Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan has seen this threat and, just a few days ago, decided to go after Uzan's businesses. If Erdogan succeeds, then he will get even more votes and international support for having taken on the "untouchable." The risk is that Uzan will survive and, playing the underdog against the person perceived to be backed by the United States, strike big at the next elections. Uzan may also get lucky if the government fails to improve the economy, or if it gets bogged down on defending its commitment to maintaining Turkish secular democracy.  

While such domestic intrigues may not interest senior policy makers in Washington, these officials need to better understand the field they are playing so we do not end up discussing "who lost Turkey" in a few years.  

Zeyno Baran is Director of International Security and Energy Programs at The Nixon Center (http://www.nixoncenter.org)