Author Archives: Ali Tuygan

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About Ali Tuygan

Ali Tuygan is a graduate of the Faculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 1967. Between various positions in Ankara, he served at the Turkish Embassy in Brussels, NATO International Staff, Turkish Embassies in Washington and Baghdad, and the Turkish Delegation to NATO. From 1986 to 1989 he was the Principal Private Secretary to the President of the Republic. He then served as ambassador to Ottawa, Riyadh, and Athens. In 1997 he was honored with a decoration by the Italian President. Between these assignments abroad he served twice as Deputy Undersecretary for Political Affairs. In 2004 he was appointed Undersecretary where he remained until the end of 2006 before going to his last foreign assignment as Ambassador to UNESCO. He retired in 2009. In April 2013 he published a book entitled “Gönüllü Diplomat, Dışişlerinde Kırk Yıl” (“Diplomat by Choice, Forty Years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”) in which he elaborated on the diplomatic profession and the main issues on the global agenda. He has published articles in Turkish periodicals and newspapers.

Türkiye at an Inflection Point

December 19, 2024 The history of Türkiye-West relations over the last fifteen years has been characterized by a lack of meaningful dialogue, unfriendly rhetoric, and confrontation despite a promising beginning. In April 2009 President Obama came to Ankara on his … Continue reading

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The Year 2024 in Review

December 16, 2024 People aspire to democracy.  Regardless of their respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, and the rule of law, all regimes claim to be democratic in some form because it remains the ultimate source of legitimacy to govern. … Continue reading

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The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Blitzkrieg

December 9, 2024 After thirteen years of internal fighting, loss of life, and devastation, the five-decade-long Assad regime was swept away in barely two weeks. President Hafez al-Assad, the father, was the President of Syria from 1971 until his death … Continue reading

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Türkiye’s Thirteen Years of Trouble in Syria

December 4, 2024 The recent “rebel” offensive in northern Syria has brought multiple security challenges once again along our 911-kilometer border with our southern neighbor. The confusion it has caused is understandable because there are not only countries but many … Continue reading

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The Race Toward January 20th

December 2, 2024 The year 2024 was largely dominated by the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Lebanon, and in mid-summer attention started to shift toward the US presidential election. President Biden was determined to run for a second term. A … Continue reading

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The ICC Deals a Blow to Israel and the West

November 25, 2024 This is how I started a post a year ago, two months after the Hamas onslaught of October 7: “Jews are a gifted people. They have made great contributions to science, culture, and the arts. Israel is … Continue reading

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Escalation in the War in Ukraine – Counting the Days

November 22, 2024 On November 17, 2024, the 998th day of Russia’s invasion, Russia launched more than 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine. The same day,  President Biden, in a significant shift in US policy, authorized Ukraine to use ballistic … Continue reading

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President Trump and the Ukraine Conflict

November 18, 2024 On December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned, leaving the stage to Boris Yeltsin as the President of Russia. The Soviet Union became history.

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President Trump and the Middle East

November 13, 2024 The stunning comeback of Mr. Trump as President-elect has triggered speculation about the future of US foreign policy, particularly regarding the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The latter’s past decade might offer some clues into … Continue reading

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The Loser of the Election is President Biden

November 11, 2024 For months the West anxiously watched the US presidential campaign. “Anxiously” because the world is in turmoil with the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Lebanon taking their toll, and there is a lack of leadership. The quality … Continue reading

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