By Payman Yazdani, Tehran Times
TEHRAN – Faruk Logoglu says Biden has been consistently anti-Turkish throughout his political career and Trump doesn’t see Turkey as an ally, so it is up to Turkey to review its outlook and policy toward the US.
Due to the US position in the economic, political, security, and military spheres, the country has taken many unilateral steps in the international arena in recent decades, which has led to the formation of a trend in its foreign and economic policy.
Although this unilateral foreign and economic policy emerged with the post-World War II, ups and downs during the presidency of most US presidents, it seems to have become even more during Donald Trump’s term.
Trump’s unilateralist policies not only created tensions between the country and other world powers such as Russia and China but have even raised tensions between the United States and its European and NATO allies.
Now that the first term of Trump’s presidency is coming to an end, many in the world are waiting for the results of the US presidential election.
Both US Democrats and Republicans have been following very unclear and suspicious policies towards their ally Turkey including arming separatist groups like PKK and other terrorist groups. The US is also siding Turkey’s rivals in the east Mediterranean and so on.
US Democratic Presidential candidate for the 2020 election Biden has even interferingly asserted that in case he wins the election he will try to remove Erdogan from power.
To know more about the effect of the US 2020 Presidential Election result on the US and its NATO ally Turkey relation, we reached out to Dr. Osman Faruk Logoglu, a senior member of Turkey’s CHP and veteran politician.
Comparing the possible policy of Trump and Biden’s policy towards Turkey if they win in US 2020 Presidential Election, Logoglu said, “Aside from the differences with regard to domestic issues including the economy, racism, climate change, health care, and COVID-19, there are significant differences between Biden and Trump in relation to foreign affairs.”
Referring to Biden’s stance towards Turkey, Logoglu added, “On Turkey Biden has been consistently anti-Turkish throughout his political career whether as Senator, as Vice President and now as the Democratic Party nominee. He is an ardent supporter of Armenian claims of genocide, sides with Greece and the Greek Cypriots on Turkish-Greek issues opposes sales of US arms to Turkey, and is critical of Turkey’s stance in the eastern Mediterranean. He harbors dreams of dividing Iraq to meet Kurdish aspirations for independence.
And now he oversteps his bounds by rudely interfering in Turkey’s internal affairs, claiming that if elected US President, he intends to remove the elected President of Turkey from power. So, a Biden presidency will probably be a trying and difficult period in Turkish-American relations.”
Commenting on Trump’s policy towards Turkey, Turkish politician noted, “The incumbent President Trump is another story, one that is not necessarily better for Turkey despite appearances to the contrary. President Erdoğan and President Trump mutually boast about their close relationship. And Trump never misses a chance to pay compliments to his Turkish counterpart. But the actual state of the ties between the countries tells us a different story. None of the long-standing issues, whether at the bilateral level or the regional level, has been resolved. The relationship is at a standstill. Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missiles issue remains as the key problem. American support to the terrorist PYD/YPG in Syria is another vital divider between the two allies. More recently, his administration has supported Greek and Greek Cypriot claims in the eastern Mediterranean and lifted the arms embargo and then signed a so-called security agreement with the Greek Cypriots.”
Logoglu added, “However, the more fundamental danger lies in Trump’s unpredictability. He has in the recent past twice threatened to destroy the Turkish economy if his demands were not met by Turkey. This shows that deep down Trump does not really see Turkey as an ally, but a country that it can work with to suit his needs.
Thus, at the end of the day, as Presidential candidates, neither Biden nor Trump bodes well for Turkey albeit for different reasons. It is therefore up to Turkey to review its outlook and policy toward the US and prepare itself for a period replete with challenges no matter which candidate wins the elections in November.”
