Ankara versus Hillary

There is a growing trend in the pro-Justice and Development Party (AK Party) media in Turkey against Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy. Tune into one of the news channels that support the president and you will see them overjoyed about the U.S. Clinton's illness during the 9/11 memorial ceremonies.

Ankara unfortunately falls into the trap of seeing U.S. institutions as "black and less black" when it comes to the issue of Gülenists. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's army of advisors simplifies the U.S. system as "ones who fully support the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) versus the ones who only halfheartedly support FETO." American diplomats based in Turkey are constantly targeted over their statements, visits, and tweets.
Whenever Erdoğan personally meets with U.S. President Barack Obama or U.S. Vice President Biden, the atmosphere is at least warm and cordial. But when the issue is Clinton, Ankara almost treats the democratic nominee as a "supporter of the terrorist organization."

Sadly, this looks a lot like how the AK Party was treated by Western capitals for a long time. Clinton became the junior senator from New York in 2001, around the same time that AK Party won its first election and came to power. She was one of the first politicians in the U.S. to receive visiting AK Party delegates. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton's diplomats were also the first ones to visit Erdoğan during his time as Istanbul mayor when he first faced prison, as well as when he was released from jail.

Turkey's approach to a possible Hillary Clinton candidacy could be more pragmatic and effective if Ankara wills it. But with headlines that shout and columnists who constantly sing happy tunes over Clinton's possible withdrawal from the race,...