armorer. But he has spent years
letting one of our worst
enemies grow stronger while
stomping on one of our best
regional allies.
The United States has forged
ugly alliances too, first in
aligning itself with the Soviet
Union against the Nazis and
then by backing Latin
American military
dictatorships to prevent
Communism from spreading in
the Western Hemisphere
beyond Cuba and Nicaragua.
The United States also sided
with Saddam Hussein during
the Iran-Iraq War.
Later, however, we reversed
every one of these odious
alliances.
President Truman collaborated
with Stalin against Hitler, but
he immediately shifted into a
Cold War stance against Russia
after the Nazis were finished.
Washington’s support for Latin
America’sgeneralissimos colla
psed completely after the
crack-up of the Soviet Union.
The American invasion of
Panama to topple Manuel
Noriega was planned mere
days after the Berlin Wall fell
and executed the following
month. South America’s
oppressive regimes then fell
like dominoes. In 2002, the
United States demolished
Saddam Hussein’s government
entirely.
Turkey could likewise reverse
itself on ISIS. Turkey doesn’t
have to like the PKK or any
other Kurdish independence
movement. That is impossible.
All that needs to happen is a
recognition in Ankara that ISIS
threatens Turkey’s interests
and security more than the
PKK does.
Optimism is rarely rewarded in
this region, but there are some
indications that an attitude
adjustment in Turkey may be
under way.
In July, the government finally
rounded up hundreds of ISIS
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