Erdogans Egypt Policy In Disarray
By: Tulin Daloglu for Al-Monitor Turkey Pulse Posted on July 26.
While Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan argues that his objection to the Egyptian military ending President Mohammed Morsi's term is all about standing strong in the name of democracy and therefore against military coups, Egyptian Ambassador to Ankara Abderahman Salaheldin has raised a different issue. Salaheldin asked whether Erdogan's position on the issue is principled, comparing Egypt's two separate popular rallies since 2011, which both led to changes in governance.
Let me remind you of what happened in January 2011. The military forced President [Hosni] Mubarak to step down and took over. The whole world, including Turkey, congratulated Egypt for its great revolution, he said in a July 22 interview with Hurriyet.
In 2013 ... yes, President [Mohammed] Morsi was elected by the majority, by 51%, no one denies that. In one years time though, President Morsi lost the support of those who voted for him.
Ambassador Salaheldin continued, I think it is very useful to remind Turks of these two events January 2011 and July 2013. Turkey must not be seen as siding with the minority that happens to be the Brotherhood. ... Democracy is people's governance. How could a situation be more democratic than todays situation? Thirty million people poured on to the streets to demand something.
We are hearing calls from some writers and intellectuals and even from businessmen for the first time in the history of relations. We need to take a pause here: What is Turkey doing? What are these statements?
This is the image that I am worried about. The Turkish government had a very positive image with many admirers across Egypt. I am very worried that this majority of Egyptians who took to the streets to ask for change are surprised to see the Turkish government standing against them. We are trying to send a message to the investors from both sides: 'Dont worry this is temporary.' We call it a summer cloud that will go away."
While the ambassador skillfully evades the question of how to define the militarys role in removing a democratically elected president from power, he makes it clear that Turkey is favoring one segment of the population over another.
The political dispute between the majority that called for the change and the minority of Muslim Brotherhood followers is not about religion, he said. The majority was asking for jobs, better education and health services for their children. Most Egyptians are not going to be fooled again in the name of religion.
Erdogans objection to the military coup in Egypt is possibly based less on religious ideology and more on his perception of democracy as a system where people can only speak their minds and contribute to governance during election time. However, it is true that the Erdogan government would have hoped to see the Muslim Brotherhood take over in Syria as well as in all the Arab countries shaken by uprisings. This would have guaranteed that the wind of political Islam is the conqueror of the 21st century.
It may be too early to judge how the future of Islamist movements will be shaped by developments in Egypt. It remains unclear how this chapter in Egypt's history will be finalized. There are many challenges ahead for Egypt, ranging from a civil war to the Islamist camp emerging victorious at the end, or even the prevailing of the liberal and secular school of thought.
In any case, there is no doubt that Erdogan has interpreted the Egyptian militarys intervention as a coup against him. He criticized the Wests sincerity about their perception of the military's role in state governance. What happened to the West, which was supposedly for democracy? What happened to the arguments that the West has been trying to spread democracy in other countries? This is now called a sincerity test, and the West has once again failed at this one, too. There can be no democratic military coup. As much as life and death mean the exact opposite, as much as it sounds nonsensical to talk about 'a living dead,' it is equally nonsensical to talk about a 'democratic coup,' 'good coup,' or a 'positive coup.'
Erdogan makes a good point there, but it would be a losing argument to define the Western world as nothing but representative of democracy. All are, however, in the business of making politics. States also look out for their best interests. As much as talk of democracy and freedom is a noble thing, it was Erdogan who said over a decade ago, before his election as prime minister, Democracy is like a train. You take it where you have to go, and then you get off. There is no doubt that once a person becomes an elected official he changes.
Maybe it was along these same lines that Turkish President Abdullah Gul sent a letter to Adly Mansour, newly appointed president of Egypt, in recognition of Egypts National Day on July 23. Erdogan had said on July 17 that he only considers Morsi as the president of Egypt, while refusing to engage with the new Egyptian government.
In any case, Turkeys relationship with Egypt is also going through a sincerity test, but it would be best for the Erdogan government to have a more inclusive approach toward the Egyptian people.
Tulin Daloglu is a contributor to Al-Monitor's Turkey Pulse. She has also written extensively for various Turkish and American publications, including The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, The Middle East Times, Foreign Policy, The Daily Star (Lebanon) and the SAIS Turkey Analyst Report.
Erdogan
By: Tulin Daloglu for Al-Monitor Turkey Pulse Posted on July 26.
While Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan argues that his objection to the Egyptian military ending President Mohammed Morsi's term is all about standing strong in the name of democracy and therefore against military coups, Egyptian Ambassador to Ankara Abderahman Salaheldin has raised a different issue. Salaheldin asked whether Erdogan's position on the issue is principled, comparing Egypt's two separate popular rallies since 2011, which both led to changes in governance.
Let me remind you of what happened in January 2011. The military forced President [Hosni] Mubarak to step down and took over. The whole world, including Turkey, congratulated Egypt for its great revolution, he said in a July 22 interview with Hurriyet.
In 2013 ... yes, President [Mohammed] Morsi was elected by the majority, by 51%, no one denies that. In one years time though, President Morsi lost the support of those who voted for him.
Ambassador Salaheldin continued, I think it is very useful to remind Turks of these two events January 2011 and July 2013. Turkey must not be seen as siding with the minority that happens to be the Brotherhood. ... Democracy is people's governance. How could a situation be more democratic than todays situation? Thirty million people poured on to the streets to demand something.
We are hearing calls from some writers and intellectuals and even from businessmen for the first time in the history of relations. We need to take a pause here: What is Turkey doing? What are these statements?
This is the image that I am worried about. The Turkish government had a very positive image with many admirers across Egypt. I am very worried that this majority of Egyptians who took to the streets to ask for change are surprised to see the Turkish government standing against them. We are trying to send a message to the investors from both sides: 'Dont worry this is temporary.' We call it a summer cloud that will go away."
While the ambassador skillfully evades the question of how to define the militarys role in removing a democratically elected president from power, he makes it clear that Turkey is favoring one segment of the population over another.
The political dispute between the majority that called for the change and the minority of Muslim Brotherhood followers is not about religion, he said. The majority was asking for jobs, better education and health services for their children. Most Egyptians are not going to be fooled again in the name of religion.
Erdogans objection to the military coup in Egypt is possibly based less on religious ideology and more on his perception of democracy as a system where people can only speak their minds and contribute to governance during election time. However, it is true that the Erdogan government would have hoped to see the Muslim Brotherhood take over in Syria as well as in all the Arab countries shaken by uprisings. This would have guaranteed that the wind of political Islam is the conqueror of the 21st century.
It may be too early to judge how the future of Islamist movements will be shaped by developments in Egypt. It remains unclear how this chapter in Egypt's history will be finalized. There are many challenges ahead for Egypt, ranging from a civil war to the Islamist camp emerging victorious at the end, or even the prevailing of the liberal and secular school of thought.
In any case, there is no doubt that Erdogan has interpreted the Egyptian militarys intervention as a coup against him. He criticized the Wests sincerity about their perception of the military's role in state governance. What happened to the West, which was supposedly for democracy? What happened to the arguments that the West has been trying to spread democracy in other countries? This is now called a sincerity test, and the West has once again failed at this one, too. There can be no democratic military coup. As much as life and death mean the exact opposite, as much as it sounds nonsensical to talk about 'a living dead,' it is equally nonsensical to talk about a 'democratic coup,' 'good coup,' or a 'positive coup.'
Erdogan makes a good point there, but it would be a losing argument to define the Western world as nothing but representative of democracy. All are, however, in the business of making politics. States also look out for their best interests. As much as talk of democracy and freedom is a noble thing, it was Erdogan who said over a decade ago, before his election as prime minister, Democracy is like a train. You take it where you have to go, and then you get off. There is no doubt that once a person becomes an elected official he changes.
Maybe it was along these same lines that Turkish President Abdullah Gul sent a letter to Adly Mansour, newly appointed president of Egypt, in recognition of Egypts National Day on July 23. Erdogan had said on July 17 that he only considers Morsi as the president of Egypt, while refusing to engage with the new Egyptian government.
In any case, Turkeys relationship with Egypt is also going through a sincerity test, but it would be best for the Erdogan government to have a more inclusive approach toward the Egyptian people.
Tulin Daloglu is a contributor to Al-Monitor's Turkey Pulse. She has also written extensively for various Turkish and American publications, including The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, The Middle East Times, Foreign Policy, The Daily Star (Lebanon) and the SAIS Turkey Analyst Report.
Erdogan
