Tag Archives: Ataturk

Fighting for Survival?

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

  May 22, 2019 Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party’s (JDP) principal theme in the recent municipal election campaign was “the fight for Turkey’s survival”. The party and its supporters in the media claimed that Turkey was under the siege … Continue reading →

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Counting and Recounting …

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

April 7, 2019 On March 31 Turkey had municipal elections. The result was a yellow card for the government. However, the ruling Justice and Development Party (JDP) immediately asked for recounts in Ankara and İstanbul where, according to initial figures, … Continue reading →

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2018 In Retrospect

Posted on December 25, 2018 by Ali Tuygan

December 25, 2018 It has been a chaotic year with no or little progress in overcoming world’s outstanding challenges: U.S.-Russia tensions, Middle East turmoil with numerous sub-titles, Ukraine conflict, the future of the JCPOA, North Korea’s nuclear program, migration, trade … Continue reading →

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Armistice Day and Ataturk

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Ali Tuygan

November 11, 2018 November 10, 2018 marked the 80th anniversary of Ataturk’s passing. Today marks the centenary of the Armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France, ending the First World War. Eleven days before that, the Armistice … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Troubled Relations with Europe

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

August 15, 2016 In retrospect, one of EU’s major foreign and security policy mistakes was the blunting of whatever momentum Turkey’s accession process had. It goes without saying that this was also Turkey’s failure. Had both sides acted with foresight, … Continue reading →

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The Obama Legacy: A View from the Middle East

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Ali Tuygan

May 2, 2016 It was a few months before the 2008 US Presidential election. I was talking to my American colleague at UNESCO. I said to her that since American presidents’ decisions have global implications, democratic countries should also have … Continue reading →

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Prime Minister Netanyahu on Iran

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Ali Tuygan

6 March 2015 I watched PM Netanyahu’s address to the Congress. I also read the transcript. What he said on Iran was hardly different from his UN General Assembly speech of 29 September 2014. It was the controversial nature of … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Military Incursion into Syria

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Ali Tuygan

24 February 201 Two days ago a large Turkish military column entered Syria to bring back to Turkey the remains of Suleyman Shah and evacuate the some 40 soldiers guarding his tomb. Suleyman Shah was the grandfather of the founder … Continue reading →

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Quo Vadis Turkey?

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Ali Tuygan

3 February 2015 Turkey’s traditional foreign policy, bitterly criticized by the present Government for having betrayed Turkey’s potential, stood on pillars. Our relations with the United States and the European Union constituted the first two. A third one was our … Continue reading →

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President Obama and the Middle East

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Ali Tuygan

1 February 2015 Five speeches delivered by President Obama are important to understanding his approach to the Middle East. These are: • Remarks to the Turkish Parliament (6 April 2009), • Remarks at the Cairo University where he addressed Moslem … Continue reading →

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