Former U.S. National Security Advisor, John Bolton, criticized the Trump administration’s approach to the Middle East and the Kurds based on his experiences during Donald Trump’s first term. He added that he does not believe Trump fully understood how complex the issue is or fully appreciated the importance of what the Kurds have done to protect the U.S. and its allies.
Bolton answered questions from journalist Erem Kansoy on Medya Haber TV.
Bolton said that “under President Erdoğan, the Turks have clearly been pursuing a policy to expand their influence across the region. It’s been described by some as a neo-Ottomanist policy, trying to recreate their Ottoman Empire. And it’s been heavily tinged with support for radical Islamist groups.
I don’t think there’s any question about it. I think the most recent example is obviously the support for the Al-Nusra Front, as it was formerly known in the overthrow of the Assad regime. But in the efforts they’ve made against Kurdish people within Turkey and elsewhere, and the support that they’ve given to Hamas.
So I’m quite worried about the activism that we’ve seen from Ankara, especially after the attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States, that Erdoğan may see an opportunity that he took advantage of and overthrow Assad. He may see other opportunities as well. So I think it’s a very potentially dangerous time from that perspective.”
Answering a question about the future of Syria and the risks faced by Kurds, Bolton said: “I think, ultimately, what Erdoğan wants is domination in Syria. He can do it through proxies like al-Sharia. He can do it in other ways, including direct Turkish military intervention, which we have been trying to avoid in the past.
It’s clear that for his own domestic political reasons, Erdoğan has tried to give the impression that he’s not pursuing an anti-Kurdish policy in Turkey. But I think it’s in his interest not to allow the Syrian Democratic Forces, General Mazloum and the others who worked with the United States in the fight against ISIS, to maintain any real autonomy. I think it’s a very dangerous moment for the Kurds in Syria, both because of the direct pressure from across the Turkish border, and because we still cannot have confidence that al-Sharia, despite what he says publicly, including in his recent trip to Washington, is really serious about that, or whether he still maintains his terrorist roots. I just don’t think we have enough information to draw a conclusion yet.”
Bolton added: “We don’t know the details, but if you just look at the recent history, I don’t think al-Sharaa and his supporters could have taken power in Damascus without significant Turkish help. I think that was really what propelled the assault on the Assad regime was the assistance they had received. And I think, obviously, Turkey is using that as an influence.
In a sense, I think there’s a contest going on between Turkey on one side and some of the Arab states on the Arabian Peninsula on the other as to who’s going to have the most influence in the post-Assad affairs in Syria. And they’re both trying to get Donald Trump’s attention. And it’s not clear if he fully really understands what’s at stake here.”
About Erdoğan’s intentions, Bolton said: “I think it would certainly be to everybody’s advantage to end the conflict and to allow Kurdish citizens of Turkey to participate fully in Turkish politics. From what appears on the outside, however, is that Erdoğan knows that he’s in political trouble domestically.
There’s very substantial opposition. He’s tried to put the opposition leaders in jail and on trial. And it is said that he’s trying to reduce tensions with the Kurds so that he can make them in effect allies in his own domestic political struggles. I’m not Erdoğan’s biggest fan. I’m not sure how far he can be trusted. I thought for some time there should be an independent Kurdish state. It’s something that had it been created long ago, the Middle East might have been a much more peaceful region. I don’t know what’s possible now, but I’m very skeptical whenever Erdoğan attempts to conciliate, because I’m sure he has a hidden agenda.”
Bolton added: “Obviously, the Turkish military is not going to lay down their arms. And although we viewed the PKK in Washington as a terrorist group for some time, the real issue is whether Kurds will get equal treatment as full citizens of Turkey under whatever their political banner is.
And that’s not something that Erdoğan has ever really shown much interest in. So, I hope for a peaceful outcome, but I have to say I’m skeptical.”