Several videos featuring Recep Tayyip Erdogan have gone viral in which the Turkish President appears sick. However, instead of addressing these concerns, Erdogan is going after those who are raising questions over his health.<o:p></o:p>

In a clip that went viral on Twitter recently, Erdogan seemed to be struggling to walk while leaving the hall. People on social media agree with this as some pointed out that he does not look well and some called for his resignation.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Erdoğan does not look well. <a href="https://t.co/WLqR4TT209">pic.twitter.com/WLqR4TT209</a>
— Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleWOrton/status/1455827176578854914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

His images have triggered a debate and a hashtag #olmus (#heisdead) is already trending in his home country, Turkey. The hashtag suggests that Erdogan has died. While this trend was misleading, questions about the Turkish President's health are serious.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

A series of videos, have surfaced this year and Erdogan doesn't look well in any of them. A video posted in February shows Erdogan descending the stairs and it looked like he needed assistance from his wife.

<o:p></o:p>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-recep-tayyip-erdogan-not-keeping-well-426516">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-recep-tayyip-erdogan-not-keeping-well-426516/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Another video which appeared in August showed Erdogan at Anıtkabir — the mausoleum of Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In that video, too, it seemed like he was struggling to walk.

<o:p></o:p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cumhurbaşkanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Yüksek Askeri Şura Toplantısı öncesi, YAŞ üyeleriyle birlikte Anıtkabir'i ziyaret etti. Erdoğan'ın Aslanlı yolda yürürken zorlanması sosyal medyada gündem oldu. <a href="https://t.co/dhhFs8AMgN">pic.twitter.com/dhhFs8AMgN</a>
— BOLD (@BOLDmedya) <a href="https://twitter.com/BOLDmedya/status/1422885675725201408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

A lot of rumours are swirling about Erdogan's health.<o:p></o:p>

Some accounts say he has been forgetting things, complaining about breathing problems, feeling confused and vomiting. There is a report that says Erdogan received an internal defibrillator implant which is a device that stops abnormal heartbeats. Going by the same accounts, Erdogan now has more doctors around him than his staff, he has reduced his encounters with the press and he takes painkillers before public events.

Speculation like this is dangerous for any country, especially one that is dealing with an economic crisis. The prospect of instability is bad news, and Erdogan's response isn't helping. Instead of proving he is fit for the job, he wants to punish those who are asking questions. The Turkish cyber police have launched an investigation and they will probe the tweets that question Erdogan's health. Nearly 30 individuals will face scrutiny. <o:p></o:p>

Ankara says the concerns around Erdogan's health are baseless. The Turkish government is engaging in a battle of narratives. Erdogan's aides are taking to social media and are posting videos that show Erdogan in good health. The clips shared by his Director of Communications shows the president walking normally.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Erdogan’s director of communications shares video below saying “Assurance to friends fear to foes” though Mr Erdogan is seen merely walking. This follows pix shot recently where his walking skills seemed fragile fueling rumours about his health <a href="https://t.co/q1VhmbYHNC">pic.twitter.com/q1VhmbYHNC</a>
— Selin Girit (@selingirit) <a href="https://twitter.com/selingirit/status/1455858341092200449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Before this, Ankara has put out another video which showed Erdogan playing basketball with his ministers. At a time when the government must instill confidence in its people, it is fighting a video war with them.

<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Several videos featuring Recep Tayyip Erdogan have gone viral in which the Turkish President appears sick. However, instead of addressing these concerns, Erdogan is going after those who are raising questions over his health.

Several videos featuring Recep Tayyip Erdogan have gone viral in which the Turkish President appears sick. However, instead of addressing these concerns, Erdogan is going after those who are raising questions over his health. In a clip that went viral on Twitter recently, Erdogan seemed to be struggling to walk while leaving the hall. People on social media agree with this as some pointed out that he does not look well and some called for his resignation. Erdoğan does not look well. pic.twitter.com/WLqR4TT209 — Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) November 3, 2021 × His images have triggered a debate and a hashtag #olmus (#heisdead) is already trending in his home country, Turkey. The hashtag suggests that Erdogan has died. While this trend was misleading, questions about the Turkish President's health are serious. A series of videos, have surfaced this year and Erdogan doesn't look well in any of them. A video posted in February shows Erdogan descending the stairs and it looked like he needed assistance from his wife. WATCH | Another video which appeared in August showed Erdogan at Anıtkabir — the mausoleum of Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In that video, too, it seemed like he was struggling to walk. Cumhurbaşkanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Yüksek Askeri Şura Toplantısı öncesi, YAŞ üyeleriyle birlikte Anıtkabir'i ziyaret etti. Erdoğan'ın Aslanlı yolda yürürken zorlanması sosyal medyada gündem oldu. pic.twitter.com/dhhFs8AMgN — BOLD (@BOLDmedya) August 4, 2021 × A lot of rumours are swirling about Erdogan's health. Some accounts say he has been forgetting things, complaining about breathing problems, feeling confused and vomiting. There is a report that says Erdogan received an internal defibrillator implant which is a device that stops abnormal heartbeats. Going by the same accounts, Erdogan now has more doctors around him than his staff, he has reduced his encounters with the press and he takes painkillers before public events. Speculation like this is dangerous for any country, especially one that is dealing with an economic crisis. The prospect of instability is bad news, and Erdogan's response isn't helping. Instead of proving he is fit for the job, he wants to punish those who are asking questions. The Turkish cyber police have launched an investigation and they will probe the tweets that question Erdogan's health. Nearly 30 individuals will face scrutiny. Ankara says the concerns around Erdogan's health are baseless. The Turkish government is engaging in a battle of narratives. Erdogan's aides are taking to social media and are posting videos that show Erdogan in good health. The clips shared by his Director of Communications shows the president walking normally. President Erdogan’s director of communications shares video below saying “Assurance to friends fear to foes” though Mr Erdogan is seen merely walking. This follows pix shot recently where his walking skills seemed fragile fueling rumours about his health pic.twitter.com/q1VhmbYHNC — Selin Girit (@selingirit) November 3, 2021 × Before this, Ankara has put out another video which showed Erdogan playing basketball with his ministers. At a time when the government must instill confidence in its people, it is fighting a video war with them.

Is Recep Tayyip Erdogan unwell? Social media users to be punished by Turkey for claiming President is dead

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that he had ordered expulsion of 10 foreign ambassadors including those from US, France, Germany and Denmark who called for the release of a jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala.

Turkey: Philanthropist Osman Kavala jailed in jail for 4 years

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ushered in the new year, pledging to employ his country’s military to secure Turkey’s place in a rebalanced new world order.

Mr. Erdogan spelt out his vision when he inserted himself on December 30 into an address by his defense minister, Hulusi Akar, to several hundred masked Turkish and Azeri military officers in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku.

Speaking on the loudspeaker of Mr. Akar’s handphone that the defense minister held up to the microphone, Mr. Erdogan compared Turkish military interventions, foreign bases and/or participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions in lands of the former Soviet Union, Kosovo, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Qatar to the creation during World War One of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus by Enver Pasha, the Ottoman war minister.

The Islamic Army captured Baku in the last days of World War One but failed to cement a basis for military support in the century since for pan-Turkist or Turanist ideologies that seek to unite peoples of Turkic origin.

Critics, nonetheless, assert that Turkish support for last year’s Caucasus war in which Azerbaijan defeated Armenia constituted a step in that direction.

Mr. Erdogan, however, appears to define Turkey’s place in the&nbsp;new world order as Turkish leadership of a broader Muslim world of which lands populated by Turkic ethnicities are a part.

“The Turkish military, with a past full of glory and honour, will continue to fulfil…the task assigned to them in our country and all over the world… I wish our soldiers success, who fight to preserve peace, calm and stability in many places from Syria to Libya, from Somalia to Kosovo, from Afghanistan to Qatar,” Mr. Erdogan said.

Mr. Erdogan’s broader focus has not stopped his defense minister from stepping up meetings with representatives of Turkic minorities, until recently the preserve of a separate government department.

“Ankara’s interest in its ethnic kin abroad has markedly perked since the flare-up of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in late September,” said Turkish military analyst Metin Gurcan, referring to the disputed Armenian enclave that is legally part of Azerbaijan..

Mr. Erdogan made his Baku remarks against the backdrop of heightened strains with Iran, efforts by Turkey’s Mediterranean detractors backed by the United Arab Emirates to stymie Turkish efforts to expand its access to regional gas deposits, and domestic criticism of his massive expenditure on religious soft power at a time of economic hardship.

Mr. Erdogan’s emphasis on military power was likely to complicate his overtures to Israel with which he has had tense relations in past years in a bid to ease potentially difficult dealings with the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden.

Mr. Biden has criticized Turkey’s abysmal record on human rights and the rule of law and is unlikely to look kindly at NATO-member Turkey’s acquisition of an advanced Russian anti-missile defense system.

Israel backed last month’s admission of the UAE as an observer to the Cairo-based Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum that groups Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Jordan, and Palestine alongside the Jewish state.

Turkey has denounced the forum as an effort to deprive it of its economic rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and last year dispatched an exploration vessel to disputed waters.

The move by the UAE, one of Turkey’s foremost rivals in a struggle for dominant political and religious influence in a swath of land stretching from the Atlantic coast of Africa into Central Asia, potentially constitutes a change in Emirati strategy.

Middle East scholar Samuel Ramani argued recently that the UAE’s hard power and coercive efforts to block Turkish advances had failed. Those efforts included military backing of Libyan rebel leader Khalifa Haftar and threats to sanction Algeria for its stepped-up cooperation with Turkey.

“In recent months, the UAE’s efforts to forge an Arab consensus against Erdogan’s ambitions have unravelled. Despite Iraq’s periodic frustrations with Turkish cross-border strikes on the PKK, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has courted Turkey as a regional partner. In an even greater blow to the UAE’s anti-Turkey agenda, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman struck a conciliatory tone with Erdogan after their November 20 discussion,” Mr. Ramani said.

Mr. Ramani was referring to recent Saudi overtures to Turkey, with which it has been on a collision course since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as the outlawed Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) that increasingly wages its intermittent 30-year old guerrilla war against Turkey from bases in the remote mountains of pre-dominantly Kurdish northern Iraq.

“The seemingly collapsing foundations of the UAE’s anti-Turkey strategy suggests that Abu Dhabi needs to rethink its approach to containing Erdogan’s ambitions... the UAE could devote more resources towards containing Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan Africa,” Mr. Ramani said, suggesting that the Emirates may pivot to a soft power approach.

That would likely entail stepped up competition with Turkey in the provision of emergency and development aid to third countries as well as increased rivalry for religious soft power in the Muslim world.

The UAE has cast itself as a paragon of a moderate and tolerant albeit statist strand of Islam as opposed to Turkey’s more strident advocacy of a heavily nationalist tinted political interpretation of the faith.

The UAE has been on the warpath against political Islam for more than a decade. It has designated the Turkish-backed Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and backed French President Emmanuel Macron and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in their crackdown on Islamist and Turkish nationalist groups.

Mr. Erdogan has for more than a decade rejected notions of more moderate and more radical strands of Islam. “Islam cannot be classified as moderate or not… Animosity (towards Islam), unfortunately, strengthens the scenarios that there is a so-called clash of civilizations in the world. Those, who defend such speculations, may go further to identify terrorism with Islam which is based on peace,” he asserts.

Taken by his word, Mr. Erdogan was suggesting with his year-end remarks in Baku that as far as he is concerned, his strategy of hard and soft power, in contrast to the UAE, is working and is likely to continue to shape Turkish policy in the coming year.

A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Podbean, Audecibel, Patreon and Castbox.

Dr. James M. Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore and the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ushered in the new year, pledging to employ his country’s military to secure Turkey’s place in a rebalanced new world order. Mr. Erdogan spelt out his vision when he inserted himself on December 30 into an address by his defense minister, Hulusi Akar, to several hundred masked Turkish and Azeri military officers in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ushered in the new year, pledging to employ his country’s military to secure Turkey’s place in a rebalanced new world order. Mr. Erdogan spelt out his vision when he inserted himself on December 30 into an address by his defense minister, Hulusi Akar, to several hundred masked Turkish and Azeri military officers in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. Speaking on the loudspeaker of Mr. Akar’s handphone that the defense minister held up to the microphone, Mr. Erdogan compared Turkish military interventions, foreign bases and/or participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions in lands of the former Soviet Union, Kosovo, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Qatar to the creation during World War One of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus by Enver Pasha, the Ottoman war minister. The Islamic Army captured Baku in the last days of World War One but failed to cement a basis for military support in the century since for pan-Turkist or Turanist ideologies that seek to unite peoples of Turkic origin. Critics, nonetheless, assert that Turkish support for last year’s Caucasus war in which Azerbaijan defeated Armenia constituted a step in that direction. Mr. Erdogan, however, appears to define Turkey’s place in the new world order as Turkish leadership of a broader Muslim world of which lands populated by Turkic ethnicities are a part. “The Turkish military, with a past full of glory and honour, will continue to fulfil…the task assigned to them in our country and all over the world… I wish our soldiers success, who fight to preserve peace, calm and stability in many places from Syria to Libya, from Somalia to Kosovo, from Afghanistan to Qatar,” Mr. Erdogan said. Mr. Erdogan’s broader focus has not stopped his defense minister from stepping up meetings with representatives of Turkic minorities, until recently the preserve of a separate government department. “Ankara’s interest in its ethnic kin abroad has markedly perked since the flare-up of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in late September,” said Turkish military analyst Metin Gurcan, referring to the disputed Armenian enclave that is legally part of Azerbaijan.. Mr. Erdogan made his Baku remarks against the backdrop of heightened strains with Iran, efforts by Turkey’s Mediterranean detractors backed by the United Arab Emirates to stymie Turkish efforts to expand its access to regional gas deposits, and domestic criticism of his massive expenditure on religious soft power at a time of economic hardship. Mr. Erdogan’s emphasis on military power was likely to complicate his overtures to Israel with which he has had tense relations in past years in a bid to ease potentially difficult dealings with the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden. Mr. Biden has criticized Turkey’s abysmal record on human rights and the rule of law and is unlikely to look kindly at NATO-member Turkey’s acquisition of an advanced Russian anti-missile defense system. Israel backed last month’s admission of the UAE as an observer to the Cairo-based Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum that groups Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Jordan, and Palestine alongside the Jewish state. Turkey has denounced the forum as an effort to deprive it of its economic rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and last year dispatched an exploration vessel to disputed waters. The move by the UAE, one of Turkey’s foremost rivals in a struggle for dominant political and religious influence in a swath of land stretching from the Atlantic coast of Africa into Central Asia, potentially constitutes a change in Emirati strategy. Middle East scholar Samuel Ramani argued recently that the UAE’s hard power and coercive efforts to block Turkish advances had failed. Those efforts included military backing of Libyan rebel leader Khalifa Haftar and threats to sanction Algeria for its stepped-up cooperation with Turkey. “In recent months, the UAE’s efforts to forge an Arab consensus against Erdogan’s ambitions have unravelled. Despite Iraq’s periodic frustrations with Turkish cross-border strikes on the PKK, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has courted Turkey as a regional partner. In an even greater blow to the UAE’s anti-Turkey agenda, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman struck a conciliatory tone with Erdogan after their November 20 discussion,” Mr. Ramani said. Mr. Ramani was referring to recent Saudi overtures to Turkey, with which it has been on a collision course since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as the outlawed Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) that increasingly wages its intermittent 30-year old guerrilla war against Turkey from bases in the remote mountains of pre-dominantly Kurdish northern Iraq. “The seemingly collapsing foundations of the UAE’s anti-Turkey strategy suggests that Abu Dhabi needs to rethink its approach to containing Erdogan’s ambitions... the UAE could devote more resources towards containing Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan Africa,” Mr. Ramani said, suggesting that the Emirates may pivot to a soft power approach. That would likely entail stepped up competition with Turkey in the provision of emergency and development aid to third countries as well as increased rivalry for religious soft power in the Muslim world. The UAE has cast itself as a paragon of a moderate and tolerant albeit statist strand of Islam as opposed to Turkey’s more strident advocacy of a heavily nationalist tinted political interpretation of the faith. The UAE has been on the warpath against political Islam for more than a decade. It has designated the Turkish-backed Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and backed French President Emmanuel Macron and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in their crackdown on Islamist and Turkish nationalist groups. Mr. Erdogan has for more than a decade rejected notions of more moderate and more radical strands of Islam. “Islam cannot be classified as moderate or not… Animosity (towards Islam), unfortunately, strengthens the scenarios that there is a so-called clash of civilizations in the world. Those, who defend such speculations, may go further to identify terrorism with Islam which is based on peace,” he asserts. Taken by his word, Mr. Erdogan was suggesting with his year-end remarks in Baku that as far as he is concerned, his strategy of hard and soft power, in contrast to the UAE, is working and is likely to continue to shape Turkish policy in the coming year. A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Podbean, Audecibel, Patreon and Castbox. Dr. James M. Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore and the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Erdogan positions powerful Turkish military as backbone of regional strategy

Hitler dreamt of ruling the world, Mussolini wanted to be the leader of a new Roman empire. Saddam Hussein wanted to be the next Nebuchad Nezzar - the longest-ruling, and the most powerful leader of the neo-Babylonian empire, however, Saddam's life and regime ended tragically.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to be the Caliph - the ruler of the Muslim world. The Turkey president's stint too seems to be staring at an end.

Erdogan is showing all signs of an imminent fall. He has been losing friends at home, friends abroad and losing voters even as his country's coffers have been losing money. These are typical signs - this is how authoritarian leaders fall. A leader is supposed to cater to his country, however, Erdogan has fed his personal dreams.

He wants to be the Caliph. He took on Saudi Arabia and wanted the loyalty of the Muslim world. So he picked fights with Europe. Erdogan needed Pakistan's support, so he raised Kashmir at the UN and burnt bridges with India.

The Turkey president needed votes at home, so he turned the museum of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Erdogan's theatrics were rightly rewarded - he lost votes at home and earned sanctions abroad.

His party lost its hold on Ankara and Istanbul as two big allies left Erdogan both citing economic decline. Malaysia, Georgia, &nbsp;Ukraine, Kenya, Nigeria across the world autocrats have fallen after their top allies have left.

An opinion poll found that 18 per cent of Turkey's voters would vote a former confidante of Erdogan. The poll was conducted in July 2020 and Erdogan's record has worsened since. Turkey's isolation is evident as is Erdogan's fall.

Leaders who are driven by their personal ambition lead their countries to disaster. US President Donald Trump let his personal whims dictate his policy as America lost friends and allies and Trump lost the election.

Chinese president Xi Jinping is another example. Xi has been guided by his personal desire to rule the world and driven his country into a crisis. Personal dreams cannot drive a country.

Trump couldn't make America great again, Chinese hawks and scholars are unhappy with Xi Jinping.

If a leader shapes his policies on personal ambitions, he is bound to fall.

Hitler dreamt of ruling the world, Mussolini wanted to be the leader of a new Roman empire. Saddam Hussein wanted to be the next Nebuchad Nezzar - the longest-ruling, and the most powerful leader of the neo-Babylonian empire, however, Saddam's life and regime ended tragically.

Hitler dreamt of ruling the world, Mussolini wanted to be the leader of a new Roman empire. Saddam Hussein wanted to be the next Nebuchad Nezzar - the longest-ruling, and the most powerful leader of the neo-Babylonian empire, however, Saddam's life and regime ended tragically. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to be the Caliph - the ruler of the Muslim world. The Turkey president's stint too seems to be staring at an end. Erdogan is showing all signs of an imminent fall. He has been losing friends at home, friends abroad and losing voters even as his country's coffers have been losing money. These are typical signs - this is how authoritarian leaders fall. A leader is supposed to cater to his country, however, Erdogan has fed his personal dreams. He wants to be the Caliph. He took on Saudi Arabia and wanted the loyalty of the Muslim world. So he picked fights with Europe. Erdogan needed Pakistan's support, so he raised Kashmir at the UN and burnt bridges with India. The Turkey president needed votes at home, so he turned the museum of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. Erdogan's theatrics were rightly rewarded - he lost votes at home and earned sanctions abroad. His party lost its hold on Ankara and Istanbul as two big allies left Erdogan both citing economic decline. Malaysia, Georgia, Ukraine, Kenya, Nigeria across the world autocrats have fallen after their top allies have left. An opinion poll found that 18 per cent of Turkey's voters would vote a former confidante of Erdogan. The poll was conducted in July 2020 and Erdogan's record has worsened since. Turkey's isolation is evident as is Erdogan's fall. Leaders who are driven by their personal ambition lead their countries to disaster. US President Donald Trump let his personal whims dictate his policy as America lost friends and allies and Trump lost the election. Chinese president Xi Jinping is another example. Xi has been guided by his personal desire to rule the world and driven his country into a crisis. Personal dreams cannot drive a country. Trump couldn't make America great again, Chinese hawks and scholars are unhappy with Xi Jinping. If a leader shapes his policies on personal ambitions, he is bound to fall.

Erdogan stares at fall as personal ambitions shapes policy

After Turkey President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-takes-strong-exception-to-turkish-president-erdogans-comments-on-kashmir-280785">Erdogan</a> raked up the Kashmir issue in the Pakistan Parliament, India's ministry of external affairs made a strong demarche with the Turkish government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/news-update-breaking-Turkey-President-Erdogan-rakes-up-Kashmir-issue-in-Pakistan-Parliament">Also Read: Turkey President Erdogan rakes up Kashmir issue in Pakistan Parliament</a>

"They distort events of the past to advance a narrow-minded view of the present. India made a strong demarche with the Turkish government," India's ministry of external affairs said, adding, "India finds that completely unacceptable. We particularly reject the repeated attempts by Turkey to justify the cross border terrorism practised so blatantly by Pakistan."

"These developments have strong implications for our bilateral relationship. These remarks reflect neither an understanding of history nor of the conduct of diplomacy," the ministry said.

During his address to the Pakistan Parliament, Erdogan had said that his country would continue to "raise its voice" in "Indian occupied Kashmir".

"Today, the issue of Kashmir is as close to us as it is to you," Erdogan had said in Parliament the presence of top Pakistan officials including PM Imran Khan.

"This recent episode is but one more example of a pattern of Turkey interfering in the internal affairs of other countries," external affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said.

The Turkish president had said that Turkey would continue to stand by "justice, peace and dialogue in the resolution of the Kashmir issue" while saying that Pakistan has been affected by terrorism while lauding its effort in Afghanistan.

"How can we forget those from Pakistan who prayed for Turkey. Our friendship is not based on vested interests but on love," Erdogan said in a statement in Pak parliament on Friday.

&nbsp;

After Turkey President Erdogan raked up the Kashmir issue in the Pakistan Parliament, India's ministry of external affairs made a strong demarche with the Turkish government.

After Turkey President Erdogan raked up the Kashmir issue in the Pakistan Parliament, India's ministry of external affairs made a strong demarche with the Turkish government. Also Read: Turkey President Erdogan rakes up Kashmir issue in Pakistan Parliament "They distort events of the past to advance a narrow-minded view of the present. India made a strong demarche with the Turkish government," India's ministry of external affairs said, adding, "India finds that completely unacceptable. We particularly reject the repeated attempts by Turkey to justify the cross border terrorism practised so blatantly by Pakistan." "These developments have strong implications for our bilateral relationship. These remarks reflect neither an understanding of history nor of the conduct of diplomacy," the ministry said. During his address to the Pakistan Parliament, Erdogan had said that his country would continue to "raise its voice" in "Indian occupied Kashmir". "Today, the issue of Kashmir is as close to us as it is to you," Erdogan had said in Parliament the presence of top Pakistan officials including PM Imran Khan. "This recent episode is but one more example of a pattern of Turkey interfering in the internal affairs of other countries," external affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. The Turkish president had said that Turkey would continue to stand by "justice, peace and dialogue in the resolution of the Kashmir issue" while saying that Pakistan has been affected by terrorism while lauding its effort in Afghanistan. "How can we forget those from Pakistan who prayed for Turkey. Our friendship is not based on vested interests but on love," Erdogan said in a statement in Pak parliament on Friday.

Reject Turkey's repeated attempt to justify cross-border terrorism by Pak: India

Eastern military commander <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/libya-peace-summit-erdogan-of-turkey-says-that-haftars-aggressive-attitude-must-end-275303">Khalifa Haftar</a> is violating Libya's truce and so cannot be expected to respect the ceasefire called between his forces and pro-government troops, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.

Despite efforts by Turkey and Russia, Haftar abandoned talks on a ceasefire in Moscow earlier this month and his blockade of Libyan oilfields overshadowed a summit in Berlin last week aimed at shoring up a shaky truce. His Libyan National Army (LNA) aims to capture the capital, Tripoli, through the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russian mercenaries and African troops. Turkey meanwhile backs Fayez al-Serraj's internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

Speaking at Istanbul's Ataturk airport ahead of a visit to Algeria, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/80000-syrian-migrants-marching-to-turkey-says-recep-erdogan-269633">Erdogan </a>said Haftar's forces had repeatedly violated the ceasefire in Libya, adding that international support for the LNA was "spoiling" Haftar.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-turkey-will-increase-military-support-to-libya-if-necessary-269588">Erdogan says Turkey will increase military support to Libya if necessary</a>

<img alt="Libya Conflict exacerbated" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="632132db-b3bd-4608-bb5b-2f477c10cf15" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2898%29.jpg" /> 
[ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (L), Libyan Crisis - Representative Image (C), Military Commander Khalia Haftar (R) (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

"First of all, Haftar is a putschist," Erdogan said. "At this point, we need to see clearly what Haftar's identity is. He is a man who has betrayed his superiors before as well. It is not possible to expect mercy and understanding from someone like this on the ceasefire," he added. 
"He's continuing attacks with all his resources. However, he will not be successful here."

Turkey has repeatedly said Haftar must choose a political solution to the conflict and urged foreign powers to press the commander into a truce. It has also sent military advisers and trainers to help the GNA fend off Haftar's assault on Tripoli.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Biz, Suriye’de, Libya’da, Akdeniz’de macera peşinde değiliz. Hele hele emperyal heveslerimiz hiç yoktur. Gözümüz petrol ve para hırsıyla kör olmuş da değildir. 
 
Bizim tek amacımız, kendimizin ve kardeşlerimizin hakkını, hukukunu, geleceğini korumaktır. <a href="https://t.co/4Puot4D9jK">pic.twitter.com/4Puot4D9jK</a>
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RTErdogan/status/1217083952290131968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Earlier this month, Erdogan made a twitter post, commenting on the situation in Libya.

The translation reads thusly: 'We are not in pursuit of adventure in Syria, Libya, and the Mediterranean. Especially, we have no imperial ambitions. Our eyes are not blinded by the ambition of oil and money. Our only aim is to protect ourselves and our brothers' right, law and future.' Ankara has said that it will abide by a United Nations arms embargo on Libya as long as the ceasefire is maintained, but it warned that it could also deploy troops if necessary.

In Berlin, foreign powers agreed to form a special committee made up of five military officials from each side to monitor the truce. But Erdogan said on Sunday he did not expect a result from that committee due to Haftar's stance. Libya has had no stable central authority since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi by NATO-backed rebels in 2011. It has had two rival governments, in the east and the west, for more than five years, with streets controlled by armed groups.

Foreign powers providing support to Haftar and the GNA has turned the conflict into a proxy war. More than 150,000 people have been displaced by the fighting for the capital. Several countries backing rival factions in Libya have violated an arms embargo which they had agreed to uphold a week ago at a summit in Berlin, the United Nations said on Saturday.

Eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar is violating Libya's truce and so cannot be expected to respect the ceasefire called between his forces and pro-government troops, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.

Eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar is violating Libya's truce and so cannot be expected to respect the ceasefire called between his forces and pro-government troops, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday. Despite efforts by Turkey and Russia, Haftar abandoned talks on a ceasefire in Moscow earlier this month and his blockade of Libyan oilfields overshadowed a summit in Berlin last week aimed at shoring up a shaky truce. His Libyan National Army (LNA) aims to capture the capital, Tripoli, through the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russian mercenaries and African troops. Turkey meanwhile backs Fayez al-Serraj's internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). Speaking at Istanbul's Ataturk airport ahead of a visit to Algeria, Erdogan said Haftar's forces had repeatedly violated the ceasefire in Libya, adding that international support for the LNA was "spoiling" Haftar. Also Read: Erdogan says Turkey will increase military support to Libya if necessary [ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (L), Libyan Crisis - Representative Image (C), Military Commander Khalia Haftar (R) (Courtesy: Reuters) ] "First of all, Haftar is a putschist," Erdogan said. "At this point, we need to see clearly what Haftar's identity is. He is a man who has betrayed his superiors before as well. It is not possible to expect mercy and understanding from someone like this on the ceasefire," he added. "He's continuing attacks with all his resources. However, he will not be successful here." Turkey has repeatedly said Haftar must choose a political solution to the conflict and urged foreign powers to press the commander into a truce. It has also sent military advisers and trainers to help the GNA fend off Haftar's assault on Tripoli. Biz, Suriye’de, Libya’da, Akdeniz’de macera peşinde değiliz. Hele hele emperyal heveslerimiz hiç yoktur. Gözümüz petrol ve para hırsıyla kör olmuş da değildir. Bizim tek amacımız, kendimizin ve kardeşlerimizin hakkını, hukukunu, geleceğini korumaktır. pic.twitter.com/4Puot4D9jK — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) January 14, 2020 × Earlier this month, Erdogan made a twitter post, commenting on the situation in Libya. The translation reads thusly: 'We are not in pursuit of adventure in Syria, Libya, and the Mediterranean. Especially, we have no imperial ambitions. Our eyes are not blinded by the ambition of oil and money. Our only aim is to protect ourselves and our brothers' right, law and future.' Ankara has said that it will abide by a United Nations arms embargo on Libya as long as the ceasefire is maintained, but it warned that it could also deploy troops if necessary. In Berlin, foreign powers agreed to form a special committee made up of five military officials from each side to monitor the truce. But Erdogan said on Sunday he did not expect a result from that committee due to Haftar's stance. Libya has had no stable central authority since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi by NATO-backed rebels in 2011. It has had two rival governments, in the east and the west, for more than five years, with streets controlled by armed groups. Foreign powers providing support to Haftar and the GNA has turned the conflict into a proxy war. More than 150,000 people have been displaced by the fighting for the capital. Several countries backing rival factions in Libya have violated an arms embargo which they had agreed to uphold a week ago at a summit in Berlin, the United Nations said on Saturday.

Erdogan states that Haftar cannot be expected to respect Libya truce

Saudi Arabia allowed consulate search of missing journalist

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope on Sunday that Turkey would soon be able to open an embassy to a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, as he again denounced Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of the city as the Israeli capital.

Erdogan has sought to lead Islamic condemnation of his US counterpart&#39;s move, calling a summit of the leaders of Muslim nations last week in Istanbul who urged the world to recognise East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.

East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel after it seized control of the area in the 1967 war, in a move never recognised by the international community.

&quot;Because it is under occupation we can&#39;t just go there and open an embassy,&quot; Erdogan said in a speech to his ruling party in the city of Karaman.

&quot;But, inshallah (God willing) those days are near and... we will officially open our embassy there,&quot; he said, without giving any precise timescale.

Turkey currently has a general consulate in Jerusalem. Ankara has full diplomatic ties with Israel, and like all other nations, its embassy is in Tel Aviv.

Erdogan again slammed his US counterpart&#39;s decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and move the US embassy in Israel to the city, saying it smacked of a &quot;Zionist and evangelist logic and understanding.&quot;

He said Jews had no right to &quot;appropriate&quot; Jerusalem which was the the &quot;capital of Muslims&quot;.

&quot;Please stop where you are and don&#39;t attempt any Zionist operation,&quot; he said. &quot;If you try, then the price is going to be high.&quot;&nbsp;

Erdogan hailed the outcome of the December 13 summit which he said showed the &quot;world a vote of unity&quot;.

However the meeting was shadowed by the level of attendance from close US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who sent lower-level officials rather than leaders.

In a speech on the eve of the summit, Erdogan had warned Muslims against &quot;internecine warfare&quot; and &quot;attacks to bring down Muslims from within&quot; saying fighting with each other &quot;only helps terror states like Israel&quot;.

Israel has reacted relatively cooly to Erdogan&#39;s repeated broadsides over the last days, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was &quot;not impressed&quot; by statements made at the summit. 
&nbsp;

The Turkish president again denounced Donald Trump's recognition of East Jerusalem as the Israeli capital

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope on Sunday that Turkey would soon be able to open an embassy to a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, as he again denounced Donald Trump's recognition of the city as the Israeli capital. Erdogan has sought to lead Islamic condemnation of his US counterpart's move, calling a summit of the leaders of Muslim nations last week in Istanbul who urged the world to recognise East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel after it seized control of the area in the 1967 war, in a move never recognised by the international community. "Because it is under occupation we can't just go there and open an embassy," Erdogan said in a speech to his ruling party in the city of Karaman. "But, inshallah (God willing) those days are near and... we will officially open our embassy there," he said, without giving any precise timescale. Turkey currently has a general consulate in Jerusalem. Ankara has full diplomatic ties with Israel, and like all other nations, its embassy is in Tel Aviv. Erdogan again slammed his US counterpart's decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and move the US embassy in Israel to the city, saying it smacked of a "Zionist and evangelist logic and understanding." He said Jews had no right to "appropriate" Jerusalem which was the the "capital of Muslims". "Please stop where you are and don't attempt any Zionist operation," he said. "If you try, then the price is going to be high." Erdogan hailed the outcome of the December 13 summit which he said showed the "world a vote of unity". However the meeting was shadowed by the level of attendance from close US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who sent lower-level officials rather than leaders. In a speech on the eve of the summit, Erdogan had warned Muslims against "internecine warfare" and "attacks to bring down Muslims from within" saying fighting with each other "only helps terror states like Israel". Israel has reacted relatively cooly to Erdogan's repeated broadsides over the last days, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "not impressed" by statements made at the summit.

President Erdogan hopes Turkey to soon open 'embassy to Palestine in Jerusalem'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday condemned the killing of Russia&#39;s ambassador to Ankara as a &quot;provocation&quot; aimed at ruining improving relations.

&quot;We know that this is a provocation aimed at destroying the process of normalisation in relations between Turkey and Russia,&quot; Erdogan said in televised comments.&nbsp;

After the attack,&nbsp;Erdogan spoke&nbsp;with Russian President Vladimir Putin&nbsp;to share information about the shooting of Moscow&#39;s ambassador to Ankara, a Turkish official said.

Turkey will not allow the shooting of Russia&#39;s ambassador to Ankara&nbsp;&quot;cast a shadow&quot; over Turkish-Russian friendship, Turkey&#39;s foreign ministry said, expressing deep sadness and condemning the &quot;lowly terrorist attack&quot;.

The statement, paying tribute to the ambassador as being a well respected diplomat, said the attacker had been &quot;neutralised&quot; and that those responsible for the attack would be brought to justice.

Russian envoy to Turkey, Andrei Karlov was killed by a gunman, an off-duty policeman&nbsp;at an art gallery in Ankara. According to Turkish interior minister,&nbsp;Suleyman Soylu the police officer worked for Ankara riot police and said the incident &quot;deeply saddened&quot; the Turkish nation.&nbsp;

Soylu also said three people had been wounded in the attack, not critically and that one had already been released.&nbsp;

(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

Condemning the 'lowly terrorist attack', Turkey's foreign ministry said incident will not 'cast a shadow' on Turkish-Russian friendship

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday condemned the killing of Russia's ambassador to Ankara as a "provocation" aimed at ruining improving relations. "We know that this is a provocation aimed at destroying the process of normalisation in relations between Turkey and Russia," Erdogan said in televised comments. After the attack, Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin to share information about the shooting of Moscow's ambassador to Ankara, a Turkish official said. Turkey will not allow the shooting of Russia's ambassador to Ankara "cast a shadow" over Turkish-Russian friendship, Turkey's foreign ministry said, expressing deep sadness and condemning the "lowly terrorist attack". The statement, paying tribute to the ambassador as being a well respected diplomat, said the attacker had been "neutralised" and that those responsible for the attack would be brought to justice. Russian envoy to Turkey, Andrei Karlov was killed by a gunman, an off-duty policeman at an art gallery in Ankara. According to Turkish interior minister, Suleyman Soylu the police officer worked for Ankara riot police and said the incident "deeply saddened" the Turkish nation. Soylu also said three people had been wounded in the attack, not critically and that one had already been released. (Reuters)

Turkey's Erdogan condemns attack, says 'provocation' to ruin relations