Category Archives: Uncategorized

Redesigning the Middle East

February 3, 2025 Since his inauguration, President Trump’s speeches and remarks have only led to confusion and uncertainty regarding his administration’s foreign, security, and economic policies. Reacting to his continuing remarks about Greenland, Denmark announced last week that it would … Continue reading

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Toward a More Transactional Relationship

January 27, 2025 President Trump’s inaugural address lasted for thirty minutes.[i] He said little about the guiding principles of Washington’s future foreign and security policy. He once again stressed that America would soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional … Continue reading

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A Ceasefire in Gaza but Regional Challenges Remain

January 20, 2025 The Hamas-Israel ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange agreement went into effect yesterday with the release of three Israeli woman hostages and ninety Palestinian prisoners, mostly women. During the past fifteen months, nearly 47,000 Gazans were killed and more … Continue reading

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President Biden’s Foreign and Security Policy

January 16, 2025 Last Monday, at the US State Department, Mr. Biden delivered his last foreign and security policy speech as president.[i] His remarks were only words of praise for the achievements of his four years at the White House.  … Continue reading

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Türkiye in a State of Confusion

January 9, 2024 Türkiye’s national agenda over the past decade-and-a-half has offered our people hardly any optimism. In recent months, two items took over all else: The negative impact of our continuing economic downturn on the low-income classes, and Türkiye’s … Continue reading

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The New Year Begins with Uncertainties

January 2, 2025 Toward the end of 2024, Germany and France were engulfed in domestic political problems. Romania’s constitutional court annulled the country’s 2024 presidential election. Georgia remained in political turmoil. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial … Continue reading

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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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