Helping Turkey Find Its Way Back to the West

When I was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO several years ago, my wife and I would occasionally visit Cologne, Germany, just across the border from the alliance headquarters in Belgium. The region is notable for a variety of historical reasons, but especially as the heart of the ancient Holy Roman Empire. Nearby Aachen is the burial site of Emperor Charlemagne, who died in AD 814 and is famously known as the Father of Europe for having helped stop Islamic invasions well over a millennium ago.

Last week, Cologne was in the news for a very different Islamic event, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited to open one of the largest mosques in Europe. His trip — while sparking some controversy in Germany given his harsh policies on human rights, the media and the judiciary — was notable for demonstrating that there is hope yet for a warming of relations between Turkey and Europe. The U.S. should do all it can to help the process along.