From Empire to Dependency: Turkey, the West, and the Illusion of Victory in Syria

M. AHMET KARABAY | NEWS ANALYSIS

The Republic of Turkey inherited the legacy of the Ottoman Empire, just as the people of Anatolia inherited the 250-year inferiority complex of the Ottomans against the West. The West, which exploited the Ottoman territories for centuries, has now supposedly adopted a submissive attitude, protecting and defending Turkey’s interests in Syria. This is the narrative currently being propagated from Beştepe Palace to the public.

The “West,” or its older name, the “Occident,” has become the symbol of evil, inhumanity, oppression, exploitation, and the force that destroyed the Ottoman Empire. Since the depiction of the West in Sefaretname by Yirmisekiz Mehmed Çelebi, who served as an ambassador in Paris during the reign of Ahmed III in 1720, our view of the West has not changed much.

The mindset that proudly narrates its approach during the Empire’s powerful days, passing it down through generations, has not forgotten the letter Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent wrote in 1526 to King Francis I of France, who sought his help. The letter, which begins, “I am the Sultan of Sultans, the Khan of Khans, the Shadow of God on Earth…” and describes his title in 83 words, addresses the French king with the phrase, “You, Francis, the king of the province of France.”

Curiously, while the people of Anatolia have remembered this boastful letter from the leader of the Ottoman Empire, recognized as a world power of its time, for the past 499 years, they choose not to recall the letter sent just five years ago by Donald Trump, the ruler of the United States—the current world hegemon—to Turkey’s president, which began with “Don’t be a fool!”

When stripped of their content, both letters essentially reflect the attitude of two leaders who see themselves as global powers towards their counterparts.

The Ottoman administration and intellectuals failed to understand or acknowledge the outcomes of the West’s renewal process, which began in the 15th century. By the second half of the 19th century, they believed they could prevent the empire’s collapse through the Islamist movement they developed.

The movement of “returning to Islam” initiated by figures like Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, Muhammad Abduh, and Rashid Rida became the official ideology of the state under Abdulhamid II. This ideology, which emerged more as a reaction than an action, did not go much further than attempting to demonize the West.

CHURCHILL’S DECISION 113 YEARS AGO CHANGED THE MIDDLE EAST

Initially, oil was used as an alternative to whale oil in lamps. However, as internal combustion engines began replacing steam power, oil became more significant.

The British navy, competing with Germany, had two choices: continue relying on coal from the Wales region or switch to oil extracted from the Iranian region. If they continued using coal, the ships would remain bulkier and less functional. Alternatively, by using imported oil, the navy would gain the competitive agility it needed.

After becoming the head of the British Royal Navy in 1911, Winston Churchill opted for the Middle Eastern oil source. From that point forward, the fate of the Middle East—and the world—changed.

Following Churchill’s decision, the British government acquired the majority shares of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, which would later become British Petroleum (BP). As the demand for oil increased in the West, the interest of Western countries, particularly the British, in the region grew. With industry becoming increasingly dependent on oil, ensuring the secure transportation of oil to the West became paramount.

From that time onward, no political movement that opposed Western interests could remain in power. Conversely, leaders who safeguarded Western interests in the region grew stronger as long as they maintained this stance.

The first political casualty of oil in the region was Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. In 1951, Mossadegh nationalized oil companies with the slogan, “The oil in Iran belongs to Iranians.” However, two years later, he was ousted in a coup orchestrated by the CIA and MI6.

THE “ERDOĞAN HAS DEFEATED THE WEST” NARRATIVE

Islamist politicians, journalists, and academics have long worked to engrave into society the idea that no government opposing Western imperialism can survive. Yet, these same individuals now assert that Tayyip Erdoğan has stood toe-to-toe with the West, battling it tooth and nail, and has managed to remain in power. They also want the public to believe this narrative.

Those trying to convince the public that Turkey has achieved a major victory in Syria are doing everything they can to mask the deadlock into which the country has been dragged.

The figure known as a warlord, Muhammad Jolani, was hailed and marketed to the world by the West before Ahmed al-Sharaa’s move on November 27, which positioned him as the leader of Syria following Assad’s departure. This was conveniently ignored by Islamist circles.

Since splitting his group from al-Qaeda and renaming it from the Nusra Front to HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham), Al-Sharaa has been under Western focus. He is a figure cultivated by the West through Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

When Al-Sharaa left Idlib on November 27 and entered Damascus on December 8, he was not a leader of the Islamic world but a representative of the so-called imperialist powers.

It won’t be long before it becomes evident that Al-Sharaa is little more than a pawn deployed in Syria to guarantee Israel’s security. He himself admitted this in an interview with Al-Arabiya just two days ago, revealing that they thwarted Iran’s attempt to launch a major attack on Israel with forces brought from Iraq and other regions.

Turkey, too, is being counted among the victors in Syria because it supported an interim figure (who could remain permanently if he proves useful) safeguarding Western interests. Just as the people of this land consoled themselves with the notion that the Ottoman Empire actually won World War I but was deemed defeated because its ally Germany lost, they are now pacifying themselves with the belief that they are among the victors in Syria.

The people of Anatolia, who for centuries have argued that the West has brought nothing but harm to their society, now believe that in the last two months of 2024, the West has transformed into a mindset that opens doors for them.

Syria has neither been conquered nor liberated. It has merely shifted from one dictatorship to another—one that serves Western interests.

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