Time of opportunity and danger

Everyone has a reason to watch Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's next moves with great attention and suspicion, as his unquestioned dominance over the political scene allows him to act without a domestic rival.

If there is any room for hope, it lies in the fact that only Erdogan is in a position to reverse course and deal with the accumulated problems of his country's economy and foreign policy. He has the political capital to do so and he is, after all, the one who imposed the reckless economic policy and "precious loneliness" that he must now reverse.

The question faced by all countries that have a direct relationship with Turkey is how they should respond to any positive move by Erdogan without their simply strengthening him, granting him time and opportunity to expand his authoritarianism at home and to increase belligerence abroad. However, he may have no...