Will Erdogan be forced to push back against ISIS by his own internal political forces? Or will his Sunni sensibilities overpower any political pressure.
Irbil, Iraq (CNN) — A day after Britain’s military launched its first airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq, the question is who will be next to join the U.S.-led coalition in its air campaign against the extremists who have seized a swath of Iraq and Syria.
As Turkish soldiers and tanks took up position along the border with Syria on Tuesday, Turkey’s government put a motion before Parliament asking for authorization to take military action against ISIS.
Lawmakers are expected to debate the measure in a special session on Thursday before voting, according to Anadolu, Turkey’s semi-official news agency.
[…] When the first airstrikes came, Turkey’s absence was noted.
Turkey has said it is offering support to the U.S.-led coalition targeting ISIS, but has stopped short of joining the 40-some countries who make up the coalition.
The debate over whether to step into the fray comes as tens of thousands pour into the country to escape ISIS fighters.
The flood of refugees from Syria has escalated — with 150,000 people fleeing to Turkey in recent days — as ISIS fighters armed with tanks and heavy weapons advance on the predominantly Kurdish town of Kobani, known in Arabic as Ayn al Arab, destroying villages in their path.
U.S. airstrikes overnight Monday to Tuesday targeted ISIS positions near Kobani in northern Syria, said Rear Adm. John Kirby, spokesman for the Pentagon.
When asked why airstrikes in the Kobani area appear to be limited, a senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a lack of direct, reliable intelligence on the ground and the need to be precise to avoid civilian casualties were among the factors.
If ISIS takes Kobani, it would control a complete swath of land from its self-declared capital of Raqqa to the Turkish border, more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. It has been fighting for months, capturing portions of northern and eastern Syria and western and northern Iraq for what it says is its new Islamic state — or caliphate. (more)
