Turkey Backs Out Of US-Led War On ISIS: Germany Says No To Air Campaign

[karynnj]

43. Meanwhile Turkey's media has a story that they found and sent back

to their countries 830 European jihadists over the last 2 years. I don't know enough about Turkey to know if the media is free or represents the government. Especially if the latter is true, they are pushing back the charge that many foreign jihadists entered Iraq and Syria over their porous border. Could they be signalling that their role could be closing the border in a serious way?

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-sends-back-830-european-jihadists-.aspx?PageID=238&NID=71565&NewsCatID=510

I wonder if they are taking this position to protect their 49 diplomats, who are hostages. (All of us old enough might remember Ted Koppell's daily nightly show on the US diplomatic hostages in Tehran. I would imagine that their existence did tie Carter's hands. Not to mention, even 1979/1980 Tehran is NOT the same as ISIS.)

Here is an interesting article on their dilemma here - http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ankara-faces-difficult-choices-on-isil.aspx?PageID=238&NID=71555&NewsCatID=416 The conclusion of the article is:

It is clear, however, that opting to go in one of these directions will have severe consequences for Turkey, loosing credibility in the West, as well as its influence in the region, especially if the U.S. convinces Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and even Qatar to fight actively against ISIL.

If the fight against ISIL turns out to be successful without Turkey’s active support this will also be used by the opposition at home against President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Davutoğlu.

There are many “ifs” involved in all this, but none of the options appear to be that great for Erdoğan and Davutoğlu, who have said many lofty things in the past about Turkey’s role and influence in the Middle East, but who now face difficult choices.

As they say, talk is cheap and it is actions that will now show what kind of real regional leadership potential they have, if indeed, they have any.

The rest of the article is well worth reading as there are many real issues here -- some alluded to in other posts here.