Category Archives: Uncategorized

Trump Administration and the Middle East: First Impressions

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Ali Tuygan

January 16, 2017 For understandable reasons, President-elect Donald Trump’s press conference and the Senate confirmation hearings of his team could not reflect a well-coordinated foreign and security policy approach. A reluctance to go into specifics as well as conflicting views … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Relations with the West

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Ali Tuygan

January 9, 2017 In early April 2009 Mr. Obama visited Ankara on his first trip abroad as US President. His address to the Turkish Parliament was full of praise for Turkey’s “strong, vibrant, secular democracy”. In May 2013, Prime Minister … Continue reading →

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About Pipe Dreams

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Ali Tuygan

January 4, 2017 After a violent year and minutes into 2017 Turkey hit world headlines. Again, the reason was a terrorist attack. And again, it was followed by the customary anti-terrorism ritual. Minister of the Interior visited the crime scene. … Continue reading →

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2016: A Year of Turmoil

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

December 29, 2016 I had started my summing-up for the year 2015 with the following: “Arab Spring turmoil has continued to dominate world’s agenda with the war in Syria, ISIL terrorism and the refugee problem as top items. The confrontation … Continue reading →

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The Obama Legacy and the Middle East

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

December 26, 2016 President Obama assumed office on January 20, 2009. Washington’s relations with Moscow were troubled as a result of the military conflict between Russia and Georgia. The US was moving closer to withdrawal from Iraq but the war … Continue reading →

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Aleppo’s Continuing Tragedy

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

December 19, 2016 The tragedy of Aleppo which has become the symbol of the devastation and the suffering caused by the Syrian conflict appears to have entered a new phase. The agreement reached between Russia and Turkey for the evacuation … Continue reading →

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The Battle for Aleppo and Beyond

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

December 12, 2016 On December 4, 2016 Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the Saban Forum (*). More than anything else he vented pent-up frustration with the Middle East. He was extremely blunt in his criticism of Israel’s settlement policy. … Continue reading →

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West’s Populist Surge and a Lesson from the Past

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

November 2, 2016 “Populist Surge” is now on top of West’s agenda and likely to stay there. Mr. Trump’s election victory surprised the world. As expected, President Hollande announced that he would not seek re-election. On Sunday, Austria will hold … Continue reading →

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BROOKINGS ORDER FROM CHAOS U.S.-Turkey relations under Trump may hinge more on Turkey than on Trump

Posted on December 1, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

  Authors Kemal Kirişci TÜSİAD Senior Fellow – Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe Director – The Turkey Project Ali Tuygan Retired Turkish ambassador to Canada, Saudi Arabia, Greece, and UNESCO; Former under-secretary, Turkish Ministry of Foreign … Continue reading →

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Democracy’s Challenge

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

November 28, 2016 All peoples aspire to democracy. Regardless of the level of respect they have for fundamental rights and freedoms 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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