MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: "Turkey and the Middle East: Looking east and south; Frustrated by European equivocation, Turkey is reversing years of antagonisms with its Arab neighbors," The Economist, 31 October 2009.

The Turks give every indication of taking their fate in their hands: too long rejected by the Europeans, they now launch a diplomatic offensive to improve their relations east and south--meaning the Arab world. The Economist says the effort is so large that it takes on the look of an "invasion"--albeit a peaceful one.

Since 2002, Turkish exports to MENA (Mideast/N Africa) increase 7 fold. Turkish construction firms are going like gangbusters all over the region, which is increasingly tied to Turkey through free-trade pacts. The Turks are basically running the build-up of Kurdistan, Iraq, and have recently cut almost 50 cooperation deals with Iraq and 40 or so with Syria. Relations with Iran are also strong.

Credit is given to the foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, an IR prof who has described the region as Turkey's strategic depth. His strategy calls for "zero problems with neighbours."

What is gone? The view that Turkey guards Europe from the scary Arab world.

Why it works? There is a strategic vacuum, says the mag, in the region. Iraq is no longer strong, nor is Egypt. Iran is there but opposed by so many regimes, many of whom welcome Ankara as a counterweight. The Saudis prefer to work behind the scenes.

The loser in this process? Israel.

Turkey presents itself as the West's bridge to the region. We should take them up on it, and treat Turkey as a crucial regional great power on that basis.