Inside Story

Turkey’s ISIL dilemma

Ankara is under mounting internal and external pressure to act as the battle for Kobane continues

The US and Britain have warned air strikes alone will not be enough to hold back ISIL from taking over the town and others like it. And officials in Washington are increasingly frustrated their NATO ally, Turkey, is refusing to intervene to help Kobane. Either by using its military or by helping Kurdish fighters.
 
Ankara’s reluctance has triggered violent protests inisde Turkey itself. Pro-Kurdish demonstrators have fought police across the country, killing at least a dozen and injuring many more.
 
Turkey says it will not get involved unless a safe area, including a no-fly zone, is imposed in northern Syria and unless it gets assurances that the US-led alliance will go after Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
 
What are the consequences of Turkey’s inaction?
 
Presenter: Fauziah Ibrahim
 
Guests:
 
Akin Unver – Assistant Professor of International Relations, Kadir Has University, Istanbul
 
Lawrence Korb – Former US Assistant Secretary of Defense
 
Idris Nassan – Leader in the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Party