Hero or loser

While it could be argued that the Turkish premier could not stand to gross injustice, the misrepresentation of facts and a terrible moderation by a rather biased moderator; on the other hand it could be said that what happened in Davos was a typical manifestation of the rather macho and Kasımpaşa style of Erdoğan which cannot be accommodated well with either norms and principles of international diplomacy, nor with the modern culture of discussion.

What he said might not be so diplomatically formulated. How he said as well might be rather apolitical as well. His words were indeed translating the feelings of the majority of Turks at home and majority of the people in the Muslim world against the brutal aggression Israel unleashed last month over the Gaza Strip.Erdoğan was definitely frustrated with the fiasco of moderator David Ignatius. He was definitely not only frustrated with what he considered a gross misrepresentation of the facts about the Gaza war by the Israeli president, but angered as well with Shimon Peres speaking in a manner and with a rather high voice as if he was yelling at him.

The “No one should have expected the Turkish premier put up with an insult and not respond. Turkey is a big country. The premier has delivered the appropriate response,” comment of President Abdullah Gül was in effect reflecting the general mood in Turkey. As was demonstrated with a grand welcome ceremony at Istanbul airport, Erdoğan has become a hero of the masses – not only in Turkey – disgruntled with the “hypocrite” and “pro-Israeli” West. Indeed, “He delivered the right message, with the right wording,” was more or less the summary of the reaction in Turkey, and in the Muslim world where state censorship allowed the response of the Turkish premier to the Israeli president and his walkout in protest of the biased moderator find its way into the living rooms through TV sets.

Hero of the day

Still, Erdoğan is the hero of the day in the Muslim world. In Gaza yesterday, tomorrow in Damascus, Tehran, Yemen and perhaps in Islamabad and Jakarta Muslim demonstrators will carry his portraits in “down with Israel” demonstrations. The neo-Ottomanist advisers of the prime minister will perhaps celebrate Erdoğan for the immense outpour of support for him throughout the Muslim world. Many analysts, particularly in the allegiant media, perhaps pen articles alluring and praising the new-found immense popularity of Turkey among the Muslim masses. Some pen-slingers will perhaps go to the extent of declaring “A new Nasser is born.”

And, in Turkey, what happened in Davos will of course help Erdoğan gain better ground in the battle ahead of the March 29 local polls between his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and the Felicity Party, or SP, of Professor Numan Kurtuluş in wooing the conservative voters by exploiting the Gaza developments.

But, what about the day after?

Sentiments and emotions will die down soon and the perennial atmosphere of distrust towards Turkey and Turkish leaders will emerge once again in Muslim societies. Leaders of the Arab countries, anyhow, will work hard to diffuse the pro-Turkish sentiments in their societies. However, the image of the angry Turkish premier walking out of a discussion, in a manner that suggests he were the advocate of Hamas.

Soon, we may start hearing comments from the European Union and across the Atlantic that under Erdoğan Turkey has started tilting towards Hamas radicalism, moving towards some kind of a new partnership with Syria and Iran.

Furthermore, even though Peres not only called Erdoğan and in a way apologized for what was said at the panel, it is obvious that a new and cooler climate will gradually dominate the Turkish-Israeli political relations, though the immediate reflection might not be seen in military cooperation. Already, comments made across the Atlantic by Jewish organizations indicate that Turkey might soon lose some of its key allies in Washington. What will happen to the so-called Genocide resolution? If it is legislated, what will happen to Turkish-American relations?

The EU has seen vividly as well how right we were in complaining that when he gets angry, Erdoğan cannot control his feelings; start to yell at people; call for media boycott; untie the hidden macho and anti-democratic aspects of his character. Where can Turkey go if it has such a driver at the wheel?