Operation Missouri 2.0

Münir Ertegün, who had served as Turkey's ambassador to Washington since 1934, passed away from a heart attack on November 11, 1944. Regrettably, owing to the wartime conditions of that day, his remains couldn't be repatriated.

Two years later, on April 5, 1946, the United States brought Ambassador Ertegün's body to Istanbul aboard the battleship Missouri, one of its most significant war vessels. The ceremony, held as the Missouri anchored before Dolmabahçe, was transformed into a pro-US campaign. Prime Minister Şükrü Saraçoğlu extended a welcoming message to Missouri, stating, "America and its people, the youngest and most exemplary offspring of the ancient world we inhabit, carry the banners of humanity, justice, freedom, and civilization as they march resolutely toward the establishment of a grand global community of the United Nations."

But what prompted the transport of Ambassador Ertegün's remains aboard the Missouri?

SYMBOL OF ENTRY TO THE ATLANTIC CAMP

With World War II concluded, the USA and Britain initiated the Cold War against the USSR. According to the US strategy, the key to blocking the USSR's expansion into the Middle East was controlling the Mediterranean and aligning Turkey with the Western bloc.

The battleship Missouri, along with its accompanying warships, was intended for deployment in the Mediterranean to fulfil this objective, and the mission also included transporting Ertegün's remains to Istanbul. In return, Ankara leveraged this visit to advance Americanism within Turkey and to facilitate its entry into the Atlantic alliance, a decision made in 1945.

In brief, the arrival of the ambassador's remains aboard the battleship Missouri symbolized Turkey's shift toward the Atlantic alliance.

Why do we bring this up now?

US-AKP EXERCISE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

On August 21, an extraordinary event unfolded in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish General Command (TGC) Anadolu conducted joint exercises with the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier. Accompanying TGC Anadolu were frigates, while the US aircraft carrier was joined by a cruiser.

The US media highlighted this exercise as "the most significant since 2016" (worth noting that 2016 marks the year of the US-backed FETO coup attempt).

What added intrigue to the exercise was the visit of Selçuk Bayraktar, Erdogan's son-in-law and Chairman of Baykar, to the USS Gerald R. Ford upon the invitation of US Ambassador Jeff Flake!

Bayraktar's visit to the US aircraft carrier included Rear Admiral Mehmet Savaş Eser, Commander of Naval Air Command, Brigadier General Hüseyin Sabri Akyol from the Air Training Command, and several officers.

Although some sought to downplay this as routine, arguing, "What's the fuss? It's normal for Bayraktar, who manufactures UAVs for TGC Anadolu, to be invited to a US aircraft carrier during joint exercises." However, this situation was anything but normal!

WE ARE IN 2023, NOT 1946

Furthermore, Bayraktar's presence at the exercise is far from typical. Moreover, the attendance of US Ambassador Flake at a military exercise raises eyebrows. What role does a diplomat play in such an event?

By bringing Bayraktar to the US aircraft carrier, the US Ambassador's role in this context becomes evident!

The key issue here is this: The AKP government has increasingly turned to New York financiers and London lenders to access hot money and credit.

The fact that Erdogan's son-in-law, Bayraktar, was taken to the US aircraft carrier during "the most significant exercise since 2016" through US Ambassador Flake echoes the essence of "Operation Missouri 2.0."

However, let's underscore this fact: We're no longer in 1946 when the US ushered in the Atlantic century; we're in 2023, where the Atlantic century is closing and the Asia-Pacific century is dawning. Let no one harbour unrealistic dreams...