Kobani

It is not too difficult to figure out that Recip Tayip Erdogan is a sack of shit, doing his best to lead Turkey to becoming an Islamo-fascist state.  Granted, some of the former military dictatorships were not especially great, but at least they were secular — and the current "democratic" rule depends on rural voters who have as much brain power as Tea Party Mississippians.

Democracy doesn't work all that well when most voters are morons — and, usually, they  are.  Of course, the alternative (which is not, really, an alternative) is plutocracy.  So, that's what we've got.

Erdogan is in a tough spot regarding Kobani.  Since Turkey is a NATO member (dating from when the generals were in control), it sort of has to support the USofA, but maybe not all that much.  After all, the Kurds defending Kobani are mostly PKK, which the USofA obliged Turkey by naming it a terrorist group.  Now, we're parachuting in supplies to the PKK to help it fight the Islamic State.

To me, the Kurds are the only group deserving USofA support in the Middle East, PKK inclusive.  I wouldn't be unhappy if we took the PKK off the terrorist list, chucked Turkey out of NATO  (along with a bunch of Eastern Euopean countries that never should have been added) and just sent the Kurds vast amounts of money and munitions.

They'll get things straightened out, and become a reliable partner in the region.