From Arms Deals to Amnesia: The Convenient Narrative Shift
The latest headline from Al-Monitor, 'Turkey, Saudi Arabia ink deal for production of Gokbey helicopters,' paints a picture of blossoming regional camaraderie. Apparently, Saudi Arabia, once a 'pariah' state after the 2018 assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, is now a perfectly respectable partner for advanced defense manufacturing. Turkey, too, which faced a rather public shaming and sanctions from
the US Congress in 2020 via the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for its purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, is suddenly an indispensable player in regional security. One might wonder why those pesky 'human rights' and 'geopolitical alignment' concerns vanish so conveniently. CASE A: Saudi Arabia, the 'Strategic Partner' The deal for Gokbey helicopter
production with Saudi Arabia is presented as a mutual benefit, enhancing 'local capabilities' for Riyadh and providing 'export opportunities' for Ankara. The article even notes 'advanced talks' for Riyadh to join Turkey’s KAAN fighter jet program. This is the Saudi Arabia that, just a few short years ago, was deemed irredeemable by many in Washington. President Biden, in 2020, even promised to
make Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' state (New York Times, 2020). CASE B: Iran, the 'Rogue State' Contrast this with the consistent framing of Iran. When Iran seeks to develop indigenous defense capabilities, or when it engages in military cooperation with nations like Russia or China, the narrative immediately shifts to 'threats to regional stability' and 'proliferation concerns.' Historically, any