Turkey draws closer to the USA and those opposing ISIS.

Turkey has been in a difficult position for many years. It has struggled to find an identity that works re the Muslim world and that of being part of the EU. It's influential leader who has been to the fore for more than a decade has often played a hard line with the West so it is interesting to note that now, he is putting a hand out to the efforts to defeat ISIS. That is for the simple reason that ISIS now provides a real threat to Turkey. Turkey needs to surmount its desire to deal to its own Kurdish issue because the ISIS is far more dangerous. Do not be surprised if we see a friendly Turkey,' one that takes part in the battle to extinguish the plans of that dangerous group, that enslaves people and creates so much suffering in the regions it takes over. Turkey is being pragmatic; it understands the bigger threat. Perhaps this new spirit can transfer into the other issues in Turkey---those that have curtailed free speech and the rights of minorities. Time will tell. This is of course nothing new--Turkey has always had this difficult balancing act.' What we are witnessing is just a modern day version od an age-old problem.