High stakes for Erdogan in fight against IS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan turns hawkish on the Islamic State, but he is aware that the stakes are high if Ankara joins the war against the group.
Newly elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan never made it a secret that he intends to exercise executive powers as president, even if Turkey does not have a presidential system, and has started to do this with regard to combating the Islamic State (IS).
Like Turgut Ozal, who was the Turkish president during the 1990-91 Gulf War, Erdogan has effectively taken the reins of power and is making policy.
Erdogan is engaged in transforming Turkey from the reluctant ally against IS — as it appeared to be in Western eyes, mainly because of the hostage crisis at the consulate in Mosul — to a determined one that will play an active role in the US-led military coalition against IS in Iraq and Syria.
He is also trying to garner public support by stressing that Turkey is a key regional country with a powerful military that cannot stand idly by as IS wreaks havoc on its borders and poses threats to its national security and domestic stability.
