Page 52 - 15SEPT2018E

COLUMN
ASIAN DRAMA
SYED
NOORUZZAMAN
The columnist — former
Deputy Editor of The
Tribune, Chandigarh —
specialises in foreign
affairs. With a career
spanning 41 years, he
keeps close watch on
issues related to South
Asian countries. The
views expressed are
personal
With a view to
punishing Turkey, the
US has imposed on
it punitive economic
sanctions and tariffs,
resulting in the
Turkish currency, the
lira, losing around
40% of its value
TEHELKA / 15 SEPTEMBER 2018 52 WWW.TEHELKA.COM
52-53 Column-Nooruzzama.indd 2 9/1/2018
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
US ‘economic war’ may jail to put him under house arrest. But
this is not acceptable to Trump. He
not affect Turkey much wants Brunson to be released im-
mediately as the latter belongs to the
evangelical community in the US, a
significant Republican Party vote bank.
Turkey, the second biggest NATO ally of the US, is integrated with Brunson has been initially jailed for 20
the EU countries in such a way that weakening the Turkish economy months and his case is still in a court.
If finally convicted, he faces 35 years in
may destabilise many European economies as well prison.
A conservative Christian organisa-
tion called the American Center for
S President Donald one knows how the Turkish intelligence Law and Justice has entered the scene
Trump, perhaps, believes network failed to smell what had been in support of the drive to get Brun-
that even today we live in cooking there for a long period. The son freed. This suits Trump, who has
an America-driven world anti-Erdogan plot could not succeed to “prioritised the freedom of US citizens
though the situation has achieve the desired objective because as part of his diplomacy,” according
U changed considerably. the Turkish President has a strong fol- to a diplomatic affairs expert. With a
Of course, the US continues to remain lowing among the masses. Followers of view to punishing Turkey, the US has
the most influential country having the his Justice and Development Party (AKP, imposed on it punitive economic sanc-
most powerful armed forces and the for short) came out in large numbers to tions and tariffs, resulting in the Turk- • Terror error Andrew Brunson, a missionary the US Congressional elections are due
world’s largest economy, but it no fill the streets in various cities, defeating ish currency, the lira, losing around 40 to be held in November and Turkey
longer has the capacity to intimidate the Gulenists swiftly. Over 50,000 sabo- per cent of its value in the international living in Turkey, is facing terror charges has its municipal elections scheduled
any country that shows courage to defy teurs were taken to task by the Erdogan currency market. The “economic war” programme. Turkey has declared that for March next year. Erdogan cannot
its dictates, reasonable or otherwise. regime to send across the message that by the US against Turkey is unlikely to it will continue to import Iranian oil afford to be seen as having succumbed
The latest proof of the changed real- a democratically elected government end in the near future which is a major and gas irrespective of Washington’s to the US pressure to take a decision
ity is available in Turkey’s rejection of cannot be overthrown in this manner. cause for global concern. threats to punish any country which on the Brunson case, yet to be finally
President Trump’s demand for release However, Turkey as a nation contin- The Brunson case is not about does business with Iran. decided by the court.
of a US citizen, a pastor, facing terror- ues to suffer because of the indirect US the fate of just one individual. It has Contrary to the US stand on a tiny Experts have been expressing the
ism charges over a failed military coup support to the Gulenists. It is believed become a major prestige issue for but rich Arab nation, Qatar, Turkey view that the problem can be handled
to overthrow Turkish President Recep that the US wants Gulen (who lives in a Trump and may seriously damage his has stationed a large number of its diplomatically to the satisfaction of
Tayyip Erdogan on July 15, 2016. US city) to replace Erdogan as the ruler image in the evangelical community troops to provide fool-proof security both sides. Economically coercive tac-
Turkey has been arguing that the law of modern Turkey. The Trump adminis- and other right-wing Americans. This to the rulers in Doha. This is resented tics, as Trump has resorted to, will only
of the land must be allowed to take its tration has refused to recognise the fact is, however, only one of the factors by Saudi Arabia, the closest US ally in further complicate the matter. Turkey
own course, but the US administration that both countries are NATO (North At- why the “economic war” on Turkey has the West Asian region. In the case of is the second biggest NATO ally of the
is not convinced. The US is adamant that lantic Treaty Organisation) allies. The US been launched by the US by impos- the Syrian crisis, too, Turkey under Er- US and it is integrated with the Euro-
the pastor, Andrew Brunson, a mission- under Trump has shown that it can go to ing sanctions and doubling tariffs on dogan has been providing all kinds of pean Union countries in such a way
ary living in Turkey for 24 years, must be any extent to intimidate even a long- steel and aluminium. The other factors support to the beleaguered Syrian that weakening the Turkish economy
released forthwith as he has allegedly time and strategically important ally. are also equally serious. President ruler, Bashar Al-Assad, whereas the US too much, though not possible as it ap-
been framed in the case of terrorism President Trump claims that he Erdogan’s West Asian (Middle East) favours a regime change as desired by pears, may destabilise many European
with “trumped-up charges”. However, and Erdogan had reached an informal policy has very little to cheer the US Saudi Arabia. In fact, Riyadh assisted economies also. Interestingly, neither
President Erdogan’s stand is that the le- agreement on the release of the US about. Erdogan has refused to justify by Washington has been militarily Erdogan nor any of his ministers have
US help to Kurdish YPG allies, whose
directly assailed Trump for his anti-
pastor and some other foreign detain-
gal proceedings launched against Brun-
engaged in Syria in support of the anti-
son cannot be snapped simply because ees during their private discussion at scheme of things for the region doesn’t Assad forces. Turkey has been on the Ankara drive. But they may go to that
the US feels the pastor is innocent. a recent NATO summit at Brussels. In suit Turkey. He has outrightly ignored opposite side along with Russia and extent too in view of the sharp impact
Iran to ensure that the Assad regime
return, Erdogan, according to Trump,
the US reservations against the Turk-
Despite denials by Brunson and his
the steadily weakening lira is having
family members, the case against him wanted the US President to help him in ish decision to buy Russian S-400 regains full control over Syria. on the Turkish economy. That situa-
But the relations between the US
is claimed to have been instituted on securing the release of a Turkish woman missile system. The Turkish President and Turkey had not taken the turn as tion can lead to shaking NATO from
its very foundations. Then Turkey may
the basis of proof that Brunson has
has made it clear that he cannot
prisoner from an Israeli jail. Now that
allegedly strong links with a rebel Turk- the woman has been released at the take any step which goes against the seen today if the Brunson factor had move closer to Russia to safeguard its
ish cleric having political ambitions, behest of Trump, Erdogan too should larger Turkish interests. That is why he not come into the picture in a big way, national interests. How NATO remains
threatening the Republican Party’s
intact under such circumstances will
Fathullah Gulen. The unsuccessful July
have acted to honour “the agreement”,
ignored the US sanctions against Iran
2016 military coup in Turkey was found claims Trump. imposed after Washington’s unilateral following among the rightists in the be interesting to watch.
US. Both countries are preparing to
Erdogan, however, denies the “agree-
to have been carried out by Gulenists in
withdrawal from the international
the Turkish armed forces. However, no ment”, yet he has shifted Brunson from deal reached over Teheran’s nuclear face elections in the coming months; LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
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