The Turkish leadership has chosen to be extremely assertive about developments in Syria in a calculated move to ride international concern. But Damascus has brusquely snubbed Ankara. The two sides match each other in assertiveness. For Turkey, pressing ahead means intervention in Syria. Backing off involves loss of face.
On the other hand, saving face requires that Syria backs off, which it is in no mood to do - least of all, after the Standard & Poor's downgrading of the United States' credit rating on Friday. History will have to judge whether Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was irrationally assertive following an iftar (breaking of the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan) dinner last Friday in Istanbul.
He announced that he was deputing Foreign Minister Mehmet Davutoglu to proceed to Damascus on Tuesday. Erdogan then asserted: We have been very patient until now, waiting to see whether we can fix this [Syrian situation], whether they [President Bashar al-Assad] will listen to what we have been saying. But our patience is running out now ... He [Davutoglu] will have the necessary talks and convey our messages in a decisive manner.
Erdogan made a startling claim that what happens in Syria is an "internal affair" for Turkey and not a foreign policy issue, given the 850-kilometer border between the two countries and their deep cultural and historical links. This is the first time Erdogan has hinted Turkey might intervene in Syria. It wasn't one of those intemperate outbursts for which he is well-known. Erdogan intended it as a calculated affront to the Syrian regime and he had the Sunni Muslim Arab audience in mind.
For more: Asia Times Online :: Erodogan's calculated Syrian affront
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