Turkey Should Blame 'Ankara's Recklessness' for Daesh Attacks

"Ankara's recklessness" added significantly to the January 12 terror attack in Turkey, which was "unfortunately predictable", the US international affairs magazine The National Interest reported.

Focusing on what caused the deadly Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) attack, the magazine specifically drew attention to the fact that Ankara has repeatedly ignored ISIL militants operating along Turkey's border with Syria.

"By the time Ankara stepped up security, Daesh had already taken control of two Syrian border towns and entrenched itself deep into Turkish territory, including Istanbul and Ankara," the magazine said.

Turkey had turned a blind eye to the problem for four years, and it finally declared war against Daesh on its frontier after an ISIL suicide bomber killed thirty-two people in Suruc, a Turkish town located near the Syrian border.

The National Interest quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying that apart from Daesh, Ankara is also threatened by the Kurdish nationalist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and its Syrian affiliate, the People’s Defense Units (YPG). In this context, the magazine referred to Ankara's so-called "zero problems with neighbors" policy, which is aimed at establishing "better political and economic ties" with all of Turkey's neighboring countries.

"But 'zero problems' has run its course. Thanks to the ill-advised foreign policies of Erdogan and [Prime Minister] Davutoglu, Turkey's problems with its neighbors have reached a zenith," The National Interest said.

The magazine recalled that the YPG and Daesh had managed to take over "swaths of the Syrian border, meaning they are now Turkey's new neighbors."

Exacerbating problems are Turkey's strained relations with Egypt and Israel, according to The National Interest, which also pointed to Ankara being directly at odds with "aspiring regional hegemon Iran and aspiring world power Russia."

"All the while, Daesh terrorism has become the deadliest threat to Turks, killing more civilians in the last year than any other terror group, including the PKK," The National Interest said.

The magazine also pointed out that despite Turks' frustration, the country's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) refuses to take responsibility for "its risky policies and security failures." The National Interest also referred to Ankara's media ban on the January 12 terror attack, which was very briefly mentioned by Erdogan during his speech to the nation last week.

"On one score, Erdogan was absolutely correct. Tuesday's attack could have been carried out by any number of terrorist groups. The threats Turkey now faces are indeed manifold, but many are born out of Ankara’s own recklessness," the magazine concluded.