TIME magazine cover shows US 'alone'

By Behlul Cetinkaya and Meltem Bulur

ANKARA (AA) – The cover of TIME magazine’s latest issue shows the U.S. isolated from its most important allies, on Friday.

A prominent U.S. weekly TIME pictured the U.S. in the center of the cover while the other countries layered around the edges.

According to the article titled “America Alone” – written by Karl Vick -- the country has lost its aura and has increasingly isolated itself under the Trump administration.

The article stressed that the U.S. had become a country today criticized on issues such as freedom of press and migration -- a formidable contrast from its image as a source of inspiration for democracy after World War II.

The article recalls an incident in which a petition was circulated in the U.K., a longtime U.S. ally, to ban Donald Trump from entering the country.

As the U.S. prestige fades, the world searches for a new leader, says the article.

A sentiment echoed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

“The U.S. was left alone because of its wrong decision,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after an overwhelming 128 members voted last month in favor of a resolution that rejected the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called on the Trump administration to reverse its move.

Nine countries voted against, 35 others abstained and 21 did not cast a vote.

In Syria as well, U.S. efforts to play a role have been trumped by initiatives taken by Ankara, Tehran and Russia namely at peace talks in Sochi, Russia and Astana, Kazakhstan.

The U.S. is however present at the UN-led peace talks in Geneva.

In Astana and Sochi, U.S.-backed groups do not attend the meetings as a result of a decision taken by Turkey, Russia and Iran.

PYD/PKK, U.S. supported terrorist organization, were not invited to Sochi and Astana, upon Turkey’s request.

The U.S. has supported the PYD/PKK -- considered by Ankara as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organization that has waged a more than 30-year war against the Turkish state. The terror campaign has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, including women and children.