When Prime Minister Erdogan came to Washington in 2009, he sounded almost like the ambassador from Iran.
From Stephen Kinzer
Washington sees the various local and national conflicts in the Middle East as part of a battle for regional hegemony between the U.S. and Iran.
The United States has dealt with the Middle East and surrounding regions for many decades in the context of the Cold War.
The long-term strategic goals of Iran and the long-term strategic goals of Turkey are close to the long-term strategic goals of the United States.
As long as Iran believes that its security will be increased by having a nuclear program, it's going to pursue its program.
Turkey can be a bridge to regimes and actions the United States can't reach. Turkey can talk to people the United States can't talk to.
Allowing a friend to careen toward self destruction is not friendship. That is a habit the United States needs to break as it pursues a richer and more deeply supportive relationship with Israel.
Israel deserves special treatment from the United States, both for historical reasons and because there can be no regional peace without a secure Israel.
The long conflict between Israel and Palestine has, for better or worse, become the world's conflict. It permanently destabilizes the Middle East, blocks the settlement of urgent crises, and intensifies looming threats to the West.
As the United States shapes and carries out its policies toward Muslim countries, it should do so with Turkey at its side.
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