Erdogan confronts allies, rivals alike over Syria President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, not Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, is calling the shots in Turkey today and is at loggerheads with the United States over the significance of the threat from the Islamic State (IS). He can do little, though, except vent his frustration, as Washington pursues policies in Syria that are at odds with his wishes. Russia and Iran — two key powers whose influence in the Middle East also outstrips that of Turkey — are compounding Ankara’s complications. Both countries continue to oppose Turkey’s policies, which are predicated on the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. In doing so, they have effectively upset Erdogan’s dream of leading the Sunni world, according to Turkish experts. Russia and Iran may hold different positions from that of the United States with regard to the future of the Assad regime. Erdogan nevertheless faces a unified conviction in Washington, Moscow and Tehran that the priority in Syria today is confronting IS. It is little wonder then that Erdogan’s frustration over this state of affairs has begun to show. Read more: al-monitor/pulse/originals/2014/10/turkey-confront-allies-and-rivals-syria.html#ixzz3HVY5fynW
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 05:14:13 +0000
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