Category Archives: Uncategorized

Growing Concerns Over Israel’s Rafah Offensive

May 20, 2022 Until yesterday, international attention was focused on the pending Israeli offensive on Rafah and the domestic political challenges facing Prime Minister Netanyahu. On Sunday, however,  Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other … Continue reading

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“Yumuşama” in Türkiye

May 13, 2024 During the past two weeks, the word “yumuşama” was widely used to describe “political change” in Türkiye. Though I know what some matching words are in English, I nonetheless looked up in the dictionary for alternatives. Among … Continue reading

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What After the Rafah Offensive?

May 6, 2024 The UAE was the first Arab country to sign the Abraham Accords in 2020 normalizing relations with Israel. Later Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco followed suit. Washington then started encouraging Saudi Arabia to join the group. In July … Continue reading

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The Incremental Cost of the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza

April 30, 2024 The world remains focused on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the Iran-Israel confrontation. The former defines relations between Russia and the West and unfortunately, there is no path yet for a negotiated solution. The latter … Continue reading

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The Question of the Endgame in Ukraine

April 22, 2024 On February 26, 2024, President Macron, after hosting a meeting of 25 European leaders in Paris, said that there was “no consensus” on committing ground troops to the conflict in Ukraine but added, “Nothing should be excluded. … Continue reading

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Controlled Escalation in the Middle East

April 15, 2024 Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, I have held the view that Iran will continue to support its Middle East proxies but not to the brink of war with Israel. I still do. Although Washington … Continue reading

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A New Dawn for Türkiye

April 3, 2024 I concluded a recent post with the following: “At this time, the mood in the country is one of dejection… The principal battleground in the upcoming municipal elections would be Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir, Türkiye’s three major … Continue reading

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Fighting Russia with Russian Money

March 24, 2024 Article 2 (4) of the Charter of the United Nations reads, “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or … Continue reading

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An Unhappy Türkiye Heading to Municipal Elections

March 22, 2024 On Sunday, March 31st, Türkiye will hold municipal elections. People will not be going to the polls to express their preference for a new parliament, a new government, or a new leadership. Nonetheless, this election would allow … Continue reading

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Thirteenth Anniversary of the Syrian Uprising

March 18, 2024 On March 15, the Governments of France, Germany, the UK, and the US issued a statement on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the Syrian uprising.[i] They said that on this day 13 years ago, “the … Continue reading

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