Epstein Secrets

are at loggerheads because of their fundamentally different positions on Syria. As developments in that country continue to unfold Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his overambitious foreign minister are discovering that Turkey cannot have it every way. Iran's displeasure with Turkey really began when Ankar

sure with Turkey really began when Ankara allowed the United States to deploy radar facilities on Turkish soil for NATO's "defense shield" project. Erdogan and Davutoglu still insist these facilities are not against Iran, but this is a claim no one, least of all Tehran, is buying. Matters between the

Ali Akbar Salehi, who paid a surprise visit to Ankara to discuss Syria and seek Turkish help for the release of 48 Iranians abducted by members of the Free Syrian Army on Saturday. Davutoglu said he had explained all of this to Salehi in a "frank and friendly manner." A visibly irked Erdogan also had harsh words

term extensively in 2009, its usage has continued to increase in frequency, not just among Kurds but among Turks as well, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also used the term "Kurdistan" in a speech he made on Nov. 16 in Diyarbakir with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani

s as well, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also used the term "Kurdistan" in a speech

Front. And that brings us to the situation in Syria today: a civil war among four main factions, in which the group supported by the United States, the Free Syrian Army of Gen. Salim Idriss, appears to be the weakest. Last weekend, the headquarters and main warehouse of the FSA were overrun by troops of the Saudi-f

ostile as the Syrian leadership resisted reforms and engaged in large-scale massacres to subdue the opposition. With the support of Prime Minister Erdogan, Turkey's foreign minister Davutoglu positioned Ankara in the vanguard of the community of nations seeking regime change in Syria. Thus Ankara gave

ra in the vanguard of the community of nations seeking regime change in Syria. Thus Ankara gave support to the Syrian National Council and harbored the Free Syrian Army. Even when former UN secretary-general Annan's plan for a political settlement was announced, the Turkish leadership made it clear that there could

look like a torrent. In October, the number was around 800. The best total now available is about 17,000. The defectors have organized themselves as the Free Syrian Army and are creating credible command-and- control structures. Since September, the FSA has carried out a number of symbolic attacks against the regime.

ghbour, may yet prove decisive as Ankara assumes a crisis leadership role. Until the uprising tore apart old certainties, the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had invested considerable capital in improved ties with Syria, with which Turkey almost went to war in the 1990s. A turning point came with the 2004

nt economic leverage. Ankara has already imposed unilateral sanctions and is considering additional measures including a cut in electricity supplies. Erdogan turned the screw again this week, accusing Assad personally of "feeding on blood" after he failed to honour the Arab League peace plan. "No regime ca