The Middle East’s future cannot be interpreted through an American perspective

The United States’ bitter fall in Afghanistan, which has been gradually unfolding for the last two decades, but which they waited for the most prudent time to announce to the world, does not consist of the failure of the operation in Afghanistan alone. 

We’ve said it before. This is an overall failure of the American political style. Just as building housing in river beds eventually leads to the wrath of nature, statelets established against people and countries will also, eventually, lead to destruction. The invasion operation the U.S. launched in Afghanistan out of spite was doomed to end the way it did.

The same policy suffered a similar fate in Iraq – even though it was not on the same level of intensity. At the end of the decade-long occupation, Iraq was abandoned with zero results. Some may say that this was perhaps the end goal after all, but they would need to bend over backward to support this claim. 

We had mentioned that a similar failure awaits the U.S. in Syria as well, but also that it still had a chance to avoid this failure. That chance consisted of the U.S. ending its cooperation with one terrorist organization to battle another. 

From these statements, some groups inferred that we are expecting charity or help from the U.S. It is not worth mentioning, but it shows once again that there is a serious comprehension problem prevalent in Turkey. In fact, the problem of exerting special effort to misconstrue what is read is a much more critical problem. 

Yet, the only thing we can demand from the U.S. in both Iraq and Syria is for it to “keep away.” The U.S. has never had any positive role in the Middle East; its presence there has never supported peace, human rights, human honor, or dignity. Its sole priority has been to serve Israel’s security or financial interests. Hence, it has always preferred authoritarian and despotic regimes against the people. 

Therefore, the only U.S. move we can support and applaud in the Middle East can be the steps it takes to withdraw from this policy. 

Frankly, the U.S. must take these steps, even if it is for its own interest. This is because all the operations and policies it implemented in these countries by backing authoritarian regimes are drawing the everyday American’s ire of rage and hostility, while it is losing its influence in all these countries’ future. The people in these countries will eventually have a say, and as long as the U.S. continues to pursue these policies during this process, it will have no true ally left. 

Essentially, U.S. failures at the end of its enterprises in Iraq and Afghanistan show that business in its foreign policy department is not going well at all. 

It initially ventured into Syria to stand against the country’s leader Bashar Assad, whom it saw responsible for the human rights violations, the crimes against humanity. Yet it then became occupied with Daesh, an enemy that mushroomed in Syria, and resorted to relying on the Democratic Union Party (PYD) – which it recognizes as a terrorist organization – in the name of fighting this enemy. Opposing its NATO ally Turkey on this path is, in every aspect, a sign of an eclipse of reason for the U.S. Thus, the end of the road does not seem pleasant. 

The U.S. will neither have the chance nor the power to design the Middle East within this eclipse of reason. Yet, some are overjoyed that there is no room for Turkey in the new U.S. policy pursuit that developed following Biden taking office. Though this applies to Turkey, they perceive the promise that there will be no room for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as glad tidings. 

Surely, they know what Erdoğan signifies for the U.S. or for Turkey in general. Despite all its wrong policies, which are shocking considering they don’t even serve its own interests, the U.S. anticipates that Erdoğan will load Turkey on this wrong ship. As they are aware that Erdoğan will not board Turkey on a ship that is destined to sink in the Middle East as they so desperately desire, it is only natural that they dream of a Turkey without Erdoğan. It seems that we will be watching in shock and awe the greedy and ardent competition of those who aspire to get Turkey on the U.S. ship that is destined to sink. 

Reading into the Middle East’s future through U.S. intentions and plans, despite all its failures, is in itself a great abasement, but it is also a grave lack of foresight. Surely U.S. intentions and plans must have some impact. However, the severity of considering that its intentions and plans may neutralize Turkey, and investing everything in this possibility is beyond abasement.