As you argue, it is worrying that Turkey now appears to be drifting away from both America and the European Union (“The Worrying Tayyip Erdogan,” November 29, 2008). But you do not even mention that the Union has had plenty to do with this. Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency only adds to the problem, as he is a strong skeptic when it comes to Turkey joining the club. The trouble is that Turkey has other options, as witnessed by the recent gas deal struck with Iran. More important, it has other options with Russia, an ever-more ambitious leader in the region. The Union’s baffled petulance comes at a price, and Tayyip Erdogan is very much aware of this. If new and significant effort is not made on the Union’s part to woo it back into the fold, Turkey’s drifting will gather pace. Until it will be too late for clever tricks.