If anybody thought that Daesh’s defeat would lead to de-escalation in Syria, they must be seriously disappointed. Neither the armed clashes on the ground nor the negotiations are likely to end anytime soon. The large chunk of territory under the […]
As Operation Olive Branch continues with full force, there are efforts to bring Turkey’s fight against the PKK-affiliate People’s Protection Units (YPG) to an end. Western governments note that they appreciate Ankara’s security concerns. Yet they clearly don’t want the […]
Many experts and observers of Turkish-U.S. relations are now asking if the current state of relations between the two countries can be fixed or if they have entered an irreversible process of falling apart. Turkey’s Afrin offensive, Operation Olive Branch, […]
Operation Olive Branch entered its 15th day today, as the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) continued its advance towards Mt. Darmiq. Having tailored their operational plans to minimize losses and prevent civilian casualties, the Turkish Armed Forces and the FSA […]
Turkey’s launch of Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20, forces the United States to revise its Syria policy. Sooner or later, the Americans will have to reconsider their People’s Protection Units (YPG) policy as well. Washington made a huge mistake […]
Arriving at a common Syria policy, however much needed, will likely remain an elusive goal. In the meantime, however, Turkey should be able to expect the US to take its security concerns much more seriously. This means ceasing military support to the YPG dominated SDF in the short term and start a comprehensive strategic policy conversation with Turkey, both to prioritize the security of its NATO ally and also to ensure stability in Syria.
Operation Olive Branch apparently disturbed the United States – only second to the People’s Protection Units (YPG). It was telling that U.S. President Donald Trump followed up on contradictory statements from U.S. officials at various levels by calling President Recep […]
When the Turkish government had announced that the Euphrates River is the red line for Turkey and it will not accept the People’s Protection Units’ (YPG) presence west of the Euphrates, U.S. officials greatly underestimated Turkey’s warning, belittling the YPG […]
Washington needs to understand the legitimate reasons why Turkey launched its anti-terrorism operation against the YPG in northern Syria.
Turkey took a new step toward influencing the post-Daesh future of Syria by launching a military operation against the militants of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin. The French request for a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, coupled […]
On Thursday, January 25th, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC hosted a panel discussion, “Current Challenges in the US-Turkey Relations,” that focused on major issues facing relations between the US and Turkey, particularly how the situation in northern Syria has affected […]
On Saturday, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch against People’s Protection Units (YPG) targets in Afrin. In the first step of the military operation, which is being carried out with support by Free Syrian Army (FSA) units, Turkish Air Forces eliminated […]
U.S. officials responsible for Washington’s Syria policy have been suffering from a lapse of reason when it comes to judging Turkey’s priorities. It would appear that they are content with the prospect of driving Turkey-U.S. relations to the ground by […]
As Turkey counts down to an imminent military operation in Afrin, the United States took its long-standing support for the PKK’s Syrian branch, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), to a new level. Over the weekend, the Global Coalition to Defeat […]
The capture of the city of Raqqa from Daesh terrorists last week was a major development in the conflict in Syria. However, operations in this city and its aftermath have left important questions that need to be worked on in […]
The SETA Foundation at Washington D.C. hosted a panel discussion on September 21, 2017, focused on Syria refugees titled, “Education and Social Inclusion of Syrian Refugees in Turkey.” Panelists included Mehmet Gulluoglu, President of the The Prime Ministry Disaster and […]
United States Senator John McCain has it right that the US has underestimated and, at times, disregarded Turkey’s concern over its support for the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria. The US’ rationale for helping the YPG was predicated on […]
In Syria, the U.S. has walked a delicate line between its preference for Kurdish fighting groups in the north of the country, and its indispensable relationship with Turkey. Washington’s continued reliance on the PYD/YPG as its proxy in the Syrian […]
Late August, Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield, supporting Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces in an effort to push back ISIS forces from the Syrian-Turkish border area. Beginning with the town of Jarablus, the Turkish-backed FSA has since liberated a number […]
I have written many times in this column that the conflict in Syria, with the tragedies, massacres and violations of the most basic humanitarian norms, will be the most significant dimension of the foreign policy legacy of U.S. President Barack […]
The most recent spat between the United States and Turkey over American support for the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria is yet another example of increasing tensions between two NATO allies over their respective Syria policies. The images showing […]
In the last few years, Russia’s foreign and security policies have been one of the most enigmatic dimensions of the international system. The words that described the Russian government after a long campaign in Chechenia in the first years of […]
This week, Istanbul is hosting one of the most significant summits on human security since the end of the Cold War. The first World Humanitarian Summit will focus on issues related to humanitarianism, humanitarian assistance, crisis preparedness and development. The […]
On May 10th, 2016 the SETA Foundation at Washington D.C. (SETA DC) hosted its 2nd Annual Conference, “The Future of the U.S.-Turkey Partnership.” The conference featured three panels with experts from both Washington and Turkey. On May 10th, 2016, SETA […]
The second annual Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) Conference in Washington took place last week with the title “The Future of the U.S.-Turkey Partnership.” The future of Turkish-U.S. ties has been debated extensively in the last few […]
Since DAESH’s attack on Kobani, there has been an increasing amount of debate about the Democratic Union Party (YPG) and the nature of the organization. The optimism of the international coalition and Western countries about the usefulness of the YPG in […]
A few months ago President Obama had one of the most challenging interviews during his tenure. On “60 Minutes” the most challenging questions for him were about the U.S. policy in regards to the Syrian conflict. He had a hard […]
U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to Saudi Arabia last week was one of the most significant topics in international relations. The trip and the issues that were discussed during this trip attracted attention to the legacy that Obama will leave […]
The SETA Foundation at Washington D.C. hosted a conference on the Syrian Refugee Crisis on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. With over 150 guests, two panel discussions, and a Keynote Address by Her Excellency Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, the conference explored the […]
On the same day as yet another round of Syria talks convened in Geneva on Monday, March 14th, Russian President Vladimir Putin once again occupied the headlines. Putin’s statement argued that Russia’s military intervention in Syria had achieved its goals […]