Counter-Terrorism: Turkey's record
Following a conference in March 2009 entitled ‘Combating International Terrorism: Turkey’s Added Value’. The co-sponsor RUSI (London defence plus think tank, I am also a member) has just published a paper on the bilateral exchange had on counter-terrorism best practice between the UK and Turkey, plus the various dimensions of the terrorist threat in Turkey and the country’s response to it.
Paper: http://www.rusi.org/downloads/assets..._terrorism.pdf
Aside from Turkey's strategic position and range of hostile internal groups it is a secular, overwhelmingly Muslim nation - so there maybe lessons to learn.
Learning the Turkish Way of COIN?
I don't quite see what we have to learn from the Turks other than how NOT to do COIN. In addition to the comments of Rex Brynen above lets not forget the Army sanctioned (and semi-controlled) use of paramilitary death squads, the establishment of tribal militias given carte blanche to carry out "reprisals" in Kurdish areas, the denial (until very recently) by the far right National Action Party (a group which was disbanded in the 1970s but then reappeared as an Army outlet for its more "ring wing" officer class) of the very concept of "Kurdishness" not to mention the operation of their own death squads (with government/Army approval, collusion, support).....&c. I too was once a member of RUSI. For real reportage and analysis try Chatham House/RIIA or IISS.