Dear Turkey, It’s Not Us; It’s You.
Over any long-term relationship, partners are bound to evolve. One side may be more interested in freedom, while the other dabbles in authoritarianism and begins to encounter new, like-minded people. Thus,...
Ankara
Turkey still wants to join BRICS while pretending to be a NATO ally
Last year, Turkey took observers by surprise at the 2024 BRICS summit in Russia when it applied for full membership in an organization that seeks to challenge the Western-led liberal international order and is an adversarial alternative to NATO.
Op-eds
S-400s or not, don’t give Turkey the F-35
Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, suggested on Sunday that the impasse with Washington over Ankara’s procurement of the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system could be resolved...
Op-eds
Israel: Now the Dominant Military Power in the Middle East?
Israel: A Regional Hegemon with Iran Defeated? In the wake of Israel’s surprise attack on Iran on June 13, it has become clear that Israel’s military is now among the strongest in the Middle East....
Op-eds
Erdogan Attempts to Rally the Muslim World Against Israel
Turkey wants pressure from Muslim leaders to hamstring Israel’s military campaign against Iran. Immediately following Israel’s precision strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, atomic scientists,...
Policy Briefs
The Israel-Iran War: The View from Ankara
When Israel struck Iran on June 13, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan waited several hours before issuing a fiery rebuke, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “and his massacre network” of “setting [the] entire region on fire.”
Op-eds
The Struggle for Syria
On May 14, President Donald Trump stood smiling with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman and Syria’s self-declared leader, Ahmed al-Shara’a, on the sidelines of the President’s visit...
Op-eds
Beyond the Bomb: Is Iran’s Diplomatic Pivot Changing Its Nuclear Calculus?
Iran is facing crunch time on its continued talks with the United States over a potential new deal regarding its nuclear program. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said on June 4...
Op-eds
Qatar keeps purchasing political influence
Much ethical debate has occurred since Qatar floated the idea of gifting President Donald Trump a Boeing 747 to replace America’s aging fleet of presidential planes. The...
Op-eds
Turkey and Qatar Are Buying Into Syria. The US Should Be Wary of Their Motives
With Washington’s blessing, Qatar and Turkey are cementing their role in post-Assad Syria. On May 29, Syria signed a $7 billion memorandum of understanding with the United States, Qatar, and Turkey to...
Policy Briefs
Lifting Sanctions on Syrian Regime Is a Grave Mistake
At a future point, many will ask an obvious question: why did the United States and Europe lift sanctions on Syria? The question will come after the likely fall of the Ahmed...
Op-eds
Syria and Israel Are Finally Talking
Syria and Israel are talking — and this time, it is face to face. The two longtime adversaries, who have had little official contact over the decades, are reportedly engaged in dialogue to calm tensions...
Policy Briefs
Trump’s Syria Opportunity
Syrian president Ahmed al-Shara will need to show commitment to stabilizing the country and integrating its regions, while the United States may find it has more leverage now by embracing Damascus.
Op-eds
Lebanon Should Take a Cue from al-Sharaa – and Talk to Israel
A joke has it that Syria’s self-proclaimed president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, offered to build a Trump Tower in Damascus to make up for the two New York towers that Al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa former organization,...
Op-eds
The PKK abandons armed struggle
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a secessionist campaign against Turkey since 1978, announced on May 12 its decision to end its armed struggle. Under the leadership of Abdullah...
Op-eds
From Wanted to Welcomed: Trump Meets Syria’s Ahmad al-Sharaa
“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” said President Donald Trump on May 13 during a speech at an investment forum in Riyadh at...
Policy Briefs
‘Resolved to Dissolve’: Kurdish PKK to Disarm and Disband in Apparent Peace Effort With Turkey
Kurdish Armed Group to Disband: The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) announced its decision to disband on May 12, in a reported step toward peace following more than four decades of...
Flash Briefs
Can Syria’s New Government Protect the Country’s Minorities?
Syria cannot hope to rebuild itself if it fails in preventing sectarian tensions from erupting into wide-scale violence.
Op-eds
The U.S. Should Not Sell Weapons to Turkey
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently declared Ankara would purchase an estimated $20 billion in American spare parts, ammunition, and electronics for its military. Turkey wants more...
Op-eds
Will U.S. Forces Leave Syria for Good in 2025?
U.S. forces in Syria continue to support their partners in the war against ISIS. This is part of a mission that dates back to 2015, when the U.S. first became involved in Syria. However, recent reports point to an increasing likelihood that the U.S. role in Syria may end within months.