Interview
Turkish Communist Party: Neo-Ottomanism, jihadism and capitalism are intertwined
Kemal Okuyan, secretary-general of the Communist Party of Turkey: Jihadist ideology ‘understands business and profit very well. So, two negative dynamics are intertwined. Nothing good will come out of that for the Syrian people.’
What role can left-wing forces play in the current Middle East, now dominated by fundamentalist forces and a neocolonialism involving both regional and global powers?
We spoke with Kemal Okuyan, secretary-general of the Communist Party of Turkey (Türkiye Komünist Partisi, TKP), about the reasons why the Syrian army, exhausted by 13 years of war and sanctions, with ill-equipped and sometimes malnourished conscripts, fell apart in the face of the drone attacks and armed groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Who orchestrated everything?
All the preparations were made in Idlib, an area that had been left under Turkey's control after the Astana talks. I won’t say that Russia and Iran turned a blind eye: in the end, both countries were hit hard by the regime change. But they had not grasped the seriousness of the situation. Then, they secured the lack of resistance from the army: Syrian generals and officers were paid off. So when the Turkish foreign minister told Russia and Iran in Doha, “Don't intervene pointlessly, it's over,” it was true. Furthermore, it was clear that Putin was not eager to take part in a new conflict in Syria. I had been thinking for a while that Russia would not be willing to face the bloc consisting of Israel, Turkey, the U.S. and the U.K. And that’s what happened. Same for Iran.
Erdogan and his AKP have played a central role in the war in Syria from the very beginning, allowing jihadists from halfway around the world to enter Turkey, training them with money from the Gulf, and later occupying part of Syrian territory with their proxies.
We as a party, together with pacifist organizations, have condemned this nefarious role from the beginning. Jihadists from various countries were being trained by NATO countries before our eyes. With the help of the media and fake news as well, they continued to get ready. In the end, they succeeded.
Fahd al-Masri, spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, thanked Israel for its great contribution to the ouster of Assad by weakening his Shiite allies. In the past, Tel Aviv had offered military assistance to the Islamist opposition and medical treatment for wounded jihadists; now it is occupying more areas of Syria. But Erdogan also seems to be a central player, together with Qatar. What are his goals?
Neo-Ottomanism is the bedrock ideology of Erdoğan and his allies. They will never abandon it. But they are also trying to keep up international balances and the alliance with the U.S. Sometimes there are tensions; however, it is clear that a new era of convergence and cooperation between the U.S. and Turkey has begun. Undoubtedly, the aspirations of the Turkish capitalist class are behind all of this, linking the country to the U.S., U.K. and Germany, and promoting new and peculiar initiatives. Qatar is using Turkey as a springboard and has made significant investments there. There is strong agreement between the two partners. A “reactionary coalition.”
Exhausted after years of war and sanctions, the Syrians remain expectant, but there are protests against sectarian violence by jihadist groups.
Overall, everyone is trying to stay alive. The economic situation had not improved, even during the period when the war had gone down in intensity. Now the jihadists have been given the right instructions: they know that if they aren’t cautious, they could soon face great opposition. As they take control of the state, they have to project an appropriate image internationally; later on they will be able to behave in the ways they find more comfortable. Perhaps tomorrow no one will care anymore about the women, the Alawites, the revolutionaries…
What are the prospects for Syria?
Jihadist ideology is reactionary, but it is a modern force in terms of its ability to adapt to capitalism. Its pragmatic approach understands business and profit very well. So, two negative dynamics are intertwined. Nothing good will come out of that for the Syrian people. Even if it doesn’t end up partitioned, the country will have a fragmented and conflicted structure. Perhaps imperialist peace will contain those conflicts for some time. A kind of chaotic stability. What happens afterwards will depend on developments in the region, but especially in Turkey.
Is there still a space for Communists in the region?
The Communist movement in the region must break with the stereotypes of the past and become an independent force. It is not possible to be a real social actor in the Middle East without defending secularism, moving past sectarianism and taking a clear stand against the United States and the other imperialistic countries. Some may think that at this point the jihadists have cut society off completely. After everything that has happened, if we don’t organize a reaction that comes from the poor classes, with intelligence and patience, we, the Communists, will be an oppressed or dismissed force, losing every opportunity to become important players on the ground. In Turkey, a country that is “riding high” in the region, we will do our best for a breakthrough.
Originally published at https://ilmanifesto.it/jihadismo-capitalismo-e-neo-ottomanesimo-niente-di-buono-per-la-siria on 2025-01-03