Early writings reveal the real Davutoglu
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan became Turkey’s first directly elected president Aug. 10, setting off speculation as to who he will anoint as his successor. Ahmet Davutoglu, the foreign minister, is seen as a top contender for the job when Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) meets to elect a new leader Aug. 27. The choice may seem odd, however. Davutoglu is blamed by many for ruining Turkey’s foreign affairs. His much vaunted “zero problems with neighbors” policy lies in tatters. For the first time in the republic's history, Turkey does not have an ambassador in Cairo or Tel Aviv. Relations with the United States have cooled over Erdogan’s tirades against Israel, his alleged support for jihadists in Syria and the brutality with which he suppressed mass anti-government protests last year. The Islamic State continues to hold 49 members of the Turkish consulate hostage in Mosul. Turkey’s soft power is fading fast.
More:Early writings reveal the real Davutoglu - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
