"Ankara in the Middle
Once an unquestioning U.S. ally, and at odds with most of its neighbors, Turkey is now forging a new foreign policy, with itself at the very center.
Turkey, says the conventional wisdom, is “turning east.” Over the last two years Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has proclaimed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a “good friend” and blasted Israel for attacking a Turkish aid convoy to Gaza. He signed accords with Syria and Iraq and defended Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir as “a good Muslim.” Only last week Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu caused outrage in Israel by meeting with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal."
More:Turkey Straddles East and West - Newsweek