Turkish troops advance near the Syria border at Hassa BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images

A Turkish War of America’s Making

The Trump administration's muddled messaging to Turkey on US efforts to uproot ISIS in Syria has inflamed tensions between two NATO allies. But while Trump's actions have complicated a vital regional relationship, they are only the latest evidence of the incoherence that characterizes America's Syria policy.

ANKARA – As Turkey intensifies its military campaign against Syrian Kurdish fighters, it is tempting to blame the violence on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strident jingoism and xenophobia. After all, Erdoğan has long warned that Turkey would never tolerate a Kurdish military presence on the country’s southern border; the recent offensive would seem to suggest that his words are being met with action.

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