What are They Faking and Why?

Miniature depicting Ottoman military campaign

One can find numerous examples here and elsewhere claiming Turkish president Erdogan and company are deluded and that is why it is not easy to make sense of their policy changes. As a matter of fact, it is not that difficult to grasp; their policy, or cause as they would say, has always been the same. It zigs and zags and zigs again; but the destination is always the land of love and peace where Islamic orgies bloom in its palaces. So, the sudden shift in relations with Israel and Russia looks absurd.

It is important to differentiate between someone who makes peace because he believes in peace, and someone who does it because he somehow needs it. Erdogan and his Islamists fall into the second category. Hence, they are faking peace.

One can always argue that Russian embargo hurts Turkish economy (it really does and costs Islamists precious votes especially in coastal cities, votes that they will presumably need to tailor a constitution that suits their delusions in the not so distant future) but it is really difficult to explain their change of heart with Israel, the terrorist state as they would say, many many times on and off the record. So, for what purpose did they require a peaceful relationship with Israel (and to a lesser extent with Russia)?

Hint: Erdogan said Syrian refugees could become Turkish citizens.
Hint: It is wildly speculative.