Modern-day Turkey: Armed and reckless

Turkey’s proxy wars are growing in number. Turkey has reportedly supplied materials and fighters to Libya in a bid to change the course of the civil war. Erdogan provoked Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, and both countries were on the brink of a war.

The Turkish president also intervened in Syria. Now, Turkey is instigating Azerbaijan, pushing for a full blown war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armed and reckless: Modern day Turkey

The Turkish president is pushing Turkish arms, the military, and proxies to volatile regional battlegrounds. This began in Libya when Turkey announced a military intervention in civil war in January.

Erdogan is a key supporter of the Tripoli-based government of National Accord that is fighting the Libyan National Army, led by commander Khalifa Haftar.

Last year in April, the Libyan National Army launched an offensive to seize the capital. Despite a UN embargo, Turkey has deployed its military forces, sent Syrian militants, and even armed the government of National Accord.

French president Emmanuel Macron has accused Turkey of meddling in the Libyan conflict. In Macron's eyes, Turkey has threatened European interests with its military deployments.

“I have already had the opportunity to make this very clear to president Erdogan: I now consider that Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya and is in breach of all the commitments it made at the Berlin conference. This is the same speech I made this afternoon during the exchange Ihad with president Trump, because it is in the interests of Libya, of its neighbours, of the whole region, but also of Europe”, Emmanuel Macron had said.

The response?

In August, Turkey pursued an aggressive gas exploration effort in eastern Mediterranean. Greece claims the same disputed regions.

Encounters between Turkish and Greek vessels on the high seas raised the threat of war. France sided with Greece. Erdogan responded with the following: “France is often on the agenda. I don't want to give names, but I am forced to because he comes at me a lot. It isn't with our people but he says we have a problem with Erdogan.Mr Macron, you are going to have way more problems with me."

No backing down

By the end of September, Erdogan triggered a new conflict, and ramped up support to Azerbaijan. On September 27, fighting broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

For 11 days now, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in deadly clashes. With Erdogan sending Syrian mercenaries to assist Azerbaijan, the international community wants a ceasefire. Erdogan has offered Azerbaijan complete military support, and defied calls for a ceasefire.

“Given that the three Minsk countries, USA, Russia and France have neglected this problem for nearly 30 years, first of all, it is unacceptable that they are involved in a search for a ceasefire in the face of these negative developments that came to surface in these days but if something is wanted, the invaders should leave these lands in order to achieve a solution”, Erdogan said.

Erdogan believes that he can get a seat at the high table by initiating proxy battles. But by flexing his military muscle, the Turkish president is only isolating his country further.