Turkish-U.S. relations have been going through rough times for the last few years. In multiple instances in this column, the alarming degree of deterioration in relations was pointed out. However, even the most pessimistic observers of bilateral relations did not […]
There are so many possible scenarios regarding what happened behind closed doors between American and Turkish officials over the last few weeks. There have been rumors of negotiations, bargaining, misunderstandings, and unexpected and unprecedented heightening of discourse on the part […]
A 50-year-old evangelical pastor of the Izmir Resurrection Church has been living in Turkey since 1993. He has now become a source of controversy in the bilateral relationship between Turkey and the U.S. after Trump announced his plans to impose […]
The U.S.-Turkey relationship is faced with yet another crisis, this time over the Brunson case. Crises are increasingly becoming the rule rather than the exception largely because of the underlying strategic dissonance between the two NATO allies. The U.S. and […]
The U.S.-Turkey relationship has always been subject to ups and downs, including the Cold War years. This was one of the themes covered in a conference on the legacy of the July 15 coup attempt organized by SETA DC. The […]
In the previous column I discussed Turkish foreign policy in the new period with a new governing system in Turkey. Together with the change in the decision-making mechanism in Turkey, foreign policy will also experience some changes, as well as […]
On June 14, SETA Foundation at Washington DC hosted the event, “The Manbij Agreement: The Way Forward in US-Turkey Relations.” The panelists discussed the recent roadmap endorsed by the US and Turkey and its effects on US-Turkey relations. The panelists […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Turkish public’s hostility toward Soviet Union has been replaced by United States due to Washington’s support to PKK/YPG militants.
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
For the last few years, since the acceleration of the downward spiral in Turkish-U.S. relations, many analysts have indicated that the improvement of relations will partly depend on economic and social relations between the two countries. The strategic divergences in […]