Turkey and HTS: A New Era of Extremism in Syria?
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2023, Syria is now controlled by an alliance of opposition groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). While there has...
Democratic Union Party
Turkey’s Overreach in Syria: Erdogan Is ‘Playing with Fire’
In a recent Foreign Policy article, Steven Cook and I highlighted how Turkey may be overplaying its hand in Syria. With events evolving rapidly, it seems that Turkish President Recep...
Op-eds
Who will form the core of Jolani’s unified army?
Ahmad al Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), commonly known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al Jolani, has unveiled a vision for post-Assad Syria. With HTS assuming control in the aftermath...
Op-eds
Kurdistan regional elections mark a step forward for Iraq’s stability
Elections in the Kurdistan region are important because they provide a beacon of democracy for the region.
Op-eds
The Istanbul Terror Attack Is More Than It Seems
The question of who is responsible for the terrorist attack in Istanbul’s Taksim Square is becoming murkier by the day.
Op-eds
Turkey Accuses the U.S. of Complicity in Istanbul Terror Attack
Turkey’s Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu accused the United States of complicity in Sunday’s terror attack in Istanbul, which killed six people and injured more than 80...
Flash Briefs
COVID-19 in Northeast Syria
The reported number of coronavirus cases in northeast Syria remains in single digits, in part because healthcare workers have so little ability to test for the virus. Local authorities are preparing for...
Policy Briefs
Kurd Your Enthusiasm
On October 16, the world woke to footage of the Iraqi army barreling toward Kirkuk, several hundred miles n...
Op-eds
Turkey’s Patchwork Foreign Policy
Turkey’s steady descent into authoritarianism under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has be...
Op-eds
It’s Time for NATO to Call Turkey’s Bluff
Thursday's NATO Summit provides an opportunity for the alliance to get tough on its putative Turkish ally. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's destabilizing polici...
Op-eds
Islamic State Poses a Growing Threat in Turkey, a Key NATO Ally, FDD Study Finds
(Washington, D.C., March 29, 2017) – As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson prepares to travel to Ankara on Thursday, a new report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) finds th...
Press Releases
Erdogan’s Newfound Partners: Russia and Iran
Russian officials announced Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet with his T...
Policy Briefs
The Fight Against ISIS Will Suffer Because of Turkey’s Coup
The failed coup in Turkey will set back global efforts to combat the Islamic State. For one, trust between Ankara and Washington is at an all-time low. A Turkish minister ...
Op-eds
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Erdogan?
Houston, we have a problem. A serious problem. Slowly, but inexorably, Turkey is headed off a cliff. The signposts ahead are bleak indeed. Despotism. Terrorism. Civil war. Just over the horizon,...
Op-eds
America’s Dangerous Bargain With Turkey
After a year of intense diplomatic negotiations, the Turkish government is now permitting the United States to use Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base, which will allow American aircraft to fly...
Op-eds
PKK Offshoot Claims Ankara Attack
The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (Teyrênbazê Azadiya Kurdistan, or TAK), a terrorist group that broke away from Turkey’s militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in 2004,...
Policy Briefs
Turkey just received a huge ‘political gift’
but its opponents are warning it could lead to a ‘big war'
Op-eds
Understanding Syria: Whose Side Are We On, Anyway?
The White House and the Kremlin are currently working in parallel toward a common objective in Syria: cutting off support to Syrian rebels fighting the Assad regime by cl...
Op-eds
Closer Iran-Turkey Ties Face Hurdle over PKK
Turkish and Iranian leaders have each ...
Policy Briefs
The ISIS Attack and Turkey’s Islamist Kurds
An ISIS-linked suicide bomber attacked the southern Turkish border town of Suruç on Monday, killing 32 and wounding 100. The victims were preparing for a trip to reconstruct the war-torn S...