Who are these imperialists, Erdoğan?
Devlet Bahçeli and Tayyip Erdoğan have been fighting an enemy we have been unable to identify for nearly two years. Whoever or whatever country this enemy is, it will attack Turkey. The issue has become so serious that every official who has spoken, from Erdoğan to Bahçeli, from Fidan to Kalın, has used the phrase ‘internal reinforcement against external threats’. Bahçeli and Erdoğan, demonstrating the urgency of the matter, suddenly launched the ‘Terror-Free Turkey’ project to disrupt that grand scheme.
One of the favourite propaganda tactics of Turkish right-wingers has been anti-imperialism. It is their national sport to work abroad and say whatever comes to mind at home. President Erdoğan once again reminded us of imperialism and imperialists yesterday. Erdoğan said, ‘We are receiving strong signals that the island of Cyprus is also being added to the menu in the new imperialist game being played in our region.’ Look at that! From this sentence constructed by Erdoğan, we understand that the imperialists, the source of all evil, are again involved in a plan concerning the Middle East and have included Cyprus in this plan. It is impossible not to agree with Erdoğan's assessment.
A FRIEND ABROAD AS A ‘THREAT’
For about a year now, a scenario frequently mentioned by Erdoğan, Bahçeli and Öcalan has been discussed in Turkish politics. According to this scenario, imperialist powers aim to do in Turkey what they have done in countries such as Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Libya. According to Erdoğan, Cyprus is also included in this geography. They are talking about a regional plan. Although we have known this game as the ‘Greater Middle East Project’ for a long time, the ruling partners have found it more appropriate to bring it to the market these days.
That is one side of the picture. On the other side, there is a broad alliance of Turkey's friends, led by US President Trump. According to Erdoğan, this alliance has become an extremely well-functioning mechanism. Even the Gaza peace was established thanks to this alliance. Turkey, and therefore Erdoğan, is one of the main elements of this alliance, one of its architects.
When people talk about ‘rogue states’ around the world, they think of US imperialism. If there is so much bloodshed and war in the Middle East, the culprit is definitely the US. It is also primarily responsible for the bloodshed that continues today. In this context, the owner and power behind the project that Erdoğan, Bahçeli and even Öcalan refer to as a danger and a threat can only be the US. The owners of the project that Erdoğan, Bahçeli and Öcalan say we must ‘take precautions against’ are the US and Israel. The United States, which is an ally of many actors in the region, including Turkey.
THEY HAVE ONE PRIORITY: TO REMAIN IN POWER
The framework of the United States' policy for the region is clear. It envisages a Kurdish, Turkish and Arab alliance that will work in harmony with Israel in the Middle East and strictly adhere to the division of labour defined by the United States and Western countries.
The war waged in the region by Israel for two years has paved the way for this. Problematic countries have been removed from the equation, non-state armed groups are being eliminated, and political and geographical adjustments are being made. Turkey will also get its share of this new situation.
It appears that the People's Alliance has no concerns about what is happening in the region. They continue to march in full agreement with the US and its president, Trump. Erdoğan and Bahçeli have even set about preparing the country for this new situation with the emerging model of governance. The method applied within Turkey is very similar to that in the Middle East: remove the problem, create new alliances. The ruling party's claim that it is taking action to resolve the Kurdish issue while crushing the CHP and all social opposition forces cannot be evaluated outside of this method. The point reached in the Kurdish issue debate, which has been going on for a year, shows that for the People's Alliance, this issue is nothing more than a tool it uses to maintain its power. The possibility of resolving such an important issue has undoubtedly excited everyone who has been calling for ‘peace’ for years. Looking at the statements made by different segments of the opposition about the process these days, it can be seen that it has also caused confusion. Evaluations made on the basis of the project put forward by the People's Alliance trigger extremes within the opposition and eliminate the possibility of standing together against the regime. The opposition has fragmented into a broad spectrum, ranging from those who say, ‘There is no other chance for peace but Erdoğan,’ to those who say, ‘There is no need for peace.’
It is impossible for the US to bring about a peace that would benefit the peoples of the Middle East. It is impossible to build democracy in a Turkey where the palace regime continues to consolidate its power, or to resolve the Kurdish issue in a democratic direction. Today, as yesterday, we cannot think of the struggle against the one-man regime, the democratic resolution of the Kurdish issue, and resistance to the US project in the region as separate issues.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Erdoğan söyle bize, bu emperyalistler kim?, published in BirGün newspaper on November 4, 2025.
