'You Sleep In The Bed You Make'

Success in foreign policy depends on strong and sustainable alliances. Otherwise, you alienate your country and damage your national interests. Unfortunately, this is what Turkey under Justice and Development Party (AK Party) rule has been doing recently. It does not pay strong attention to sustaining its existing fine alliances. In addition, Turkey will most likely pay the price for some risky initiatives. In 2008, Turkey was selected as a member of the UN Security Council for two years after receiving the support of 151 out of 193 member states. Last week, however, during a similar bid, Spain beat Turkey by 136-60.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is upset, implying that a conspiracy was staged against Turkey in this voting. But the truth is that obviously Turkey is unable to create successful alliances in international politics. In addition, previously established alliances are also breaking down. It is time to be self-critical rather than blaming others for this outcome.

What is most striking about the defeat at the UN voting is the strong rumor suggesting that Egypt and Saudi Arabia strongly lobbied against Turkey. The Middle East policy pursued by Erdoğan and Ahmet Davutoğlu placing the Muslim Brotherhood at the center angered the two strongest actors in the Arab world. The indirect alliance with radical groups in Syria, which Cairo and Riyadh see as threats, also exacerbated the whole situation. The dream of creating a great alliance under Turkey's leadership in the Middle East has now failed. Turkey has lost both the Muslim world and the West as well.

So is Turkey becoming a reliable partner in the Western alliance while Middle Eastern regimes now dislike its companionship? No. The American and European press seem to be pleased by Turkey's defeat at the UN; this indicates that Turkey is losing ground on the Western front as well. Ankara is now giving the impression that it is an unreliable ally which avoids assuming responsibility as if it played no role in the growth of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) threat. The view suggesting that Turkey is no longer eligible for membership in the European Union because of its antidemocratic practices is attracting greater attention in the West. In short, the West is adopting a cooled approach vis-à-vis Turkey that is unable to strike a balance between democracy and security.

Turkey is quite dependent upon the West in economic and military terms. We are even unable to destroy Bashar al-Assad's missiles by relying on our military sources; for this reason, we use NATO's Patriots. Because we are unable to track down Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants on the mountains technologically, we seek intelligence from Washington. If European capital moves out of Turkey or, say, if Europe stops importing from Turkey, our economy will collapse.

But those who rule the country continue to make bold statements; they are just trying to create a sense of false power in domestic politics by raising strong criticisms against the West. The political figures of the old Turkey also held some anti-Western nationalistic sentiments. The actors of the so-called new Turkey have adopted a different version of this anti-Western stance. It now appears to be a more complicated ideology backed with Islamism. So what use would the excessively suspicious approaches be for Turkey? None.

No one is saying that Turkey should not negotiate with the West or that Turkey should agree to everything the West asks for. Friendship and negotiations are two separate things in international affairs. Insincere attitudes incompatible with the spirit of friendship and alliances should be avoided. The most recent example of this is Turkey's ambivalence on whether it would contribute to the anti-ISIL coalition. The debate on distancing the Barack Obama administration from Turkey still pays great attention to Ankara's contribution because of its strategic contribution to the fight against ISIL.

And once again, Ankara is trying to buy time on whether it would allow the use of its İncirlik base. The two capitals are making conflicting statements over how and for what purposes the base would be used. The Americans frequently inform the American people on this matter whereas the Turkish side remains pretty silent; sometimes, the Turkish authorities even contradict their American counterparts.

In Washington, the view that an active contribution by Turkey to the coalition for both financial and strategic reasons is important is attracting great attention. For instance, if Ankara allows use of the İncirlik military base for airstrikes by American fighter jets, this would reduce the overall cost.

On the other hand, some argue that going after Ankara actually humiliates the US and that the US should distance itself from Turkey. Most recently, former American envoy to Ankara, Eric Edelman, made remarks on a panel session held at think tank BPC promoting this option. It is not only the right wingers but also the left wingers who also subscribe to the same view.

Washington is uncomfortable with Turkey's reference to the Kurds as a greater threat than ISIL. The Obama administration sent a clear message by declaring that they have made official contact with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Turkey refers to as a terrorist organization.

You may not like all the policies of the US. However, giving the impression that you are a country that aligns with the US is more profitable than being a country that stays away from it. Turkey's national interests are best preserved if its bilateral relations with the US are improved.

The Americans who believe they should get along with Turks say getting things done in the Middle East is easier with Turkey. But this rule applies to Turkey as well. If you do not have the US with you, things will be worse and harder in the region. If the view that they should distance themselves from Turkey attracts greater attention in the US, this will have serious domestic and international political repercussions.

It is not just the arrogant approaches in foreign policy but also the antidemocratic practices in domestic politics that are serious harming Turkey's international position and image. For instance, it is evident that covering up the Dec. 17 and 25 corruption investigations will negatively impact Turkey's prestige in the world. These are grave mistakes that prevent Turkey from making strong alliances with the democratic world. Well, you sleep in the bed you make.

ALİ H. ASLAN (Cihan/Today's Zaman)