Aykan Erdemir writes: Mr. Erdogan’s latest assault against Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party is a dangerous political move. Arresting pro-Kurdish lawmakers undermines not only their party but also the Turkish parliament. Shutting off channels into democratic participation for Turkey’s Kurdish electorate plays to the PKK’s strength. The more Turkey’s Kurds are disenfranchised, the more they stand to be drawn toward violence and extremism. That adds an additional layer of volatility to a country also targeted by Islamist terrorists and weakened by Mr. Erdogan’s own efforts to dismantle representative democracy. – WSJ’s Think Tank Stephen Blank writes: [T]he real beneficiary of Erdogan’s actions is Putin. In this light, the current trends in the Russo-Turkish “liaison” are not only dangerous for Turkey, its neighbors, and its allies. These trends also represent a grandiose and successful manifestation of the abiding Russian employment of reflexive control tactics to induce other political actors to do what they believe is their interest while actually serving Moscow’s interests. Putin may well succeed in weakening NATO and the EU and gaining more influence in the Middle East, but when all is said and done what will Erdogan have gained? – Atlantic Council To cheers from his supporters, President Tayyip Erdogan, evoking the glories of Turkey's Ottoman past, has vowed to root out enemies at home and abroad, from followers of the cleric he blames for the coup attempt, to Kurdish militants and Islamic State jihadists. The unprecedented crackdown at home and his bellicose stance on the world stage have alarmed Western and some regional allies, who fear the NATO member and EU candidate nation is becoming an ever more unpredictable partner, and one over which they have decreasing leverage. - Reuters Editorial: Mr. Erdogan is holding back a tide of Syrian war refugees from Europe, and Turkey is critical to the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State. These are real concerns but should not prevent the United States from speaking out against arbitrary detention, persecution of civil society and suppression of free speech in Turkey. The United States often describes freedom of expression and human rights as “universal values” when they are trampled in China and Russia. They are no less universal when trampled in Turkey. – Washington Post Top U.S. General heads to Turkey. In an attempt to smooth things over with Turkey -- who has insisted the Kurds play no part in the fight for Raqqa -- Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made an unannounced visit to Ankara on Sunday, meeting with Turkish officials to discuss battle plans. His staff also announced that the Pentagon is sending a team of officers to Ankara to work with the Turkish General Staff on coordinating the fight. The Turks will play a key role in identifying and training local Syrian Arabs to hold the city once ISIS is evicted.
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