More recently, Turkey betrayed another former ally, Israel, by sanctioning a blockade running flotilla toward Israeli waters, precipitating a violent incident in which nine Turks lost their lives.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Turkey's cozy business with Iran

Even before last weekend's conflict over the blockade-running "aid flotilla, " Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had effectively terminated the close ties Israel once had with his country.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: How wars begin

Compounding our relations with Turkey, our old Cold War NATO ally that refused to let our forces transit its territory into Northern Iraq in 2003, was Turkey's sponsorship of the Gaza-blockade-running ship.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: American weakness on display

In April, Sunni Arabs with tribal and religious ties rallied across western and central Iraq in support of the town, running guns through an American blockade and ambushing supply columns.

ECONOMIST: Iraq