The backbone of Turkey 's Syria policy has been to ignore ISIS because it has been waging war against the Kurdish group in northern Syria . Turkey will play a key role in the U.S.-led military intervention against ISIS , writes Mustafa Tol . Turkey has the second - largest membership in NATO and hosts an American embassy , he says . But Turkey prefers to play a secondary role , he says . Tol : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled a possible change in policy .
Turkey will play a key role in the U.S.-led military intervention against ISIS , writes Mustafa Tol . Turkey has the second - largest membership in NATO and hosts an American embassy , he says . But Turkey prefers to play a secondary role , he says . Tol : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled a possible change in policy .