How much does Erdogan’s 'coercive diplomacy' benefit Turkey?
If mishandled, Turkey’s threats of military action could trigger an uncontrolled escalation, leaving Ankara facing difficult choices.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan favors hard talk in his international dealing. His approach is usually laced with insults and military threats. He abhors compromise and looks on traditional diplomacy with disdain.
Under his rule, Turkey has become a disruptive international player that has few friends or allies of any significance left. It has left Ankara with more enemies and detractors than at any time since the founding of the republic nearly a century ago.
This isolation, however, is of no consequence for Erdogan, who frequently expresses his readiness to use Turkey’s military might as a first choice to resolve problems rather than the diplomatic track.
Erdogan has also been true to his word, ordering three military incursions into Syria as well as embroiling Ankara in the Libyan civil war.
