdogan aims to make the country a regional Muslim power capable of taking on Europe, Russia and the United States “head to head.” Something for which he was strongly criticized on Monday by the country’s opposition.

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In some ways, Turkey has increased domestic production of ships and submarines, and the Navy has helped Erdogan successfully deploy power abroad, raising concerns in the eastern Mediterranean, Bloomberg reports.

Larger frigates are being built, as is a 27,000-ton aircraft carrier that is expected to be delivered to the Turkish Navy next year. “Behind the curtain is a much more pressing issue, the idea that Turkey is the greatest power in the Eastern Mediterranean and should be treated as such,” the Turkish Naval Academy professor of National Security and navigation expert told Bloomberg. . from California, Ryan Ginger.

“He believes that he is surrounded by enemies and rivals and will use force to support himself, precisely because he can.”

Erdogan’s war goal for the sea

The Turkish president had set a goal for 2023, the centenary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey, so that the country can produce the weapons it needs on its own. Therefore, there is an explosion in the construction of warships in Turkey, as part of a broader development of the war industry – from warships to helicopters and drones of war – in the context of “strategic independence” from the country of western suppliers.

However, the dream of arms independence, according to Bloomberg, is not very likely to come until 2023, on the one hand because Turkey is a troubled economy of $ 750 billion that will hardly be able to lift the burden on the company and on the other. side. as the EU threatens sanctions for Turkey’s activities in the region.

Turkey bows to … behead Greece at sea

However, under Turkey’s military plans, the Turkish navy will soon overtake its main rival, Greece, which has long been considered the strongest power in the eastern Mediterranean, according to the US publication.

In his graph, Bloomberg captures the naval power of Greece and Turkey today, but also how it is expected to change based on the armament design of the two countries. In it, in addition to the aircraft carrier, between 2022 and 2027 Turkey prepares another 6 submarines (it has 12, compared to the 11 that our country has), 4 destroyers (Greece has none) and 4 frigates that will be added to the 20 it has. they already exist (Greece has 11 and is in negotiations to supply 2 more, according to Bloomberg).

According to the Bloomberg article, the Greek Defense and Navigation Ministries declined to comment on this article.

The table with the warships of Greece and Turkey.
The table with the warships of Greece and Turkey.

Turkey’s activities sparked reactions from the United States and France

“Turkey will get its fair share in the Mediterranean, the Aegean and the Black Sea,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech on the anniversary of Manzikert on August 26, when the Seljuk Turks’ first victory over the Turks took place. in 1071 AD

The Bloomberg article describes Turkey’s activities in the region, which provoked the reaction of several countries, citing as an example the partial lifting of the US arms embargo on Cyprus, but also the flights of French Rafale fighters in the region from an air base on the Greek Cypriot side.

“What we really need to be concerned with is developing a dynamic in which Turkey is beginning to follow in China’s footsteps,” said Hugo Desi, a maritime research analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. In this context, the risk of escalation of a hot episode between Greece and Turkey increases.



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