Middle East Press on Supreme Leader, Netanyahu and Saudi-Hosted G-20 Summit: New Age Islam's Selection, 22 October 2020
By New Age Islam Edit
Bureau
22 October
2020
• Iran
Suffers As the Supreme Leader's House Crumbles
By Dr.
Kamal Azari and Mohsen Sazegara
• 'Mr.
Security' Netanyahu Discovers: Security Last Thing on Israelis’ Minds
By Mazal
Mualem
• Citing
Rights Abuses, House Democrats Push Administration To Snub Saudi-Hosted G-20
Summit
By
Elizabeth Hagedorn
• Will
Santa Bring The Much-Desired Antidote To The Pandemic?
By Ambica
Sachin
•
Turkey-Africa Ties In Framework of Libya and East Med Developments
By İrfan
Kaya Ülger - Huriye Yildirim Çinar
------
Iran Suffers As the Supreme Leader's House
Crumbles
By Dr. Kamal Azari and
Mohsen Sazegara
21 October 2020
Riot police tries to disperse people as they protest
on a highway against increased gas price in Tehran, Iran in November 2019.
(File photo: AFP)
-----
While some
may argue that Iran is a democracy, it is, in fact, a nation controlled within
the Bayt, or house of the Ayatollah. A house that is crumbling.
At the core
of the Ayatollah’s empire is a small group of leaders who have planned for and
created a Shia theocracy for the past thirty years. The Bayt followed a
straightforward but dynamic course. It elevated the Ayatollah to a mythical
character with supernatural powers. It accumulated as much wealth as possible
to buy and support street thugs in Iran and neighboring countries. It took
credit for any victory and blamed elected officials for any defeat. In
contrast, the elected officials had to balance the books and face the music.
Now, this
house of cards is collapsing. The empire is lost, and the Zionist archenemy is
21 miles from the border. The coronavirus has ravaged the nation. The economy
is in shambles. Corruption is rampant, and the disgruntled population is in the
majority. Strikes have spread across several economic sectors. Financial market
crises are adding more fuel to discontent, and massive unemployment creates
survival problems for many. Environmental disaster, in the form of air and
water pollution, degradation of farmland, and increasing climate change, looms
overall.
In such
dire circumstances, the old trick of dodging responsibility no longer works.
The mounting problems are eroding the core of the theocracy. Some of the
Ayatollah’s more daring associates see that the emperor has no clothes even if
they don’t acknowledge it publicly. Still, the daily inertia of decision making
at the Bayt has created a political vacuum that elected officials cannot fill.
The demoralized and discouraged elected president has lost all his
capabilities. He faces an empty treasury, the scorn of the public, and a
demoralized working class.
These
realities have forced Bayt to find a way out. As expected, the solution is more
of the same familiar approaches and none has the potential to elevate Iran from
its current condition.
Sayyid
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, the Ayatollah’s son and heir apparent, represents
one attempt at preservation. His radical tendencies promise a return to the
original revolutionary zeal and the bloody fundamentalist principles of the
Revolution. In an effort to solidify control and address growing corruption,
Mojtaba developed and began to implement a plan to replace some 8,000 aging and
corrupt leaders in the judiciary, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, its
intelligence, military and national radio and television.
Such Bayt
housekeeping attempts have caused pushback from the institutions’ senior
leaders. This group of leaders represents the second power center at the top
closest to the supreme leader. Perhaps fearing for their own careers, these
senior officials also include General Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme
National Security Council of Iran and many high ranking officials. This group
advises a slower course of reform, insisting any change should be gradual and
not generational.
A third
group, which possesses a good deal less power and influence, advocates
reconciliation with past reformers, the rehabilitation of former president
Mohammad Khatami, and ending the house arrest of Mir- Hossein Moussavi and
Medhi Karoubi. Their proposals seem to have little chance.
In fact,
none of the proposed solutions represents the magic bullet Iran needs to rescue
itself from complete collapse. Here, the reality of dictatorial power reveals
itself; commands alone are not enough to save a corrupt and wounded nation. If
they were, many of history’s great empires would still stand. This predicament
has left the regime in a precarious position, one from which it has no way to
extricate itself.
On August
30, disgruntled leaders expressed their concerns in a secure video conference
with the Ayatollah, who came out in full support of his son, adding more to the
confusion and dismay of his leaders. It seems that the only solution has been
to incite fear among the population by increasing punishments for active
protests or demands for political reform.
But long
jail sentences and executions of many innocent young people will not solve
Iran’s fundamental social problems. These actions will cause the regime to lose
even more of its legitimacy. Like all other totalitarian regimes, somehow, they
have managed to paint themselves into a corner. An end to the regime is the
only escape, and it will come sooner than later.
___
Kamal Azari and Mohsen Sazegara are Founding Board Members of the Iran
Transition Council, an alliance of Iranians of different ethnic and religious
backgrounds launched last year as an alternative voice to the government in
Iran. Azari directs the ITC in the United States. Sazegara directs the ITC
Civil Resistance group and was one of the founders of the Revolutionary Guards in
Iran.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2020/10/21/Iran-suffers-as-the-Supreme-Leader-s-house-crumbles
----
'Mr.
Security' Netanyahu discovers: security last thing on Israelis’ minds
By Mazal
Mualem
Oct 21,
2020
Naftali Bennett (L) speaks to Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu (R) at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on March 4, 2020. Bennett has stolen
Netanyahu's thunder on the coronavirus. Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty
Images
-----
Shortly
before the April 2019 Knesset election, the Israel Democracy Institute
published the results of an extensive poll that asked what issue was most
important to Israelis as they headed out to vote. Based on its findings, most
Israelis were focused on social or economic matters. Some 45% of respondents
responded that these were the most important issues for them, ranking
significantly higher than foreign affairs and security (28%), religion and
state (11%) or bolstering and defending democracy (9%).
The actual
election showed a different result. People may have been thinking about the
economy or democracy, but their votes still focused on security affairs. Most
Israelis cast their ballots for the Likud headed by Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who prides himself on his brand as “Mr. Security,” or for the former
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff Benny Gantz of the Blue and White
party. In fact, three out of the four men at the top of the Blue and White list
were former chiefs of staff: Gantz, Gabi Ashkenazi and Moshe Ya’alon.
There was
nothing unusual about this vote either. Most Israelis identify their
existential dread with security threats. It is a paradigm that is hard to
break, which is why it has been the top consideration in just about every
election until now. Certainly, there were years in which complaints about
government corruption gained momentum. That is what happened in 1992, when the
Likud was considered to be a corrupt party. Even then, however, it was not the
sole factor in determining the outcome of the vote. The winner of that election
was Yitzhak Rabin, who was also a former chief of staff. Israelis believed that
he would be able to rein in terrorism within Israel.
Netanyahu
has benefited from this voting pattern. He spent much of his time as prime
minister benefiting from the “Mr. Security” label. Even when he ran against
three former chiefs of staff in three successive election campaigns, he came
out on top. The results prove themselves. He is still prime minister.
But then
the coronavirus came and reshuffled the deck. The results for Netanyahu were
nothing short of tragic. The pandemic began to spread in what was otherwise a
good year for Netanyahu, in terms of both civil and security affairs. There was
quiet along most of the country’s borders, and people enjoyed a high level of
personal security (figures provided by the Defense Ministry for the last 56
years show that not a single Israeli was killed as a result of terrorism from
August 2019 to August this year). There were also important achievements in the
campaigns against Iran and Hezbollah over the last decade, and Israeli
maintained its status as a regional military superpower. In addition to all of
this, Netanyahu surprised everyone by signing peace agreements with two
important Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which further
strengthened Israel’s standing in the region. And there were other
achievements, too, resulting from Netanyahu’s excellent relations with US
President Donald Trump. The United States recognized Israeli sovereignty over
the Golan Heights and relocated its embassy to Jerusalem. Both of these
fulfilled the aspirations of Israelis, regardless of political affiliation.
And yet,
while this may have been one of Israel’s most successful years in terms
diplomacy and security affairs, people are still deeply worried about the
economy and their health. The headlines in all media describe a health system
that is starved for funds, hundreds of thousands of unemployed Israelis and
businesses going under. Then there are the mass demonstrations against
Netanyahu, who is accused of corruption and of dismantling Israeli democracy.
Social media is flooded with images of business owners destroying their wares
in protest, stories of people who died of the coronavirus, and accounts of
young people in despair who are becoming a lost generation.
The most
recent research and polls all indicate that this serves as fertile ground for
the rise of someone such as Yamina leader Naftali Bennett. It explains why he
is now the only candidate who really challenges Netanyahu’s rule. Ever since
the start of the COVID-19 crisis, Bennett has focused exclusively on social and
economic issues. He went out to the people, visiting hospitals and meeting with
business owners. “If it’s not the economy, then I’m not interested,” became his
coronavirus campaign slogan. He published a book, “How to beat COVID-19,” and
accused Netanyahu of leading the country to the brink of disaster. It all
worked to Bennett's advantage.
Another
factor that helps Bennett, but which has received less attention from the
media, is the stable security situation and diplomatic developments that have
benefited Israelis over the last few years. Netanyahu has many critics. Some of
these are former security chiefs, who claim that he is all bluff, and that he
actually poses a real threat to national security. Nevertheless, even they
cannot deny these facts. It turns out that the sense of security that Israelis
feel and the state of calm along the borders actually act against Netanyahu’s
interests, because they give people time to focus on social and economic
issues. These are people who have been taught to close ranks during security
crises. They put their political differences aside and stood together during
the many wars that Israel has fought against external enemies. The situation
now is different. This is the first time in the country’s history that the
existential threat facing Israel is internal. There is no way to blame what is
happening on Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran. Netanyahu is an expert at fearmongering
campaigns, particularly when it comes to Iran. Now he is discovering that
security is the last thing on Israelis’ minds.
On Oct. 19,
it was revealed that the IDF found an assault tunnel, which began in Gaza and
aimed at penetrating Israeli territory. As it turns out, the early discovery of
this tunnel was made possible because of the underground barrier under the
border fence between Israel and the Strip; this barrier started being built
after Operation Protective Edge in 2014. This anti-tunnel barrier includes very
advanced technologies, placed dozens of meters underground. In this particular
case, it revealed a tunnel that was being excavated very deep in the ground,
but which was not intended for use at present. Rather, it was being dug for
strategic reasons, with plans to use it in the event of war.
Military
commentators reported that the IDF originally opposed the underground barrier
because of its cost, but that Netanyahu applied pressure to get them to reverse
their decision. He even gave the IDF an blank check for up to 1 billion shekels
(nearly $300 million). Then he went down to the Gaza border and ordered the
construction of an underground barrier stretching for 65 kilometers (40 miles),
so as to eliminate any strategic capacities Hamas might have in the next war.
The barrier is scheduled to be completed this year.
A
high-ranking delegation of economic and finance ministers from the UAE arrived
in Israel the very next day on a direct flight from Dubai. These are two
dramatic events, but they both got swallowed up by the harsh news about the
economy and the pandemic.
Netanyahu
tweeted, “We continue to work doggedly on all fronts to ensure Israel’s
security, and to prevent any efforts to inflict harm on our sovereignty or
citizens.” There may be dramatic photos from the border with Gaza or the
arrival of the delegation from the Gulf, but Israelis are still going about
their day-to-day lives. As long as the border remains quiet, the only threats
they really face affect their wallets and their health, and most people think
that Netanyahu failed on both fronts.
The real
question is whether Netanyahu can still recover politically. He knows where
public sentiments lie, so he spent the last two weeks dealing exclusively with
the coronavirus crisis. He has adopted a more official attitude, and has even
reduced his attacks on his political rivals. The irony is that if there was a
real security crisis, it would actually help him in an election.
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/10/israel-gaza-strip-hezbollah-hamas-benjamin-netanyahu-bennett.html
----
Citing Rights Abuses, House Democrats Push
Administration to Snub Saudi-Hosted G-20 Summit
By Elizabeth Hagedorn
Oct 21,
2020
As Saudi
Arabia gears up to host the Group of 20 next month, a group of House Democrats
is urging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to withdraw the United States from the
annual summit in protest of the kingdom’s dismal human rights record.
A letter
signed by more than 40 members of Congress describes Saudi Arabia as “an unfit
and inappropriate” host and calls on Pompeo to make progress on human reforms a
condition for US participation in this year’s meeting of major world economies.
“The Saudi
government has a long record of silencing the very voices that are necessary
for a meaningful global conversation regarding the massive challenges we
collectively face,” the lawmakers wrote to Pompeo on Wednesday. “Our government
has an obligation to ensure that G-20 convenings are not used by host
governments to obscure or hide their own repressive and environmentally
destructive practices.”
The letter
comes as human rights organizations are dialing up the pressure on foreign
governments to snub the gathering, which will be held virtually Nov. 21-22 and
chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Last month,
the mayors of London, Los Angeles, New York and Paris cited human rights
concerns when boycotting the Urban 20, a summit of world cities held in Saudi
Arabia. The European Parliament has also voted to majorly downgrade the
European Union’s participation in the G-20.
“I cannot
think of a worse selection to host the G-20 summit,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar,
D-Minn., on a call with reporters Wednesday. “Saudi Arabia’s government stands
in stark contrast to every ideal we claim to uphold as Americans.”
Since
emerging as Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
has made good on some pledges to modernize the country, including lifting a ban
on women driving. But many of the very women who campaigned for those freedoms
remain behind bars.
The family
of prominent right-to-drive campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul says she has been
tortured, threatened with rape and periodically held in solitary confinement
during the more than two years she has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia without
trial.
“They
stopped Loujain because she tried to help improve the situation. They will do
it again and again,” said Alia al-Hathloul, the activist’s sister.
Human
rights reforms, including the allowance of free expression and peaceful
activism, were among the issues Pompeo said he raised with Saudi Foreign
Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on his visit to Washington last week.
During
joint remarks with his Saudi counterpart, Pompeo touched on the plight of
American citizens, including Walid Fitaihi, a dual US-Saudi citizen swept up in
the Saudi government’s anti-corruption campaign. After spending nearly two
years in prison, the Harvard-educated physician is now barred from leaving the
country under a strict travel ban.
Saudi
Arabia has faced a rising tide of criticism in Congress since the 2018 murder
of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a crime the CIA concluded was
personally ordered by Prince Mohammed.
The young
prince blames rogue actors inside the Saudi government but has also said he
bears responsibility for what happened under his watch. In September, a Saudi
court sentenced eight unnamed defendants to prison over Khashoggi’s murder in a
closed-door trial widely seen as a sham.
US
President Donald Trump, who repeatedly dismissed the intelligence community’s
findings on Prince Mohammed’s complicity, has rebuffed calls for a reset in
US-Saudi relations. Viewing Riyadh as a valuable ally and bulwark against Iran,
Trump bypassed Congress to move ahead with billions of dollars in weapons sales
to the kingdom.
The Trump
administration has also resisted making public the intelligence community’s
findings on the journalist’s murder. In an effort to hold Saudi Arabia
accountable and seek information from US intelligence officials, Khashoggi’s
fiancee Hatice Cengiz filed a civil lawsuit in a US federal court Tuesday
against the crown prince and other Saudi officials.
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/10/house-democrats-to-pompeo-skip-saudi-arabias-g20-over-righ.html
----
Will Santa Bring The Much-Desired Antidote To
The Pandemic?
By Ambica Sachin
October 22,
2020
I'm most
chuffed that in the current "me first" era, there are little people
who are able to think beyond themselves
"I'm
going to write to Santa for medicines for all my friends so we don't get
coronavirus," my five-year-old chirpily informs me one morning. The
e-learning we had opted for when schools reopened for the new academic year is
obviously giving him major Fomo vibes. How long do you get a first grader to
sit still in front of a screen and expect him to prosper with no social
interaction with kids his age? How much of Lego can you construct in your free
time? How much of pretend play can you engage your mind in? Left generally
unsupervised after his school work is done by midday, the painstakingly set
earlier ritual of nodding off at 7 in the evening only to wake up bleary-eyed
at the break of dawn and a quick dash to the bus stop has been replaced by an
abysmally late wake hour. From bed to washroom to classroom with a breakfast
detour is all done under a record-worthy 30 minutes at our household currently.
"My
brain is paining badly," he grimaced dramatically the other day as we
began another morning of classes. 'Why, what happened?,' I pretend concern as I
quickly scan to make sure the computer's camera is not on and his entire class
is not witnessing his histrionics. "I studied too much yesterday," he
moans, his face scrunched up in what he presumes to be a look of utter misery.
I'm hard pressed to not retort that he might have a better career prospect as a
stand-up than an astronaut or space superhero he is aspiring to be. But
apparently children have feelings, I am told, as he moans about the lack of
appreciation for his self-acclaimed wunderkid traits.
There are
days when I'm tempted to tell him that yeah, appreciation might be a bit
lacking in this family right now swarmed as we are with official work, house
work, e-learning, in the midst of seeing ourselves through a deadly virus that
has deprived many of us of the support system we had taken for granted
earlier.
From an 8
to 2 session in front of the computer screen to relaxing in front of the telly
for a bit afterwards and connecting with family members back home through the
mobile screen, he's been peering through a virtual window at the world for
long.
"You
know, I don't go down to play anymore since the monster coronavirus is all over
the place - it could be in the garbage bin, in the soil.," I overheard him
explain matter-of-factly to his aunt over the phone. The virus has been a
regular in our vocabulary ever since we went into lockdown mode way back in
March. Strict admonishments to touch absolutely nothing, including handles and
walls and all shiny surfaces have become de rigueur ahead of our rare family
trip outside the house.
"Please
call up Ma'am and tell her I have asked Santa for the medicines," he
informs me as I dash off for work. Children are incredibly resilient creatures.
They love to know all the minute details of an emergency and take great pride
in assuming they could be part of a heroic solution. "What can I do to
help," has been a constant refrain in my house specially now that the
mid-term break is on. In the midst of it all, I have also come to realise that
kids, just like adults, require a sense of routine. A purpose to wake up to -
and no amount of free TV time can make up for the lack of one.
And I'm
most chuffed that in the current "me first" era, when under the
thrall of a strong survival instinct, we are all retreating into our
self-imposed bubbles - what better way to do that than by self isolating with a
stockpile of food items some of us may never get through in our lifetimes -
there are little people who are able to think beyond themselves. Now I just
hope Santa gets the memo.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/editorials-columns/will-santa-bring-the-much-desired-antidote-to-the-pandemic
-----
Turkey-Africa Ties In Framework of Libya And
East Med Developments
By İrfan Kaya Ülger -
Huriye Yildirim Çinar
OCT 22,
2020
African
countries, which already have fragile economies, are negatively affected by the
Libyan crisis. After 2011, the large investments made by the Moammar Gadhafi
regime in many African countries were terminated. As a result, many Africans
have been deprived of potential sources of income and employment.
The seizure
of Libya's assets in some African countries has also been a factor that strains
relations in the region from time to time. Apart from this, Libya was an important
immigration region before the civil war, where many people from African
countries such as Nigeria, Niger, Sudan and Somalia found jobs for high wages
and sent money to their country.
With the
developments after the Arab Spring, many migrants became unemployed and started
new searches to find a livelihood.
Another
factor of the Libyan issue affecting the African economy is the energy
dimension. After the oil fields were closed by putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar
forces, daily oil production, which was 1.2 million barrels, decreased to
262,000 barrels a day. All these factors, along with the effects of the
coronavirus have compounded the economic problems of the continent.
The
developments in Libya have the potential to impact African countries in terms of
security. The absence of peace and stability since 2011 caused Libya – which
has porous borders – to be defined as a major threat to regional security.
In
particular, southwestern Libya is known as a region where many radical and
terrorist groups are deployed and engaged in arms and smuggling activities due
to the country's security deficit and political stalemates.
Terrorist
and criminal organizations here can easily cross into Europe, the Middle East
or sub-Saharan African countries, as they do not have border controls. For
example, it is known that many terrorist factors that came to Libya through the
Middle East and then moved to northern Mali have increased the security
problems in Mali.
Apart from
this, global terrorist organizations such as al-Qaida and Daesh are going to
have new formations in the region through Libya. The Daesh-linked structure
known as the "Desert Army," which carried out actions in Chad, Niger,
Algeria and Libya regions, was deployed in southern Libya and increased the
number of weapons and members.
Another
issue that worries sub-Saharan African countries in terms of security is
migration due to conflict. The masses of people escaping from the conflicts in
Libya are going to countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Chad.
In this
case, the situation of these countries, which are already struggling with many
political, military and economic problems, may worsen.
Another
aspect of the Libyan crisis that threatens African security is its potential to
increase existing ethnic conflicts. The countries involved in the Libyan issue
use these tribal and ethnic groups to further their own interests and increase
their effectiveness in the region.
This
situation may cause new crises and conflicts by intensifying ethnic
polarization in North Africa and sub-Sahara in the near future.
France and
Egypt's attempts to reduce the impact of Turkey are an example. While France is
trying to reestablish its former colonies in Africa such as Chad and Mali,
Egypt is trying to gain the support of the tribal and tribal chiefs in the
region.
In fact,
Cairo emphasized the neutralization of the Fayez Sarraj administration and
Turkish power in Libya by hosting the leaders of the Libyan High Tribal Council
on July 20. It was even mentioned that Egypt could carry out a military
intervention for this purpose. Some tribal leaders in Libya welcomed Egypt's
possible military intervention, while others looked at the attitude of the
Cairo government with concern.
North
Africa and sub-Saharan Africa are areas of political tribal strength. In Libya,
Haftar is mostly active in the rural side of eastern regions and the influence
of the tribes in these regions is evident. From this general framework, it can
be understood why Egypt sought support through tribes on the Libya issue.
Turkey has
also recently hosted the leaders of the Tuareg ethnicity which has a dense
population in North and West Africa. While Tuareg's support is important in the
region, Turkey should pay attention to the potential linkages between extremist
groups and criminal organizations and the local leaders.
Media
agencies and think tanks that are supported by Egypt and some Western actors
spread disinformation falsely accusing Turkey of supporting terrorist
organizations and radicals.
This
negative image of Turkey, which has been created, may profoundly affect the
country’s interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and relations with the
regional countries.
At this
point, Turkish political leaders and assigned diplomacy officers should stay
away from rhetoric and actions that could lead to speculation.
Turkey's
moves in Africa
North
Africa, the Sahel and sub-Saharan African countries should be included
carefully in Turkey's strategies for the Eastern Mediterranean and Libyan
issue. Because these regional countries are influenced heavily by developments
and exposed to intense lobbying against Turkey. Being aware of this situation,
Turkey's policies toward Africa have gained new momentum in the last couple of
years.
Turkey has
increased its diplomatic representation in Africa in recent years. The
bilateral trade with the regional countries has increased substantially.
Significant military and defense agreements that were signed between Turkey and
African countries worry other global actors such as France, China and Russia who
want to stay effective in the region.
Turkey
built a military base in Somalia spending $50 million, signaling that its
military presence on the continent will not remain limited by international
peace operations.
Following
this base and military training activities in Mogadishu, the naval jurisdiction
and military cooperation agreement signed with the Sarraj government in
accordance with international law and the sending of troops to Libya enabled
the second Turkish military deployment in the continent.
The
international media mentioned that Turkey aims to increase to three the number
of countries in Africa where there is a Turkish military presence with the
military agreement that was signed with the Niger government in July 2020.
After
Niger, Turkey is attempting to develop political and military ties with Chad.
French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing the former French colony to support
Haftar forces.
Although it
is thought that this support will be provided due to Chad's President Idriss
Deby's closeness to France, Haftar's presence among the Libyan forces that
occupied the African country in the 1980s have caused a rift between the two
presidents. Turkey should assess Chad's status strategically remaining cautious
about its active support for France in the Libyan crisis.
Another
factor that ensures the Turkish military presence in Africa is SADAT
International Defense Consultancy Company which is private security company.
Considering the fact that other forces that want to be active in the continent
are involved in the region with their own private military companies, Turkey's
move should be understood in the context of realpolitik.
However,
taking into account that the names of these military private companies are
occasionally used in black propaganda against their states, SADAT's activities
in the region should be carefully controlled.
Thus, SADAT
may be an important institution that can strengthen Turkey's hand in the Libya
crisis, and the relations with African countries will become stronger in the future.
Turkey's
defense industry, which has become stronger in recent years, is very important
in terms of Turkey's military moves in Africa.
The export
of Turkish weapons to the region is also included in the agreements in defense
and military fields signed with the continental countries. This important
factor that improves bilateral relations between Turkey and African countries
in the military field – if used correctly – may provide a great advantage to
Turkey and the Sarraj government in the Libya crisis.
While
Turkey performs these moves in the military field in Africa, Egypt as a major
competitor to Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya issues is also
working on creating effective military strategies in the continent.
As it is
known, there are two major security threats for the Cairo government, the
instability and terrorist threat from Libya and the conflict with Ethiopia in
the scope of the construction of the Great Renaissance Dam.
In order to
eliminate these two threats, Egypt has been making military preparations close
to the Libya-Egypt border while it sent troops to the United Arab Emirates’
(UAE) military base in Eritrea to tackle the second threat.
While
Eritrea, experiencing border crises with Ethiopia, welcomes Cairo's move, this
is followed as an alarming development by other countries in the region.
According to some experts, Turkey should use the Ethiopia card against Egypt
who has been considered as a major rival in the Eastern Mediterranean and
Libya.
However,
another vital issue to be considered in this regard is that while supporting
Ethiopia against the Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi regime for the interests in the
Eastern Mediterranean, relations with Egypt and Sudan are at risk in the long
term.
As a
result, Turkey has to continue its struggle with regional and global actors in
the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya, in different parts of the African
continent too.
Turkey may
have advantageous positions against rival actors in this issue, due to factors
such as the absence of colonial past in Africa and the regional relations,
which were developed on the basis of the win-win principle.
Turkey’s
strategy for Africa will both strengthen the hands of Turkey in the Eastern
Mediterranean and Libyan issues and also reflect positively on future relations
with the countries of the continent. For this reason, it is important to
emphasize that Turkey is a pro-peace actor that could contribute to the
elimination of security threats that may emerge from the Libya crisis.
https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/op-ed/turkey-africa-ties-in-framework-of-libya-and-east-med-developments
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URL: https://newageislam.com/middle-east-press/middle-east-press-supreme-leader,/d/123223
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