Disappearance of Saudi journalist puts Erdogan in difficult situation
The potential for a full-blown crisis between Turkey and Saudi Arabia remains in the cards.
The disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was last seen entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul last week to obtain documents necessary to marry his Turkish fiance, is a new headache for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The affair — which involved gruesome allegations of murder by Saudi agents — has the potential to cause a serious rift between Turkey and the principal Gulf state at a delicate moment for Ankara with regards to developments in the Middle East.
The Turkish-Saudi relationship is one of superficial cordiality, but it's otherwise known to be loveless at the best of times because of differences over a host of issues related to developments in the region.
The Saudi regime does not command much respect among Erdogan’s Islamist support base either, especially since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman effectively took control of power and started underlining the importance of moderate Islam.
