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To appreciate the shifting tectonic plates in the politics of the Middle East, it might be useful to invoke the NATO Istanbul summit, which took place six years ago this month. The summit was intended to herald the recovery of the transatlantic partnership from the tensions caused by the U.S.-led war in Iraq, and to underscore NATO's primary global role, by having allies on both sides of the Atlantic commit to promoting a stable, more democratic and socioeconomically developed Middle East. Turkey was to be the paradigm of this endeavor. Standing beside Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president George W. Bush claimed: "Your country, with 150 years of democratic and social reform, stands as a model to others, and as Europe's bridge to the wider world."

Bush also took upon himself to actively advocate Turkey's admission to the EU, stating: "America believes that as a European power, Turkey belongs in the European Union. Your membership would also be a crucial advance in relations between the Muslim world and the West, because you are part of both."