Not too long ago, it was believed that Turkey could let a US aircraft carrier into the Black Sea to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is impossible to makes such assumptions now.
The new war between Palestine and Israel has changed a lot. The deployment of two US aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean Sea for preventive measures against "third countries” raised eyebrows in Turkey.
"What is she doing there?” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said reacting to the deployment of another American ship:
"What is the US aircraft carrier doing in Israel? Why is she going there? Is she going to launch all of her planes, boats, surround Gaza and strike it, opening the door to serious mass deaths?” the Turkish President said at a press conference with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Ankara.
Erdogan released a similar comment to the destruction of a Turkish drone by Americans in Syria.
"The United States has 23 army bases in Syria. What are they doing there? Aren't there too many of them? Isn't Turkey a US partner at NATO? How do we explain this? This does not correspond to the spirit of alliance between us,” Erdogan said.
Allied relations between Turkey and the United States have not been perfect for a long time. Ankara does not support sanctions against Russia, but develops cooperation with Russia instead. Turkey and Russia are in the process of building oil, gas and grain hubs, there are many other projects underway meaning that Turkey wants to work for itself, rather than for the US. However, Washington's support for Israel in the conflict with Hamas has ruined the atmosphere of "trust and cooperation" between the countries completely.
In response to the arrival of aircraft carriers in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey decided to conduct naval exercises in the region, Yeni şafak reports. According to the publication, the exercises take place from October 16 to 20.
"Sending US aircraft carriers to the Eastern Mediterranean is a threat and irresponsibility that can not be taken lightly. Turkey's decision to conduct military exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean in response to this move of the United States is a bold and right step. This is a very strong signal indicating that the region is not abandoned,” the head of the Nationalist Movement Party, an ally of Erdogan's party in the parliamentary coalition, Devlet Bahçeli said
Calls to close Incirlik and Kurecik army bases began to appear in Turkish media. The Sözcü newspaper called on the Turkish authorities to respond sharply to Israel's actions in Gaza.
"Do not hesitate. Let our response to the United States be as follows: we will close Incirlik and Kurecik bases. Erdogan goes against the States asking what their aircraft carrier is doing in the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, the sanctions that can be applied against the United States are obvious. Who's stopping you?" the newspaper wrote.
The leader of the Good Party, Meral Akşener, called for the same, albeit as a response to the downing of a UAV in Syria that took off from the US base in Turkey's Incirlik.
The new round of the Arab-Israeli conflict has pushed many countries to take a clearer position towards the United States.
Turkey is no exception. Moscow and Ankara are on the same side of the barricades again when it comes to the global transformation of the world order. One should give credit Recep Erdogan's political foresight.