Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan often talks about history to make his point on present-day developments. He did so again Oct. 13 in a speech in Istanbul focusing on the era of World War I. And just as he always does in evaluating any troublesome event, he blamed foreign meddling for all the bloodbaths in the Middle East, pointing as proof to Lawrence of Arabia, who helped organize an effective Arab revolt against the Ottomans.
“There were spies in the Arab deserts to destroy the Ottomans. Spies are at work today, too,” Erdogan said. “There are today, unfortunately, volunteer Lawrences. Today’s Lawrences are members of their own societies. They are disguised as religious men, servicemen, journalists, authors and, more important, terrorists who emerge as new Lawrences trying to set our region on fire. There are, unfortunately, new Lawrences applying the stipulations of the Sykes-Picot agreement in Turkey and our near geography, hiding behind promises of service, freedom of thought and media, a war of independence or jihad.”