Erdogan is on a lonely path to ruin. Will he take Turkey down with him? | Simon Tisdall
(The Guardian Turkey)

At odds with the US, Europe, his Arab neighbours and potentially Russia, too, the president is also increasingly unpopular at homeFor a reputed `strongman`, Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems unusually nervous these days. A bombastic speech last week marking the third anniversary of a failed military putsch could not conceal his insecurity. He says he is using his sweeping powers as executive president to build a `new Turkey`. But it appears the old one is tiring of him fast.`The 15th of July was an attempt to subject our nation to slavery,` Erdogan declared. `But as much as we will never stop protecting our freedom and our future, those who lay traps for us will never cease their efforts.` It was a typical pitch, blending nationalism with scare stories of secret foes, foreign and domestic. Continue reading...