SINCE Nato’s inception, Turkey has been an integral member state. However, public opinion on the alliance is shifting. Increasing tensions brought about by the war across the Black Sea in Ukraine have put Turkey in much closer proximity to danger than the majority of Nato members.

With this in mind, it is no surprise that the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has been one of the most outspoken critics of Turkish participation in the alliance, with a protest convoy setting off from Istanbul on September 15 headed to the Incirlik Nato air base, 500 miles away, which serves as a strategic outpost for Nato in the country.

Aydemir Guler, former general secretary and a member of the TKP’s general committee, explains the relationship between Turkey and Nato, Turkey’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
 
Why is everyone gathered here today?
 
Turkey is a founding member of Nato. Nato’s most famous and prominent military base is found in Adana at the Incirlik air base, on the other side of Turkey from here. We will start marching in Istanbul, and for two weeks, we will continue until we reach Incirlik.

We’re marching against Nato membership; Nato membership draws our people closer to war and instability. We are marching because we want to leave the terrorist alliance that is Nato.
 
Western media states that Erdogan, the President of Turkey, is distancing himself from Nato. Would you say this is true?
 
The truth is this: Turkey wants a place within the inner circles of large capitalist powers. They don’t want to be left as front-line soldiers like they were against the USSR during the cold war. The Turkish bourgeoisie seeks a share in the global division of power.

Erdogan and the political class have sold themselves to the bourgeoisie; they do their bidding. Yes, it is different to the bourgeoisie of the past who bowed down and surrendered the country completely — however, they remain profit-driven and commercially minded, not anti-imperialist or opposed to Nato. Their focus is solely on advancing their own trade interests.
 
What impact did the Russia-Ukraine war have on Turkey’s relationship with Nato? How does the Turkish political class view the war, and is this the same or different to the rest of Nato?
 
Turkey makes it look like they are apprehensive about taking sides in the war. However, they still adopt the same position as the global North. They can’t take an alternative or separate position from Nato since they are one of Nato’s most strategically important members.

But like I said, the Turkish bourgeoisie are only motivated by profit. While the global North embargoed Russia, Turkey refused to join the embargo, instead choosing to conduct economic trade with both countries.

The global North did not raise objections because they saw Turkey as a means to circumvent the embargo and continue profiting from trade with Russia. In reality, there are a lot of lies being spread in our region.

What is the general population’s view of Nato?
 
The Turkish ruling class thinks that their job is a relaxed one, they think that the Turkish population is an apathetic and silent population, that we don’t care. It is true that the Turkish population is not organised — and the ruling class relies on this — however, the history of our liberation struggle is embedded in people’s consciousness. This is a history where Turkey was a toy of the global North for decades.

There is a sentiment that is tired of being lackeys for Nato. This is not an anti-imperialist sentiment but one based on our national experiences of historical scepticism. It is our job, and a need, to transform this sentiment into a political one. We can only transform this sentiment into a political one through the strength of organising — that is our task here.
 
The Western media also portrays Turkey’s stance on Israel-Palestine as one in which it sides against the West and for Palestine, is there any truth to this as well? What is the position of Erdogan on Israel-Palestine?
 
Two weeks ago, a US Nato warship docked in Izmir. Turkey’s military happily continues to co-operate in US and Nato military operations. It may not support Israel in a politically outspoken way, but it does in terms of military strategy.

It makes no difference that Turkey has not been deeply involved in Israel-Palestine because if you are to take a political stance against Israel, then you must be able to differentiate between the two sides and get involved in these events. Turkey is still not involved in Israel-Palestine, to this day, it still seeks to run away from taking part.
 
The Turkish government saw that there were protests against the warship in Izmir. It took the messages of these protests, regurgitated them, but didn’t take any meaningful action whatsoever and allowed the ship to dock and conduct its mission.

Like I said earlier, the organisational strength of the Turkish people is weak, and as a result of this, there was no large-scale movement against the apparatuses that matter.
 
The Turkish state could achieve a great deal against Israel, but they continue to maintain their economic relationship with Israel. They state that their existing contracts with Israel were already established and that they couldn’t do anything about it.

But when they renewed those contracts, they lied to the people. Turkey’s government spouts rhetoric but practically continues to achieve nothing and maintains close relations with Israel.