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Turkey's Erdogan: Mideast Troublemaker

(Wall Street Journal) Jack Rosen - Since Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and his AKP (Justice and Development Party) came to power a decade ago, Turkey has redirected its strategic thinking away from the U.S. and the West. The notion that Turkey will feel compelled, at the end of the day, to return to the West's fold, reflects wishful thinking. Some are convinced that Turkey remains in the West's orbit, pointing to its willingness to host missile-defense facilities designed to thwart Iran. But engaging in a balancing act that buys Ankara credit in Washington while serving the strategic interest of diminishing its regional Iranian rival shows Turkey knows how to use the West to achieve its goals in the East. Israel is the perfect foil for Turkey's ambitions, allowing Ankara to champion its Muslim credentials. It has made its assessment on the basis of costs versus benefits, and thrown Israel overboard. The U.S. has reached out to Turkey during the Erdogan era and received very little in return. With Ankara so keen on seeking apologies, it's time we heard Turkey offer one for the massacres of a million or more Armenians during and after World War I, as well as an offer of reparations payments for Armenian families. The writer is chairman of the American Council for World Jewry.
2011-09-23 00:00:00
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