Turkey under attack / Russian peacekeeper

Recently the Turkish armed forces attacked the positions of the radical group called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' in Syria in response to mortar fire. It happened near the town of Azaz on the Syrian-Turkish border and has become quite a surprise as Ankara has always accused Damascus in all provocations along the border, not the opposition.

It is noteworthy that the blow was inflicted on the forces that lead an armed struggle against Bashar al-Assad. Previously, there was another significant event - Turkish Council of Ministers decided to 'freeze' the financial assets of individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaeda.

According to world media the very mention of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in a statement of the military indicates the fact that Turkey has officially recognized the existence of Syrian rebels associated with Al-Qaeda. Obviously the foreign policy of Ankara has undergone some changes.

Recently there has been a certain cooling in the relations between Turkey and the United States. Largely due to the purchase of anti-missile systems from China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC). The point is that CPMIEC is currently under the U.S. sanctions, and the systems planned for purchase do not meet the standards of NATO. This fact freaks out Washington.

This may exacerbate the U.S.-Turkish relations. The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone already noted such ‘tensions’ between the two countries. Although their relations have not been successful for a long time.

The sharpest point of the diplomatic standoff started in 2007 and 2008. Then Ankara despite strong U.S. objections decided to carry out a military operation against Kurdish rebels. The problem was that the operation affected the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan – the autonomy within Iraq and the most peaceful region of the country. The intervention of the Turks threatened to sharply escalate the situation in the rest of Iraq. There were no acute consequences, but the negative residue remained. The situation becomes even more complicated due to media information that the jihadis fighting in northern Syria are funded and armed by Turkey using them to fight against the Kurds.

The fact that Syrian rebels feel at ease in the border areas with Turkey close to Patriot Anti-aircraft missile systems' location is surprising. A similar situation was in 1986 when the U.S. began to supply the Afghan mujahideen Stinger MANPADS that are still in the possession of terrorists. It is terrible to imagine what would happen if the Patriots fall into the terrorists' hands.

Israel is another stumbling block in relations between Ankara and Washington. Turkey is one of the very few Islamic countries of the region, which not only recognizes Israel, but also cooperates with the Israelis. However, Ankara has begun to show its relative flexibility in matters relating to the independence of Palestine, trying to earn some extra credibility and win the leadership in the Muslim world. The result of this policy was the cooling of Turkish-Israeli relations, especially after the scandal with the capture of the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara by the Israeli commandos in May 2010.

Turkey is caught between two fires. On the one hand, Ankara craves to overthrow the secular regime of Bashar al-Assad. On the other - even if Assad leaves as required Turkey will have to defend itself against the jihadis. Even a moderate Islamist Erdogan is a heretic and apostate for them. It is worth noting that the war in Syria is unpopular among the Turkish population, and the ruling party Justice and Development is preparing for regional elections. The parliamentary and presidential elections are just around the corner as well. Under such circumstances it is going to be very difficult for Erdogan to score political points and return the lost public trust. It is clear that the difficult situation in which Turkey is stuck today is mainly the result of Turkish authorities' foreign policy.

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