All Policy Analysis by Soner Cagaptay

Turkey can continue its economic rise and become a regional power so long as it remains a democracy.

The May 16 summit provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation on Iraq, Syria, Israel, and Iran.

Given Turkey's longstanding fear of Russia, it is unlikely to take action against the Assad regime without full NATO involvement.

On April 25, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) announced that it would withdraw its militants from Turkish soil after more than four decades of fighting against Ankara, including carrying out terror attacks inside Turkey. The announcement follows recent news that Ankara has begun official peace talks with PKK leader Abdullah

Turkey's unique combination of Islamic and Western influences is hardwired into its institutions and citizenry, making a drastic turn in either direction both unlikely and inadvisable.

U.S. policymakers once lamented that Washington needed Turkey more than the other way around, but this is no longer true.

A closer look at Turkey's motivations for normalizing relations with Israel.

The government doesn't want to boost the stature of the military, it has a big Alawite community, and plenty of other reasons.

Pro-Assad sentiment and sectarian tensions in the south have made Ankara think twice about intervention and could bring the fighting over the border.

Washington should work with Ankara, the Syrian opposition, and Baghdad to ensure that new PKK peace talks alleviate their mutual concerns about Syria's future and the Kurdish question.

To get back on the road toward peace, democratization, and perhaps even EU membership, Turkey's leaders will need to forge ahead on language reforms aimed at recognizing the country's ethnic minorities.

The country must find a balance between its Muslim identity and its Western affiliations.

In the best scenario, Turkey will write a liberal constitution, end PKK violence by answering calls for enhanced Kurdish rights, and leverage its Western traits regionally.

If Turkey can avoid the authoritarianism of single-party dominance or the chaos of coalition governments, it will have a chance to rise as a regional or even global power.

Turkey has answered Iran's challenge by building influence in northern Iraq and Syria.