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government issued a formal protest and advised Turks against travel to Syria, a reversal of its proud open-borders policy.
Turkey also appears motivated by a desire to keep ahead of evolving Arab opinion. "It can comfortably be said, in light of recent developments, that the countdown to the end of Syria's Assad regime has begun," said Today's Zaman columnist Biilent Kenes, reflecting official opinion.
With senior Saudi officials and King Abdullah of Jordan openly backing the revolt, and the violence escalating, Erdogan and his foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, who have long harboured regional leadership ambitions, seem to be positioning themselves for a post-Assad future.
In this push towards the Syrian endgame they plainly have the enthusiastic backing of the US, for whom they are effectively acting as a local proxy in opposition to external actors such as the pro- regime Russia. Given Erdogan's sharp differences with Washington over Israel-Palestine and the Iraq war, this coincidence of view is not lacking in irony. "We very much welcome the strong stance that Turkey has taken and believe it sends a critical message to President Assad that ... he should step down," said Ben Rhodes, Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser.
In a series of statements, Davutoglu has insisted it is "no longer possible to trust the Syrian government". Adding provocation to insult, he underscored Ankara's support for the protesters and specifically for the Syrian National Council, an opposition umbrella group based in Turkey that is seeking recognition from Ankara. "We will continue to take our place at the side of the Syrian people's rightful struggle," Davutoglu said.
As bilateral tensions rise, suggestions that Turkey may physically intervene in northern Syria to create a safe haven for civilians displaced by the violence are likely to resurface. Several thousand
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