Erdogan’s Neo-Ottoman Game Plan

By Armen Tigranakert

On December 10, a joint Azerbaijani-Turkish victory parade was held in Baku after a new phase of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. It’s worth clarifying that this parade was actually held not with the participation of Turkey, but in honor of Turkey.

Perhaps, one can consider these demonstrative actions as a ‘full-stop’ in a political game in the South Caucasus. However, as recent breaches of ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh happened, this parade in Azerbaijan was not a ‘full stop’, but a ‘comma’ followed by next Ankara’s steps in the region.

Throughout Erdogan’s political career he never took a break to ‘rest on his laurels.’ The Turkish leader is greedy for victory and for reaching his ‘neo-Ottoman’ goals, and he will use all the possibilities and methods at his disposal, even the most brutal ones.

The military parade in Baku is Erdogan’s personal triumph, which was also aimed at hiding, among other issues, the economic problems that aroused due to Ankara’s aggressive foreign policy. Erdogan’s nationalist strategy made the U.S. impose sanctions on the Turkish defense industry on December 14.

American experts believe that more severe restrictive measures are likely to be imposed later, as president-elect Joe Biden is expected to be tougher on Turkey than Trump, who had mostly friendly relations with Erdogan.

Any economic pressure on Turkey is very painful for the Turkish leader. Even such light sanctions can seriously affect the country’s economy. But for Erdogan the interior agenda is a top priority in the framework of cultivating his ‘neo-Ottoman policy’ in the region.

Armen Tigranakert ia freelance journalist from Aleppo, Syrian