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Is Turkey's radical foreign policy shift sustainable?

The Turkish president's willingness to put practicality ahead of pettiness in international relations might be driven solely by his survival instincts, but it is desperately needed.
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) chairs the meeting of 65th Cabinet of Turkey at Presidential Complex, in Ankara on May 25, 2016. / AFP / KAYHAN OZER        (Photo credit should read KAYHAN OZER/AFP/Getty Images)

The motivation behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent gestures of reconciliation toward other countries in the region is questionable, but there's no doubt the moves had to be made.

New York Times reporter Sabrina Tavernise wrote in her July 5 piece titled "Turkish Leader Erdogan Making New Enemies and Frustrating Old Friends" that Erdogan "had grown so alone that this past week he moved to make peace deals with Russia over [a] jet's downing and with Israel over its killing of several Turkish activists on a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010." She quoted me on the subject: "I think this is an indicator of how desperate they are."

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