Aleppo: Russian Barbarism and American Dereliction
The “complete meltdown of humanity” in Aleppo, as recently described by the United Nations, is an indictment of Russian/Syrian/Iranian barbarism, Arab indifference, and American dereliction […] More
Turkey
An Extremely Vulnerable Turkey
One day after Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was killed in Ankara, foreign ministers from the two countries met in Moscow to discuss the crisis in […] More
A Cipher Brief Update: Will the Turkey-Russia Thaw Endure?
Police in Turkey have detained six people following the killing of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov. State media reports that the attacker’s mother, father, sister and […] More
The State of Play in Syria
Amid the dizzying array of jihadist groups, rebel militias, umbrella opposition alliances, and state-level actors either directly or indirectly involved in Syria’s conflict, it can […] More
Telling Friend from Foe in Syria
Following the aggressive Russian and Turkish interventions in Syria, it can be difficult to tell where the various parties in the conflict stand. Between the […] More
Ankara's Influence: Asset or a Liability?
The Mosul operation, launched on October 17, has once again highlighted the complicated nature of Turkey’s involvement in the fight against the Islamic State (IS). […] More
The Price of Turkish Posturing in Iraq
As Iraqi Army forces enter Mosul proper and anti-ISIS coalition forces encircle the city, the complex and bloody operation to safely wrest a city of […] More
Erdogan and Abadi: Making a Mess
Over the past month, the exchange of words between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi has reached a bitter […] More
Iraq’s Grim Prospects Post ISIL
In the coming months, and possibly weeks, the Iraqi Security Forces, with the help of a diverse group of fighters spanning the Iraqi political spectrum, […] More
Failure of Syrian Ceasefire Could Lead to Rebels Getting Advanced Arms
Heightened concern that some Gulf States and Turkey want to give Syrian rebels in Aleppo more advanced weaponry has Washington warning about the potential for […] More
Turkish Leverage Over the United States and European Union
Since its birth, modern Turkey has occupied a delicate position in the world. Straddling both Asia and Europe, the ancient Ottoman capital of Istanbul captures […] More
Syrian Refugees: Ankara’s Trump Card Against Europe
In March of this year, Turkey came to an agreement with the European Union (EU) on Syrian migration. In return for $6 billion in aid […] More
Turkey's Room to Maneuver Against the United States
Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have been on the rise, beginning with different priorities over Syria and ISIS, and then ham-handed American reactions to, […] More
Turkey Faces a Muddled and Constantly Changing Situation in Syria
Turkey is claiming its forces, along with Western-backed Syrian rebels, have completely cut off the Islamic State’s access to the 500-mile long Turkish/Syrian border. Though […] More
Obama’s Meeting with Erdogan: “Minor Uptick” in U.S.-Turkey Relations
President Barack Obama and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met this weekend for the first time since the July 15 failed coup attempt. “This […] More
Turkish Moves in Syria Show Policy Shift & Politicking
A fresh wave of Turkish tanks rolled into Syria yesterday, in an effort to both fight the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) […] More
Biden in Turkey: An Attempt to Mend Fences
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to Turkey on Wednesday marked the first time a senior White House official has called on the country’s president […] More
NATO Weighs In After Erdogan, Putin Meet
Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting this week in Russia, NATO issued a strong statement making clear it views Turkey […] More