The bombastic tone Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan employs with regard to developments in the Middle East has pushed Turkey into the background both militarily and politically in Iraq and Syria.

We're seeing this sidelining again in the operation to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State. Erdogan is fuming even harder now that it is clear that Turkey is not part of the Mosul operation despite having declared its desire to join it.

“They say we should not enter Mosul. How can we not? I have a 350-kilometer [215-mile] border [with Iraq]. Those who have nothing to do with the region are there because Baghdad supposedly invited them. Did Saddam [Hussein] invite them 14 years ago? But they still came,” Erdogan said angrily while addressing the International Istanbul Law Congress on Oct. 17.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi repeated only hours before the official launch of the Mosul operation, “Turkish forces will not be allowed to participate in the liberation of Mosul under any circumstances.” Washington has backed Abadi, saying any foreign troops in Iraq should be there with Baghdad’s permission.