Why is Erdogan pushing for a role in Mosul?

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan definitely wants Turkey to be part of the Mosul operation and has the support of nationalists and Islamists alike. For the former, this is a matter of national honor because they believe Mosul belongs to Turkey by birthright.

How they can delude themselves into thinking that Mosul will be handed over to Turkey or that Turkey will be the principal country determining the future of this city, if the Turkish military is part of this operation, is another question.

As for the Islamists, their position is articulated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He says the demography of the city should not be tampered with. This is another way of saying the city is predominantly Sunni and should remain so.

Talk by the government about protecting the rights of the Turkmen in Mosul also rings hollow. Which Turkmen are we talking about, Sunni or Shiite? Turkey is not known to have spoken up for Shiite Turkmen in the past, either in Iraq or Syria, only concentrating on the rights of those close to it, namely Sunni Turkmen. There is a reason why most Shiite Turkmen in Iraq have traditionally voted for Shiite parties, rather than for Sunni ones backed by Ankara. The Islamist positon on Mosul is nevertheless more credible given the understanding emerging internationally that Shiite militia supporting the Iraqi army should not be allowed to rampage through the city vindictively. 

But there are also Turks who are asking why Erdoğan is so keen on sending Turkish troops to Iraq, which they fear will drag the country into a bloody war that will also bring a serious risk of terrorist attacks in Turkey. 

A secondary role for Turkey on Mosul operation

For these Turks it is also evident that...