Turkey Discovers 'Expansionism,' Ignores Its Own
Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel expresses "concern" over Israel's growing influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, as reported by the Daily Sabah . The piece highlights a tripartite summit between the Greek Cypriot administration, Israel, and Greece—a common enough diplomatic maneuver. Meanwhile, the article subtly sidesteps Turkey's own, shall we say, robust presence and territorial
claims in the exact same region, specifically northern Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or TRNC), which only Turkey recognizes. It’s almost as if some expansionism is more equal—or at least more newsworthy—than others. This is a classic tale of the pot calling the kettle… another, slightly different kettle. One might wonder if nations ever look in the mirror before raising the alarm
about "expansionism" abroad. Or perhaps, like a magician, they hope you're too distracted by the right hand to notice the left's occupation. The historical context of Turkey's 1974 military intervention in Cyprus provides a rich irony that the Daily Sabah gracefully dances around.