While currently Qatar projects itself to be a staunch political and strategic ally of Turkey, its policies towards Ankara appear to be controversial and contradictory when meticulously examined. This would be more likely dragging Ankara into a larger swamp jeopardizing its national interests.
This issue can significantly undermine Turkey’s national interests, jeopardize its stance in the region, as well as inflict damage on Ankara’s geopolitical and economic ties with other Arab states. Turkish leaders ought to be cognizant of the notion that Qatar’s actions and policies can also negatively affect the Arab population’s view of Ankara.
For example, before the Qatar crisis began, Turkey enjoyed a high level of popularity among the Arab population who viewed it as a political model. Nevertheless, after the crisis, Qatar seems to have managed to significantly impact Ankara’s favorability.
Several members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have severed ties with Doha accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism. President Trump recently asked Qatar to stop its sponsorship of terrorism as well. While Turkey insists that its relations with Qatar is not linked to the current Qatar crisis, Doha seems to be taking a different stance through political opportunism. Qatar’s Arabic and English media outlets emphasize Doha’s cordial military and political ties with Ankara in an attempt increase the political gap between Ankara and other Arab states, and tip the balance of power in favor of Doha. They showcase meetings between Qatari and Turkish leaders. Qatar’s actions- boasting about military exercises and projecting Turkey to be solely on the side of Doha rather than other Arab states, can provoke other countries and create resentment towards Turkey among many people in the region. The question is whether Qatar is intentionally taking advantage of Ankara by getting it involved in the current crisis, hostility and tensions. While Turkey attempts to show neutrality in the Qatar crisis, Doha is projecting Ankara to be siding with Doha rather than other GCC states. This can jeopardize Turkey’s broader regional interests and its ties with other Arab states. In addition, Qatar has not played the role that an ally would. Many believe that if the issue is examined closely, it becomes clear that Doha has orchestrated specific and contradictory foreign policy towards Turkey by, being critical of Ankara politics, through various platforms including its state-owned and state-funded media outlets, specifically Al Jazeera.
For example, one point of contention between Turkey and Qatar was the Muslim Brotherhood. Turkey repeatedly criticized the Muslim Brotherhood and President Erdogan’s call for a secular state in Egypt created resentment and criticism among the members of the Muslim Brotherhood. However, on the other hand, Doha enjoys a good relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood. In addition, one of the leaders of Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf Al Qaradawi who is based in Doha, has a show on Al Jazeera called “Sharia and Life”. Opposing the Turkish government's policy of secularism, he is an advocate of an Islamic state in Turkey. Also, Wajdi Ghunaim, an Islamist Egyptian preacher, who was based in Doha, is an advocate of the idea of restoring the Islamic caliphate in Turkey. He stated on Al Jazeera “ We ask God for the most dangerous task that is to change Turkey’s constitution. And Turkey once again returns to upholding an Islamic Caliphate Nation in it. Why not if God be willing?” Qatar’s state-funded media outlet, Al Jazeera, also appeared to provide a platform for Turkish oppositional groups and figures such as Fathullah Gulan. Eventually, Al Jazeera Turk was shut down approximately three years after its establishment.
According to WorldCrunch “The broadcaster’s editorial style also bears some responsibility. At the heart of the disagreement is controversy over how Al Jazeera will term the Kurdish militant group the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in its Turkish broadcasts. In its English and Arabic broadcasts, Al Jazeera does not call the PKK “terrorists” as they are generally referenced to in Turkey. Instead, Al Jazeera prefers the term “insurgent,” as do most top international news agencies.” The article adds “As a result, Turkey has found itself caught in a delicate situation with no easy solution, and has damaged the relationship between its Foreign Ministry and Al Jazeera. Earlier this year, a major Turkish investor, Vural Ak, withdrew from his partnership with Al Jazeera. Scholar and media expert Nuh Yilmaz, who had left a position in the United States to head up Al Jazeera’s Turkish editorial team, wound up resigning alongside Ak.” Al Jazeera also appeared to praise American Charter books which are funded by Gulan.
In closing, Turkey ought to be cognizant that, in an act of political opportunism, Qatar appears to undermine Turkey’s national interests in the region, decrease its popularity in the Arab world, and increase the gap between Ankara and other Arab states, in order to tip the balance of power in its favor while disregarding Ankara’s interests. Turkey needs to consider Doha’s political opportunism and recalibrate its foreign policy towards Qatar in order to serve its national interests.
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Harvard-educated, Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a world-renowned businessman, a leading Iranian-American political scientist, president of the International American Council on the Middle East, and best-selling author. He serves on the advisory board of Harvard International Review.
Dr. Rafizadeh is frequently invited to brief governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as speak, as a featured speaker, at security, business, diplomatic, and social events. He has been recipient of several fellowships and scholarships including from Oxford University, Annenberg, University of California Santa Barbara, Fulbright program, to name few He is regularly quoted and invited to speak on national and international outlets including CNN, BBC World TV and Radio, ABC, Aljazeera English, Fox News, CTV, RT, CCTV America, Skynews, CTV, and France 24 International, to name a few. . He analyses have appeared on academic and non-academic publications including New York Times International, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Fareed zakaria GPS, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, The Nation, The National. Aljazeera, The Daily Beast, The Nation, Jerusalem Post, The Economic Times, USA Today Yale Journal of International Affairs, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, and Harvard International Review. He is a board member of several significant and influential international and governmental institutions, and he is native speaker of couple of languages including Persian, English, and Arabic. He also speaks Dari, and can converse in French, Hebrew. More at Harvard. And You can learn more about Dr. Rafizadeh on HERE.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh