Abdul-Mahdi: Now the Real Work Begins

A Financial Times editorial, “Demise of South Stream big setback for Putin,” read, “Mr Putin’s presentation of the cancellation as Europe’s loss and Turkey’s gain does not bear scrutiny. He has been forced to abandon a longstanding project. That makes a strategic setback for Russia … The notion that a Russian deal with Turkey provides a strategic alternative is implausible. Turkey is not a large enough customer to replace the European market that South Stream would have served. And any plan Moscow may have to transport its gas via Turkey into the EU will run into the same problems South Stream has faced.”

If what has transpired is a strategic setback for Russia, then what is it for Turkey to ally itself with the loser against the EU, to which it is a candidate? A realignment with an unrepentant Russia in its aggressive stance vis-a-vis Ukraine — and a Russia with which Ankara is at odds over Syria — means Turkey is further jeopardizing its relations with the United States and the EU, that is, with the West.

The dissonance in its relationship with the West and with Russia plus losing its exclusive status with the KRG has, in short order, turned Turkey into a “geopolitical bystander” rather than an “invaluable geopolitical asset” in international politics.