Some of Ankara’s recent actions might seem puzzling to the casual observer. Why, for example, is there a line of idle Turkish tanks overlooking one of the major fronts in the war against Islamic State? And more recently: Why have the Turkish authorities decided to jeopardize a long-running peace process and launch attacks on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), when it’s trying to help the Democratic Union Party (PYD) keep Kobane from being overrun by Islamic State?

The answers lie in Turkey’s long-term strategic interests, or rather how they’re currently perceived in Ankara.