In a sharply worded opinion piece, Tan portrays the Foreign Minister as a figure who is out of his depth. The critique, sourced from the Turkish news outlet T24, details what Tan sees as a disconnect between Fidan's harsh rhetoric and the reality on the ground in Syria. Tan asserts that Fidan's approach ignores the fundamental chaos in the neighboring country.
"It is as if Fidan is not the Foreign Minister of Turkey, but of Syria, giving out assignments," Tan wrote. "However, in Syria, there is no state yet, no army, no command-and-control chain, no discipline; and the possibility of creating a regular army from the existing militias, from guerrillas, especially from plundering, Salafist jihadists, is non-existent or an arduous and long-term struggle," Tan questions the wisdom of discussing new military operations when Turkey's own national economy is in a precarious state.
The former ambassador also directs heavy criticism at Fidan's public persona, describing him as a "deep prince of darkness" whose "gilding comes off" when exposed to the light of day. Tan claims Fidan "stutters and fumbles" in unscripted moments, caught between cultivating an image of a mysterious intelligence chief and a constant craving for media attention. He alleges Fidan frequently appears on pro-government channels to answer pre-approved, laudatory questions, a practice Tan likens to a performance designed to impress his superiors rather than engage in genuine diplomacy.
Tan's critique extends to the broader government under President Erdoğan, which he accuses of fostering a "Nazi Germany-like propaganda machine," weaponizing the judiciary to stifle free expression, and being out of touch within the "labyrinthine dark corridors of the thousand-room palace." He points to what he calls contradictory policy moves, such as forming a commission to address the PKK issue one day, only for the President to pivot to threats of invading Syria "one night suddenly."
The article concludes by describing Turkey's current foreign policy as an "oriental operetta," driven by domestic political ambitions rather than sound diplomatic strategy. Tan, who now serves as an MP for the main opposition party, CHP, suggests that Fidan's desire to build a political profile is ultimately damaging to the nation's interests, creating a foreign policy that is both inconsistent and ineffective.
Photo: Generated by Gemini AI.