Turkey’s meddling in Syria brings terror to Istanbul

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/01/12/recep-tayyip-erdogan-meddling-brings-terror-istanbul/p4PtlHRXWOVIYfiyYVRylK/story.html

Turkey’s meddling in Syria brings terror to Istanbul

By Stephen Kinzer - January 12, 2016 – Boston Globe

Today’s bombing in a historic Istanbul square frequented by tourists was the indirect result of Turkey’s wildly adventurist policy toward the Syrian conflict. It is a lesson to other countries, including the United States: Do not believe you can control insurgent groups inside Syria. Meddle too deeply in their conflict, and the war will come home to you.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the suicide bomber was a young Syrian. Efforts by the government to limit reporting of the incident add to the presumption that the ISIS terror group was responsible. That would make sense.

Erdogan was once a bosom buddy of the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad. When the first antigovernment protests erupted in Syria in 2011, Erdogan advised his friend how to respond. Assad replied that he needed no advice and would do what he believed best. That set off Erdogan’s volcanic emotions. He vowed to do everything in his power to depose Assad — including supporting terror groups like ISIS.https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/01/12/recep-tayyip-erdogan-meddling-brings-terror-istanbul/p4PtlHRXWOVIYfiyYVRylK/story.html