What A Reasonable State Should Do

Turkey, as a NATO member located in one of the most volatile regions of the world -- i.e., just north of the Middle East -- is expected to produce constructive policies to help ease conflicts. The more-than-three-year civil war in Syria as well as the recent resurgence of Israel's brutal assault on Gaza -- which has already resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians, including mostly civilians -- requires, more than ever, Turkey's positive contribution as an alliance member to ease the tensions.

Yet, on the contrary, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, seeking to become president in the August elections, has opted to act emotionally and aggressively to win the hearts and minds of conservative Muslim Turks instead of pursuing rational policies that would serve the national interest.

Speaking about the latest Israeli incursion into Gaza, he blasted Israel, Turkey's one-time ally, claiming its attacks on Gaza have “surpassed Hitler in barbarism,” among other things. Israel's ongoing, indiscriminate assault is not acceptable under any condition. Yet, Erdoğan should not have chosen such insulting terminology for Israel and should have focused on influencing countries in the region and allies to reach a truce to avoid any further deaths of Palestinians.

Similarly, Erdoğan, underestimating Egypt's important role in enabling a truce between Israel and Hamas, described Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who staged a military coup toppling the Mohammed Morsi government last year, as a tyrant in an interview with CNN International on July 24.

Erdoğan's insulting rhetoric, on the contrary, complicates any efforts to broker a truce to end Israel's assault on Gaza.

Ankara's Syria policy has also been a disaster, as it has taken sides in the internal conflict of that country, supporting Syria's moderate opposition and then allegedly giving support to radical Islamic terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (IS) and al-Nusra, which are fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

As a country neighboring Syria, Ankara should have pursued more balanced policies instead of taking sides in the conflict so that its role in future conflict resolution processes could have been more respected and influential.

The government's serious violation of the rule of law -- recently imprisoning about 31 police officers over what is widely believed to be revenge for the disclosure of the high-profile corruption and bribery investigation in December of last year in which Erdoğan and some of his family members were implicated -- has a potential, in the meantime, to further undermine internal stability.

In a reasonable state where rationality and realpolitik surpass emotion and authoritarianism, some recipes for readjustment -- for instance, readjusting Turkish foreign policy -- should be as follows:

-- The peace process initiated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to end the decades-long terrorism problem through peaceful means should continue slowly and steadily.

-- The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq should be counseled to move slowly on independence and support an undivided Iraq (for now). Breaking apart in times of war is not ideal and if it is to be done properly and with a stable future in mind, then every aspect needs to be negotiated.

-- Deliver humanitarian supplies to the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria and cultivate allies there (don't make any more enemies).

-- Throw your support behind Egyptian efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza.

-- Cooperate with Iraq to tackle the IS problem via intelligence sharing,

-- Really close the border with Syria except for emergency humanitarian supplies.

-- The Syrian opposition has to be told that the civil war is over and that they have lost. Leaders can be offered exile in Turkey.

-- Bring the Turkish hostage issue into focus in the media and allow the international community to help put pressure on IS and their international backers.

-- Start building and upgrading infrastructure on the Syrian and Iraqi borders now for when matters settle and a mini economic boom begins.

Even a few decisions from the list above can change the situation on the ground rapidly and in Turkey's favor, but none of these suggestions are likely to be applied to Turkish foreign policy problems as long as Erdoğan remains in power as prime minister. Perhaps if he beats his rivals in the August elections the new government may try to rebuild bridges burned by Erdoğan internally and externally.

LALE KEMAL (Cihan/Today's Zaman)