Dotting the I’S & Crossing the T’S   

Two dreams & two men: Putin & Erdogan

Written by Nasser Kandil,

Simultaneously before approximately fifteen years two men carrying hopes and dreams have reached to a role in their countries through which they restore the glories of greatness that are known for many years in the history. Each one has based on the intervention of the religious establishment with these glories, and his ability to make growth industry and economic prosperity as a resource for the credibility of his project and a reason for expanding the base of the believers in his choices, genius, and his leadership. At the external level the two men have charismatic personality for an impressive leading example as they are impressive inside, till the rate of the newborns that have their names has surpassed the border of their country.

The circumstances, personalities, and the tools of Vladimir Putin and Recep Erdogan were too much similar to the extent that it was difficult to find significant differences between them; each one is a leading personality and an exceptional commander that has succeeded in occupying higher centers in his country and for many years. As it was necessary to alternate the positions of presidencies of the republic and government between each one of Erdogna and his partner Abdullah Gul, and inserting the constitutional amendments which suit this alternation, Putin was alternating with his partner Dmitry Medvedev the positions and the powers. As was the Caesarean Russia a source of inspiration and aspiration towards glories according to Putin, as was the Ottoman Turkey according to Erdogan a reason in the history and a dream of the future. Moreover as Putin has inherited crushed and devastated Russia and outside the considerations of the major powers, as Turkey which Erdogan has taken over the authority in it was a marginal state where the conflicts affected it and where there is no center for making-decision. And as was the growing economy a recipe for each one of them, the issue of establishing of a county was imposing its presence in the external politics issues. With these two men Russia and Turkey knew their golden days, and as the secular policy of Putin has got the flavor of the Orthodox Church, the Brotherhood smell was wafting from under the European secular uniform which is worn by Erdogan.

The irony is that the year 2015 is the year of huge success for Putin and the year of setback and the starting of countdown towards decline for Erdogan. During this year the popularity of Putin in Russia has reached the higher level since fifteen years, while the rate of the advocates of Erdogan has declined to the minimum, even the result of the parliamentary elections of the first time was disappointed for the hopes of Erdogan and his project, so he lost the opportunities of amending the constitution as well as the opportunities of constituting a government that his party was towards attaining it for the first time, so it was impossible to constitute a ruling coalition. The success of Putin in the gas pipelines projects were coincided with the projects of Erdogan which failed, the rank of Russia as a referentiality in the international and regional crises has stabilized, while the rank of Turkey has declined and decreased, and while the Russian security succeeded in targeting cruel and painful blows against the terrorist groups in Chechnya, the terrorism was turning into an attack recording the first of its successful strikes in Turkey. On the contrary of the cohesion of the components of the Russian community under the leadership of Putin, the unity of Turkey as a multiple community became threatened under the rule of Erdogan, especially with the fall of the truce which lasted for many years with the Kurds after their success in playing a pivotal role in the elections and in the war against ISIS, And as was the understanding upon the Iranian nuclear program a victory for the Russian diplomacy, as it was a slap for the Turkish diplomacy.

Between Russia and Turkey and between Putin and Erdogan there were many cooperation relationships, the two countries share the crossing into the Black Sea and many gas and oil pipelines, some has seen the interest which Putin has shown in Turkey a sign of weakness for Russia and a strength for Turkey and Erdogan, Furthermore, neither the relationship of Turkey with America nor its membership in the Atlantic was an obstacle in front of what it achieved during the years of success and progress, both of them were present before the emergence of Erdogan’s star but they continued with him. Certainly the vacancy which the Islamic world lives at the leading level has granted Erdogan points that are higher compared with Putin, through whom the Christianity of the church which supports him did not turn into a passport in the foreign policies towards the countries or towards the nations, while the opposite has occurred with Turkey and with Erdogan personally where the Islamic identity has opened for Turkey and Erdogan the hearts of millions of Muslims who seek for a decent position for them in the world and for a leadership that keeps their rights and concerns, the identity itself was affected by the encouraging opportunities of the West and the understanding of the privacy that requires to be occupied with a leading position on the basis of moderation and the positive engagement in the regional and international relationships, so what has happened for a tale of a leader that its star has risen and then started to fade in contrast of a leader who continues his rising steadily?
 

The only difference between the two men which allows to explain the ironical results for the experience of each one of them is that one of them is Putin who depended on the morals in politics while the other has depended on the savagery, one of them has depended on the nobility of the means rather than the nobility of the goal while the other has depended on that the goal justifies the means. One of them was honest in adhering same standards in politics that based on the international law and the adherence of the sovereignty of the countries, while the other has violated the taboos and has violated the sovereignty of the neighborhood, as well as has supported the terrorism so there is nothing left of taboos in front of him. Putin has simply abandoned his ally the President of Ukraine because Putin was certain that the President of Ukraine  has not a popular credibility for his leadership, without abandoning the rights of the Ukrainian Russian citizens in the Eastern of Ukraine and Crimea, at the same time he has prevented any attempt to overthrow the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad because he was certain that the popular majority is supporting him and that the interveners who seek to overthrow him wanting to have their authority on Syria and ending its independent decision, while Erdogan was busy in bringing the terrorism to Syria as well as the blood and the ruin, hoping that Syria will fall as a ripe fruit into his lap.

Putin is winning and moving from one victory to another by the force of morals while Erdogna is falling from one bottom to another by the opportunism and shedding blood, laws, and taboos.

Translated by Lina Shehadeh,

2015-07-27 | عدد القراءات 1954