Within two years since the July 15 coup attempt, Turkey has overcome several monumental challenges. The first and foremost challenge was the coup attempt which was thwarted in its tracks by civilian initiative thus setting the path for future challenges. […]
Since the announcement of the Turkey-U.S. agreement on the city of Manbij, there have been a lot of comments about its significance for the future of Turkish-American relations. It is important to reiterate certain significant dimensions of this agreement. First […]
Following meetings between top diplomats from Turkey and the U.S. in Washington last week, there is cautious optimism for a “road map” for the future of Manbij and U.S.-Turkish relations. In the aftermath of one of the most significant crises […]
The Syrian Civil War and its consequences have posed the most difficult strategic challenges to the U.S.-Turkey relationship in recent years. Issues such as the status of the Assad regime, the composition of the opposition, and the U.S. relationship with […]
Politicians have a tendency to make populist promises on the campaign trail. Appealing to the emotions of voters is largely considered an effective way of receiving popular support. A number of issues, ranging from the economy to foreign policy, often […]
U.S. foreign policy has been the topic of many articles in this column. In the last few years, the absence of a clear, comprehensive and long-term strategy has been the weakest aspect of U.S. foreign policy. Without the guidance of […]
Sometimes the biggest challenge for policy makers is not the diagnosis of the problem, but the lack of a proper strategy to fix it; nowadays one of the biggest hurdles in Washington. After failures, errors, mistakes and deliberations, there is […]
For years now there has been a debate about the future of the international system. Especially after the Iraq War some members of the international community started to feel nervous about the irresponsible unilateral use of force by the U.S. […]
The U.S. strikes on Syrian chemical weapons facilities have delivered the Assad regime a strong message but a very narrow one. Assad can continue to attack the Syrian people with conventional weapons without fear for the end of his rule. […]
After a week full of speculations and discussions, the US-led coalition conducted limited airstrikes against the Syrian regime’s chemical weapon production and storage sites on Friday evening. President Donald Trump made a statement explaining the rationale of the military strikes […]
It has been a week since the most recent chemical weapons attack in Syria. On Thursday, it was reported that an investigation confirmed the presence of a chemical weapons attack on the civilians in the country. Since the spread of […]
The United States is on track to have a record low refugee admissions for its resettlement program this fiscal year. Once a global leader in refugee resettlement, the new administration has not only lowered the number the refugee program accepts […]
Assad is at it again. His regime used chemical weapons against civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which has been under attack for weeks. It was about a year ago that Assad used chemical weapons to which President Trump responded with a limited […]
It was August 2012, then U.S. President Barack Obama during a press conference at the White House responded a question in regards to the allegations of the chemical weapon movements in Syria. He was very straightforward in responding to the […]
In the recent past, the foreign policy decision-making mechanism in Washington, D.C. probably has never been this complicated. In the last week, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that he is willing to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria, the complexity […]
It was only in January when former Secretary of State Tillerson announced a Syria policy with several goals (ensuring no return of Daesh, countering Iran, and the return of refugees) but with no clear strategy to achieve them. President Trump made his […]
President Donald Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had one more telephone meeting last week, a second one within the last one month. It is obvious that Turkish-American relations are going through one of the most difficult periods of its […]
The Afrin operation changed the situation in northern Syria significantly. I mentioned in an earlier column how the Turkey’s use of hard power and a unilateral military operation transformed the situation in Syria and the perception of Ankara’s determination to […]
Despite the UN Security Council Resolution 2401 unanimously passed calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, a sustainable outcome has not been reached thus far. Eastern Ghouta has been under increased heavy fire since the year began, endangering the already […]
The U.S. and Turkey have been pursuing conflicting strategies in northern Syria for a while now. Turkey adamantly pursued to end the U.S. support for the YPG while the Trump administration has seen the group as its “local partner” in […]
The latest departure from the Donald Trump administration is National Security Adviser Gen. H. R. McMaster. It was announced Thursday that McMaster will be replaced by John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. McMaster was considered one of […]
With the change in the Secretary of State position in the U.S., questions emerge about the possible changes in U.S. foreign policy in critical areas. Many in Washington, DC consider Pompeo a significant game changer, partly because of his close […]
Ever since Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch in northwestern Syria, its goals have been mischaracterized and quite a few myths continue to thrive. One of these is that Turkey is conducting the operation because it cannot tolerate any “Kurdish” gains […]
After fifteen years, today most of the experts and former policy makers agree that the Iraq War was one of the most consequential mistakes in U.S. foreign policy. The decision to go to war in Iraq, the decisions of the […]
On Thursday, March 1st, the SETA Foundation at Washington DC hosted an event “Allies at Odds: US-Turkey Differences in Northern Syria,” focused on recent developments in northern Syria and their effect on the US-Turkey relationship. Panelists included Richard Outzen, Senior […]
The U.S. must end its military and political support to the YPG not only to repair ties with Turkey but also to bring long lasting stability to Syria. If the U.S. is interested in a semblance of stability in Syria, […]
Operation Olive Branch has passed its first month and so far it has been considered a success against the terrorist groups in the region. The main goal of the operation is to clear Turkey’s borders from any terrorist threats. After […]
In one of the most debated books in the U.S., “Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of the Nations,” Amy Chua, a Yale University professor, wrote about how identity politics abroad is often missed by the U.S. and how […]
Turkey and the United States are finally talking about normalization. If everything goes as planned, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s most recent meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will mark a critical turning point in bilateral relations. More specifically, […]
For years now, Washingtonian experts on Turkey time and again have interpreted the changes in Turkish foreign policy as a shift of axis. What they mean by shift of axis was the redirection or reorientation of Turkish foreign policy from […]