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Turkey Has Been Consistent, Just Not In Line With U.S.

Turkey Has Been Consistent, Just Not In Line With U.S.2

By experts and staff

Published
  • Steven A. CookCFR Expert
    Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies

This article was originally published here on NYTimes.com on Tuesday, October 14, 2014.

Even if Ankara agrees to open up Incirlik, an American military team will still need to negotiate over what type of air operations the United States and its allies can conduct from Turkish territory. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Turkey did not allow Incirlik’s use for airstrikes, only permitting the United States to conduct refueling missions from the base.

Although Turkey has a well-equipped military with sophisticated aircraft and tanks, it has its own security and political concerns that diverge from, and sometimes conflict with, U.S. goals. The Turkish armed forces recent airstrikes on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (P.K.K.) positions dispels any doubts about the Turkish military’s capabilities and Ankara’s priorities. Its clear that Ankara is more concerned about the threat of Kurdish nationalism than ISIS, especially when it comes to Kobani.

The airstrikes also likely mean the end of a fragile peace process between the P.K.K. and the Turkish government.

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