The Perennial 'Mediator' Mirage
Apparently, President Erdoğan has 'cast himself as a mediator' amidst escalating Middle East tensions. Curiously, this isn't his first rodeo, nor is it a particularly novel act in the grand theater of international relations. The role of 'regional stabilizer' or 'indispensable bridge' is often self-appointed and rarely about altruism. FIRST INSTANCE: The Cold War Balancing Act (1950s-1970s). As a
key NATO member bordering the Soviet Union and the Middle East, Turkey frequently postured as a crucial interlocutor between East and West, and a moderating influence within the Arab world. Take, for example, its cautious approach during the 1967 Six-Day War, balancing its Western alliance with avoiding outright condemnation of Arab states. While publicly advocating for peace, Ankara secured
significant economic and military aid from both blocs, consistently playing to its strategic geographic advantage (CIA historical documents, 1960s). Outcomes? Turkey cemented its strategic importance to NATO while carefully avoiding deep entanglement in Arab-Israeli conflicts, maintaining a degree of transactional diplomacy that paid dividends. REPETITIONS: The 'Zero Problems' Gambit (2000s).
Under then-Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Turkey launched its 'zero problems with neighbors' policy. This involved extensive diplomatic overtures to countries like Syria, Iran, and even Armenia. Erdoğan, as Prime Minister, amplified this image of Turkey as a regional peacemaker and economic powerhouse. Remember the 2010 Turkish-Brazilian effort to mediate a nuclear fuel swap with Iran, directly