01.07.2016 Author: Petr Lvov
The Far
Reaching Consequences Brexit Will Have on the Middle East
Region: Middle East
It seems
that Ankara was the first understand that the withdrawal of the United
Kingdom from the EU would have far-reaching implications. The weakening
European Union will not be able to oppose Washington’s actions in the Middle
East, especially when Hillary Clinton is likely to become the next US
president. Therefore, Ankara has immediately turned its attention toward Moscow
by apologizing for the downed SU-24 warplane and expressed its readiness to
pursue a strategic partnership with Russia. The Turks understand that they won’t
have much leverage versus the US, a nation with different approaches to the
situation in Syria, Iraq and the Middle East in general. Most importantly,
Ankara is well aware of Washington’s plan to pursue the creation of a Kurdish
state that will occupy Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. But no
regional player is going to feel comfortable enough around such a large
geopolitical formation with a total population of 30 million people in the very
heart of the Middle East. Russia doesn’t like this idea so much as well, if
taking into account the pro-American posture of the Kurdish population of the
region. Additionally, Israel will be pleased to obtain an ally in the form of
the Kurdish state right at the center of the Arab World, undermining the
positions of both Turkey and Iran.
