The challenge facing Davutoğlu

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu made some important remarks to senior Turkish reporters and editors accompanying him at the G-20 Summit in Brisbane. He is sticking to a fervently anti-al-Assad policy in Syria and is hopeful of pulling U.S. President Barack Obama to his side.      
  
A CNN report recently claimed that the Obama administration is close to reassessing its Syria policy to make the al-Assad regime a priority target again. This must have also encouraged Davutoğlu. His remarks, as reported by Hürriyet Editor-in-Chief Sedat Ergin, also suggest that Washington is moving in that direction.

Davutoğlu believes the real obstacle to peace in Syria is Bashar al-Assad, who must be gotten rid of. “Get rid of al-Assad and the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) becomes easier” - this is his rationale.

Despite Davutoğlu’s optimism, it is not certain what the Obama administration will do. What is clear, though, is that it is not keen on slackening the fight against ISIL.

Statements in Washington refuting the CNN claim, on the other hand, show that even if there is a search for new options, nothing immediate should be expected.

Davutoğlu also says that a change in U.S. policy requires time. But the possibility that Washington will keep ISIL a top priority, and defer from going after al-Assad, remains high. The question is how much longer Turkey can cling to its policies which have produced few results over the past three years.

Davutoğlu is concerned now about the fate of Aleppo. If the city comes under al-Assad’s control, and many claim it will, then Ankara’s Syria policy will receive another blow, while al-Assad consolidates his position. Davutoğlu justifiably fears...