What’s with the Turks?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently declared that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has reached a level that would make Hitler jealous with the genocidal methods he has put forward.” Netanyahu’s response—pointing to Erdoğan’s brutal war on the Kurds, his jailing of more journalists than any other world leader and his suppression of political dissent—was measured, accurate and overdue. Erdoğan is the last person on earth who can credibly lecture anyone about morality.
Still, he wasn’t finished. In a fit of performative outrage over Israel’s war against Hamas, Erdoğan unilaterally cut off trade with Israel, severing billions of dollars in imports and exports in a move that damages both economies but is especially self-destructive for Turkey’s already teetering one. So, you have to ask: What’s the game plan? And why is this man so committed to turning Turkey into a regional agitator rather than a stabilizing power?
To understand today’s Turkey, it helps to look back.
Turkey has always occupied a strategic and symbolic place in the world, astride Europe and Asia, East and West. Its ancient history is rich with Greek, Roman and Byzantine heritage. Then came the Ottoman Empire, a vast Islamic caliphate that once stretched from the gates of Vienna to the Persian Gulf. That empire earned the moniker “the sick man of Europe” in the 19th century as it crumbled under the weight of corruption, decentralization and economic decay.
After World War I, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk forged a new path: a modern, secular, democratic republic. He abolished the caliphate, banned religious political parties and aligned Turkey with the West. For decades, Turkey was a key NATO member and a crucial buffer against Soviet expansionism. But Erdoğan has spent the past 20 years dismantling that legacy.
Since coming to power, he has transformed Turkey from a secular democracy into an increasingly Islamist and authoritarian regime. He has jailed tens of thousands of political opponents, academics, judges and journalists—turning Turkey into the world’s leading jailer of media professionals. He’s gutted judicial independence and used emergency powers to consolidate control over all branches of government.
But more disturbing from a geopolitical perspective is this leader’s deliberate pivot away from NATO and the West. Consider:
- His embrace of Hamas: Erdoğan has welcomed Hamas leaders in Ankara, publicly described them as “mujahideen,” and refused to recognize them as a terrorist organization, despite their deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians. After the Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, he doubled down—accusing Israel of genocide while ignoring the atrocities committed by Hamas.
- Buying Russian weapons: In 2019, Turkey purchased the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system—defying U.S. objections and jeopardizing NATO air-defense interoperability. As a result, Turkey was removed from the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program.
- Threats to U.S. military operations: Turkey has repeatedly threatened to expel U.S. forces from Incirlik Air Base and has used its NATO membership as a bargaining chip, most recently delaying Sweden’s accession to NATO in an attempt to extract political concessions.
- Military aggression in Syria and Iraq: Turkey has conducted repeated incursions into Syria and Iraq, often targeting Kurdish militias that have been among America’s most dependable partners in the fight against ISIS.
- Warming ties with Iran and Russia: Erdoğan’s “balancing act” has seen him move closer to both Moscow and Tehran, undermining Western efforts to isolate both regimes for their destabilizing behavior. Turkey even helped Iran evade U.S. sanctions through illicit gold-for-oil schemes exposed by U.S. prosecutors.
- Weaponizing migration: Erdoğan has used Syrian refugees as leverage against Europe, threatening to unleash waves of migrants across the continent if his political demands are not met.
It is time to acknowledge the obvious: Turkey may still carry a NATO membership card, but it no longer shares NATO’s values or interests. Erdoğan’s Turkey undermines Western alliances at every turn, all while demanding the benefits of NATO protection. It is a relationship based not on shared purpose but strategic extortion.
As Erdoğan cozies up to autocrats and fires rhetorical salvos at democratic allies, the West must reassess the true nature of its relationship with Turkey. That doesn’t mean abandoning the Turkish people—millions of whom oppose authoritarianism—but it does mean ending the charade that Turkey remains a trustworthy partner.
The sick man of Europe may have returned—but this time, the disease is ideological, not merely economic. And until Erdoğan’s Turkey is held accountable for its actions, the alliance it once upheld will continue to weaken from within.
