Turkey's Resurgence

The Khashoggi slaying appears to have given Ankara an ace up its sleeve in its rivalry with Riyadh. And Turkey will choose carefully when it decides to play its hand.

After two years in Turkish captivity, Andrew Brunson is going free. His release removes one bone of contention in the topsy-turvy relations between Washington and Ankara.

Turkish police allege that Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Riyadh's Istanbul consulate last week. Whatever the truth, the dissident scribe's disappearance could have profound ramifications for Saudi foreign policy.

Despite their contentious relationship, reconciliation may be on the horizon, driven by the need to contain their common rival: Iran.

The two countries reached a compromise that will prevent a major Russian-backed loyalist offensive on Syria's last rebel stronghold and defuse the mounting tension between Moscow and Ankara. But the standoff is far from resolved.

Turkey's central bank risks the wrath of the country's president by finally hiking interest rates, but it’s still not nearly enough to rescue the country's moribund economy.

Officials in Ankara have promised defiance against the stricter measures, but in the face of an economic crisis, most Turkish banks and companies will be reluctant to pay the price of going against Washington.

Having achieved its primary goal in the country -- securing its position there and that of the current Syrian government -- Russia is moving on to a risky and complicated plan to promote its interests.

With its currency in freefall, Turkey is looking for foreign benefactors to rescue its struggling economy, employing new rhetoric to reassure investors.