An Attack on Turkey’s Airport and Its Ambitions

Coordinated suicide bombings at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport killed 41 and injured more than 200. Airports, with large crowds and lots of hefty luggage, make easy targets and are symbolic, too, representing globalization and world connections through commerce and tourism. Analysis from Stratfor points out that Turkey confronts multiple threats, including Kurdish militants, though the Islamic State is a likely culprit. “In striking popular tourist attractions, the attacks differed from those executed by Kurdish groups around the same time on government and military targets,” notes Stratfor. Such attacks are a blow for the Turkish government: “Ankara has tried to position its national airline as a competitor to the world's leading carriers, and Turkish Airlines' ambitious plans to expand worldwide hinge on Istanbul's security and efficiency as a hub. The attack will only further deepen Ankara's resolve to preserve the anti-terrorism legislation that has become a sticking point in EU negotiations over the migrant crisis, visa liberalization and accession talks.” The analysis concludes that such attacks may drive NATO member Turkey closer to Russia to enable intervention in Syria. – YaleGlobal