Seizing the opportunity to fill another vacuum in the geopolitical power game, Putin may lead an Astana-like process in Libya thanks to Erdoǧan. Driving a deeper rift between Turkey and European Union, Russia is also a geopolitical winner in such a scenario.
Turkish boots are now fully mobilized in the service of the Government of National Accord but escalating tensions in the Mediterranean over energy resources may actually harm both Ankara and Tripoli. READ MORE
Although Turkish and Russian troops are now conducting joint patrols in northern Syria, a number of serious questions about this arrangement remain unanswered. READ MORE
Fact-Checker analysis at The Washington Post and the video interview on Trump’s false comments on “centuries” of fighting between Turks and Kurds. READ MORE
BBC Live Interview on October 19, 2019 Watch the interview
Turkish foreign policy confusions are not confined to Syria. From Libya to Sudan, Turkey has found itself in intense competition and military conflicts at multiple fronts. As Turkey’s “Muslim Democracy” model and soft power have been fading away, Turkish military activism now dominates its foreign policy vision. READ MORE
Turkey’s highly politicized atmosphere, with frequent elections in the past few years, has fueled negative perceptions of Syrians, who are often associated with Erdoğan’s ruling party. Syrian refugees become more vulnerable as their status gets politicized in a crumbling economy. READ MORE
Turkey’s long silence after the coup against Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir speaks volumes. READ MORE
As long as political fragmentation and international meddling endure, there will be neither cohesiveness nor willingness to fight IS, al-Qaeda, or other extremist groups. READ MORE
As the Islamic State (IS) transforms into a flat organization with autonomous cells around the globe, the foreign fighters returning to their home countries pose a significant challenge to both western and Muslim majority countries alike. READ MORE
A key question for Washington is how to maintain the Kurdish-Arab alliance in the absence of a front line against IS. The complex puzzle of shifting alliances invites ethnic competition to prepare for the day American troops leave Syria. READ MORE
Mustafa Gurbuz 