Turkey's dangerous game

Another dramatic twist in the Middle East: Turkey has altered its policy toward the Islamic State group in Syria and is no longer sitting on the fence. It has joined, de facto, the international coalition fighting Islamic State. The Turkish air force on Friday began attacking the group's targets in Syria. Things, however, aren't so simple. Why fight on one front when you can fight on two.

From the Turkish perspective, the new Middle East is problematic. On one hand the Turks need to hit Islamic State, and on the other hand they do not want to strengthen their historic enemy, the Kurdish PKK. What to do then? Very simply, attack IS and the Kurdish terrorist group, who coincidentally are themselves rivals.

In recent days the Turks have been provided with good reason to join the fray: The terrorist attack carried out by Islamic State in the city of Suruç, a week ago, is reason enough to strike back at the group in Syria. Then, two Turkish police officers were shot to death in their sleep by PKK operatives; ample reason to also attack Kurdish forces in northern Iraq.

The timing, from Ankara's point of view, was perfect, because we need to understand that its decision to join the campaign is also connected to the nuclear deal with Iran. The Turks understood that the nuclear deal changes the Middle Eastern map. Even if officials in Washington do not admit it, the deal strengthens the Iranian regime, but also Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's allies in Lebanon (Hezbollah) and Syria (President Bashar Assad's regime).

Until recently Turkey was opposed to participating in the aerial attacks against Islamic State, because it wants the war in Syria to topple Assad. Turkey realized that following the nuclear deal, Assad would return to being a legitimate player, with all due respect to the 200,000 dead Syrians and his use of chemical weapons.

Turkey understood it is preferable to be involved, so it can have influence "in the great game" unfolding in Syria. Turkey, at present, also wants to alleviate tensions with Washington (by letting the Americans use its air bases to attack Islamic State), so to stay involved and prevent the Kurds in Syria and in Turkey from reaping the benefits of the geopolitical changes.

We must not forget the most important factor -- Ankara has embarked on a campaign against Islamic State. Therefore it is vulnerable. There is no doubt that Turkey has now shifted toward playing a dangerous game.

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