How Does Erdoğan Think?

The United States has launched a new initiative to form a coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The main body of the coalition is formed by Sunni states in the region. The Arabs have already joined the coalition, but Turkey, which was thought to be the leading state in the coalition, is still unsure about what to do.

It seems that there are more disagreements than agreements between Turkey and the US. Almost every day, both parties, on the Turkish side especially President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, make statements about their positions. It seems that the disagreements have turned into a tug of war. The US side does not hide its disappointment as Erdoğan continues to criticize it as if he is not the one who declared that Turkey will join the coalition. He acts as if he established a coalition with ISIL, not against it.

For outsiders who don't know much about Erdoğan I will attempt to write a list of his priorities so people can put his statements into context.

Firstly, Erdoğan never trusted the West. His suspicious and mistrust toward the West are much greater than his friendship. For him the West is nothing but the opportunist colonialist power that always priorities its interests over people's lives, especially the lives of Muslims.

Therefore, Erdoğan thinks the best way to deal with the West is not through values and principles, but interests. As long as the West serves his personal interests, party interests, and country's interests consecutively, he would prefer to work with them. Otherwise he would prefer not to be a part of any coalition the West forms.

Secondly, Erdoğan prioritizes his personal and party interests over the interests of the nation. He thinks maintaining his power is much more important than the national interest. To a degree he considers himself God's gift to this country, therefore the continuation of his power serves Turkey's best interests. He thinks he is the one who made Turkey a prosperous and first-class country. Therefore, without him Turkey would be a second-class country.

With regard to his party, he thinks that it is not a party per se, rather it is a sacred mission. He sincerely thinks that. That is why he often uses the term “this mission.” Of course, it is a godly mission. Therefore, he never forgives those who stop supporting this “mission.”

His anger toward the Gülen movement should be looked at in this context. When he uses the term “betrayers” he means that they betrayed a God-given mission, therefore he is furious with them.

Because he thinks that his party is a party of God-given mission, he expects Muslims and religious networks to understand his mission is a divine one. When the Gülen movement refused to join his mission, he links his anti-Western worldview with his divine mission and thinks in the following way: the Gülen movement is the most educated religious network in this country. If they don't see and don't understand the obvious God-given mission of this party (his political party), which freed Muslims from state pressures, made Turkey a number one country that all Muslim nations look up to, and became the equal partner of the West, not its subordinate, they must be the agent of the West. Therefore they are betraying this nation and his God-given mission.

That is why he considers his personal and party interests are above Turkey's interests. He thinks in the short term things may appear negative, but in the long run, Turkey and Muslim nations will win because God will make this mission be completed. He thinks everyone was thinking Turkey's decision to reject the March 1, 2003 motion (in Parliament, refusing to allow US troops to invade Iraq via Turkey) was a bad idea but it turned out it was a good idea. God helped us to pass through those hard times, and no doubt the God will help us to pass through this time as well. That is why he is reluctant to join the coalition against ISIL.

When you read his words and actions with this mentality everything he does makes sense. It doesn't matter how crazy it is to think in this way but it is what it is. Instead of trying to explain that it is unreasonable for us to participate or believe in Erdoğan's God-given mission, we all should accept how he thinks and act based on how he thinks we should move forward.

EMRE USLU (Cihan/Today's Zaman)