The ABCs Of The Current Political Situation In Turkey--A Primer
The political and security situation in Turkey is becoming increasingly worrying as it deteriorates behind a jumble of acronyms that few could possibly hope to understand. Were it not for the associated terror...
Turkey's Surprise Election Results – What Next?
In the run-up to last week's Turkish elections, most observers expected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AK Party to win a healthy two-thirds majority. Had the AKP won, it would have paved the way for President Erdogan to make...
Blinded By The Gaza Spotlight: What Is Happening In The Shadows?
With Gaza firmly in the international spotlight, few observers seem willing or able to strain their eyes to determine activity in the surrounding shadows blanketing activity in the nearby Israeli-occupied West Bank. Careful stage-management ensures that horrific...
Ahmad Chalabi: The Return Of The "Bad Penny"
An English expression refers to a "bad penny" as someone who keeps turning up and causing trouble no matter how one tries to get rid of them. Other less delicate idioms that describe such types include "chewing gum on one's shoe" and "unflushable turd"...
Is Turkey Becoming Irrelevant To NATO? Part 2
By now, faced with the rise of the Islamists and effectively abandoned by the US, the Turkish security establishment continued to maintain its ties to the Israeli government. Unfortunately, as Turkey’s Islamists increased their political power, Israel's government was also...
Is Turkey Becoming Irrelevant To NATO? Part 1
The victory of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP in Turkey in the May 30 2014 municipal elections came as no surprise, even among the most optimistic and engaged members of the secular opposition. Simply put, few people dared to hope that...
The ISIS Crisis: Have The Sunnis Unleashed an Uncontrollable Genie?
The sudden, successful attack by the Islamic State Of Iraq and Syria (ISIS caught many states off-guard. While international attention has been diverted by the situation in the Ukraine, and to a lesser extent by the internal conflict in Syria, the wealthy...
Scandal In Turkey - Who Is Behind the Erdogan Leaks?
In the run-up to the March 30 elect- ions many scandals were pub- licly leaked in Turkey indicating criminal activity by Mr. Erdogan, his ministers and their families. Clearly, Mr. Erdogan's government has a serious security problem...
AIPAC pushes for Iran sanctions during Ukraine Crisis
Over the past few weeks, one primary issue has blanketed Western media coverage: the situation in Ukraine. Since this issue is of great interest to the world community, it has allowed other developments, especially in the Middle East, to escape public scrutiny...
Erdogan’s Pivotal Role in the Syrian Crisis. Part 2
While the European Union process seemed to advance in fits and starts, Mr. Erdogan simultaneously began the process of establishing his Islamic credentials. The first major step to capture world attention was Mr. Erdogan's very public storming...
Erdogan's Pivotal Role in the Syrian Crisis. Part 1
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit to Iran has highlighted once again the delicate balancing act Erdogan is playing in seeking to overthrow the Ba'athist regime in Syria without dragging Turkey into...