The upsurge in hostilities between the Turks and Kurds is an unwelcome distraction from the coalition's military campaign to destroy Isil
A year into the coalition campaign to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil), the arrival of six American F-16 fighters at the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey should be a cause for celebration.
This time last year, when the US first began bombing Isil positions in Iraq and Syria, its biggest handicap was being denied access to Turkish military bases. Despite Turkey’s Nato membership, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country’s leader, was reluctant to provide support for the US-led coalition effort against Isil.
President Erdogan’s priority was the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing rival of the Turkish leader. From his perspective, Isil looked like the force most likely to defeat Assad and Turkey therefore saw no reason to back the American effort against it.
Then came last month’s Isil-inspired suicide bomb attack on the southern Turkish border town of Suruc, which killed 32 youth activists. Mr Erdogan had a change of heart.
A year into the coalition campaign to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil), the arrival of six American F-16 fighters at the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey should be a cause for celebration.
This time last year, when the US first began bombing Isil positions in Iraq and Syria, its biggest handicap was being denied access to Turkish military bases. Despite Turkey’s Nato membership, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country’s leader, was reluctant to provide support for the US-led coalition effort against Isil.
President Erdogan’s priority was the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing rival of the Turkish leader. From his perspective, Isil looked like the force most likely to defeat Assad and Turkey therefore saw no reason to back the American effort against it.
Then came last month’s Isil-inspired suicide bomb attack on the southern Turkish border town of Suruc, which killed 32 youth activists. Mr Erdogan had a change of heart.
posted from Bloggeroid
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