Erdoğan’s surprise Tunisia visit: A ceasefire or rapport in Libya? Air space or air base? Turkey will be in Libya with all its might: In air, on land, and at sea. The ‘Arab Spring’ started in Tunisia. After Libya, Tunisia will be attacked. Turkey cannot be present in the Mediterranean without having a foothold in Libya. This is no civil war but a multinational Mediterranean fight

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a surprise visit yesterday to Tunisia. This visit is the second most critical step following the maritime deal between Turkey and Libya that altered the map of the Mediterranean.

Tunisia’s attitude toward Libya, which has been subject to Egypt’s attacks, is quite clear. The attitudes displayed by countries such as Algeria, Niger and Chad are also quite determining in terms of Libya’s territorial integrity.

President Erdoğan’s trip has thus declared to the world at the highest level, Libya’s significance for Turkey, its importance, and what Turkey is capable of doing for Libya.

Erdoğan proved once again that Turkey will not be backtracking neither in the Mediterranean nor in Libya, that it will finish what it started, and that it will be present in Libya will all its might.

Turkey considers Libya as one of the most crucial fortresses of the great power struggle in the Mediterranean. Hence, it is making all its preparations in accordance with this, including sending troops, deploying ground and air units, and transporting the fleet to Libya’s waters.

It is objecting to the division and sharing of Libya through a terror baron named Khalifa Haftar. It is openly opposing the invasion of this country by the Saudi Administration –that acts primarily in the name of France, the U.S. and Israel– the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt.

It is rejecting the conversion of the country into a terrorist base (note that terrorist organizations are now being commanded through the UAE), an intervention base for the Mediterranean and Central and North Africa.

We know that we cannot have a presence in the Mediterranean without a presence in Libya, we cannot defend the coasts of Anatolia without being present in the Mediterranean. A Mediterranean map project is being implemented through East Med energy resources while Turkey is putting forth its own map.

President Erdoğan, who said in a press conference with his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied that an immediate declaration of ceasefire is necessary in Libya, knows the difficulty –in fact, the impossibility– of such a ceasefire.

This is because the war in Libya is not between the central government and Haftar’s terrorist organization alone. It seems like a civil war, but it is in fact a multinational war.

Even if the two sides reach an agreement, the clashes cannot possibly cease. This is an issue that concerns the Mediterranean, Europe and North Africa, and almost every country is present here.

Almost all the countries hiding behind a terror baron like Haftar are simultaneously trying to settle scores with Turkey, striving to corner us in the Mediterranean. Therefore, Libya is one of our great defense lines as well.

Hence, immediately after his statement on “ceasefire,” Erdoğan said, “Turkey will accept the invitation if it is invited. We will take our steps accordingly. We will answer the call.”

In other words, we are going to deploy troops. The resolution in Parliament, the security deal with Libya, the course of events render this inevitable.

So, what might be the reason underlying President Erdoğan’s Tunisia visit? Of course, the two presidents must have sought grounds to act together regarding Libya. Tunisia refraining from cooperation with the UAE and Egypt, depriving Haftar of its support would even be a great achievement.

Some sources are saying that Turkey requested access to Tunisia’s airspace, while others say it demanded air base and port access. Similar sources also draw attention to the president’s meeting in Tunisia with Libyan tribe leaders.

Of course, these are claims only. The same circles even claim that Turkey will soon be launching major air operations in Libya. We cannot know for sure; we need to wait and see.

Erdoğan’s visit took place at a time when Egypt’s junta leader Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi and the UAE threatened to strike Tripoli and Misrata, moved their air and ground forces to Libya, transported gangs from Sudan to Libya, and is preparing for the last strike to topple the country’s UN-recognized official government.

It is possible to foresee that in the case they fail to take over Libya, these circles will not stop and, as a matter of fact, break out chaos in Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring sprung in Tunisia and ended in Libya. It was halted before it could reach Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia.

Tunisia managed to institute a solid democracy after the revolution. Just as Libya was about to do the same following the civil war, Haftar and his terror army were swiftly unleashed on the stage. Libya was not given the opportunity. The junta model in Egypt is now being transferred to Libya. Do you know what will happen if they succeed?

They are going to exact their revenge for the Arab Spring on Tunisia. They are going to push it into a state worse than Libya’s to turn the country back to the Habib Bourguiba era. As a matter of fact, they are going to do this through authoritarian regimes such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.

If Tunisia supports Turkey, calming down the wave in Libya, Tunisia may also be rescued. Turkey and Tunisia can do a great deal against the wave of dictatorship and authoritarian regimes.

It is this fear that makes them anti-Turkey. Their bosses share the very same fear. They know extremely well that the new and local political discourse led by Turkey will destroy the entire region’s power map.