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Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040705012.html
Turkey's Rising Influence with Syria
(Washington Post) Janine Zacharia - Since Turkey and Syria eliminated border restrictions several months ago, the crowds of Syrians at the glittering Sanko Park Mall in Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey have grown tenfold. The thriving trade is a sign of Turkey's rising influence with Syria, part of its effort to reach out to neighboring countries to build economic ties it hopes will also stabilize political relationships and expand its influence in the region. Those efforts, which include business ventures with Iran, illustrate to some extent how futile U.S. efforts to isolate those countries with sanctions have become. They've also raised concerns in Washington and in Israel about whether this key Muslim member of NATO is undergoing a fundamental realignment.