turkey

"GOOD NEWS FROM TURKEY"? ERDOGAN-TRUMP BOND TESTED ON SYRIA

"GOOD NEWS FROM TURKEY"? ERDOGAN-TRUMP BOND TESTED ON SYRIA

A month into the Turkish incursion in Northern Syria, the dust is far from settling, with all the major actors increasing presence in the area. This picture complicates Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the White House on 13 November.

Despite the early victory lap, Mr. Erdogan has every reason to be upset for the new reality in Syria he has initiated but seems to have no control over. Neither the US-Turkey ceasefire deal in the immediate operation area, nor the following Turkey-Russia memorandum for a greater safe zone have produced any stability in the region, let alone realizing Turkey’s wishes.

Mr. Erdogan is in Washington and has some new items in his basket to convince Mr. Trump. Will the bond between two leaders be enough to salvage what is left of Northern Syria?

PLANNED TURKISH OPERATION INTO NORTHERN SYRIA TESTS LIMITS

PLANNED TURKISH OPERATION INTO NORTHERN SYRIA TESTS LIMITS

US President Donald Trump, after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, decided –once again- to pull back US troops from (Northern) Syria. While the troop withdrawal is on way, Pentagon officials and some heavy-weight senators are trying to dissuade Trump, as they did and succeeded in late 2018. Will Trump make another U-turn? If not, will Russia and Iran give implicit backing to a Turkey-led operation in the east of Euphrates? Turkey is testing limits in Syria, once again.

ERDOGAN'S AKP IN SURVIVAL MODE, BUT CAN THEY MAKE IT?

ERDOGAN'S AKP IN SURVIVAL MODE, BUT CAN THEY MAKE IT?

Following the defeat of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP in big cities including the capital Ankara and megalopolis Istanbul in the local elections in March and June 2019, many expected change in the AKP leadership and some relaxation in the tightly-centralized new executive presidential system. Six months after the elections, it is the opposite.