The west is slowly coming to realize that Erdogan is drifting farther and farther away from the secularism that we associate with Ataturk and modern Turkey.He is carving out a place for himself as a defender of Islam and dreams of restoring Ottoman glory. An unholy triumvirate has formed consisting of Iran, Turkey, and Russia that will challenge Western interests and create Mayhem in the Middle east.

The configuration of forces in the region is changing rapidly with Jordan Egypt and Saudi Arabia forming what amounts to a de facto alliance with Israel against Iran. Eight years of Obama taught many that if you want to get something done, don't rely on the U.S. to do it. Trump, while more forceful, has little or no interest in nation building.The battle lines are being drawn, and one thing is certain, Erdogan will not be on our side.

Nation building rarely works, Unless, the pre-existing structure is totally destroyed, as in the case of Japan and Germany in 1945. In order for nation building to occur in the middle east it will be necessary to decimate the population or worse. The entire social structure must be thrown into chaos and then the remaining people "rescued" by the intervention of the nation builder. At least, that's my opinion.

Why wait? Boot Turkey out of NATO now.

“Erdogan sees himself as the Sunni-Muslim Caliph, and the Sultan of the Muslim world”

In other words the Saddam Hussein of Turkey.

Here is an example of how far Turkey is moving away from secularism. A pastor from NC has served as a missionary in Turkey for 23 years, and for the last 17 or 18 months has been in a Turkish prison. He has officially been charged with "Christianization", which is considered "terrorism". His trial is set for April 16, and the prosecutor has recommended a sentence of 35 years. This is sad and tragic. I think that Trump has talked to Erdogan about this, and one of my senators (Tillis, R-NC) visited him recently in prison. I pray that justice will be served, but I'm not feeling too hopeful.

For any of you Bible believers out there, this looks very familiar doesn’t it?

"The megalomaniacal Erdogan sees himself as the Sunni-Muslim Caliph, and the Sultan of the Muslim world, much like his Ottoman predecessors. He has threatened to attack the U.S. troops imbedded with Kurds in
Northeastern Syria, and calls ordinary Kurds “terrorists.” Yet he fully encourages and supports Hamas’ terror against Israel. That is simply blatant hypocrisy."

It isn't hypocrisy, it is the standard Muslim insanity. The cure...the Muslim world becomes a sheet of glass...end of problem.

Most disturbing is that he was Obama’s foreign Head if state BFF/advisor - and no one on the left notices - or cares

Erdogan wants to run a new ottoman caliphate. An imperialist, if there ever was one.

This keeps up and likely we will see another round in the endless Sunni-Shia conflict.

For Erdogan to achieve his goals in developing Turkey into a new regional powerhouse will bring him into direct and indirect conflict with Iran.

Fine by me so long as the West doesn't get sucked in.

Me too.

the sooner turkey goes to the gutter, the better.

It is always the most heinous individuals who blame others for what they themselves are responsible for!