Tag Archives: Syria

Türkiye’s Thirteen Years of Trouble in Syria

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Ali Tuygan

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 Middle East, World’s Region of Conflict

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Ali Tuygan

February 12, 2024 US State Department’s Office of the Historian says that  Secretary of State Warren Christopher “eschewed confrontation in favor of negotiation with friend and foe alike”. Indeed, during his tenure as Secretary of State, from January 1993 to January … Continue reading →

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Iraq and Syria Refuse Being Made Punching Bags

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Ali Tuygan

February 5, 2024 On January 3, twin blasts near the burial site of Qasem Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, killed a hundred people and injured scores in the southern Iranian city of Kerman adding to concerns … Continue reading →

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2024: Another Challenging Year for the West

Posted on January 2, 2024 by Ali Tuygan

January 2, 2024 On May 7, 2021, China initiated a virtual discussion at the UN Security Council on the future of the Organization and the international order.  In remarks to the Security Council, Secretary Blinken, after thanking China for the … Continue reading →

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A Light Breeze of Change in the Middle East

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Ali Tuygan

April 17, 2023 On March 10, 2023, the “Joint Trilateral Statement by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran” was issued in Beijing. The Joint Statement started with a reference “to … Continue reading →

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“Retreat” or “Normalization of Relations”?

Posted on August 25, 2022 by Ali Tuygan

August 25, 2022 In the military context, the word “retreat” means “the usually forced withdrawal of troops from an enemy or from an advanced position”. In a broader context, it is defined as “an act or process of withdrawing especially … Continue reading →

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Balance Sheet of the Past Week

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Ali Tuygan

July 25, 2022 The Presidents of Iran, Russia, and Türkiye met in the Astana format on July 19, 2022. President Erdogan went to Tehran to secure the understanding of his partners for a military operation against the PKK/YPG in Syria … Continue reading →

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Ukraine Crisis: A Reminder from the Middle East

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Ali Tuygan

February 7, 2022 The Russia-West standoff over Ukraine continues. The US and its European allies are warning of a serious risk of a Russian offensive against Ukraine. Moscow is claiming that the US is trying to pull Russia into an … Continue reading →

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Turkish Foreign Policy Must Restore Its Republican Settings

Posted on October 19, 2021 by Ali Tuygan

October 19, 2021 Afghanistan developments could only divert Turkey’s attention from Syria for a while. With the meeting on September 29 between Presidents Putin and Erdogan, and the latter’s comments signaling another  operation against the PYD/YPG, we are back to … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Vicious Circle of Foreign Policy

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Ali Tuygan

October 5, 2021 In late September,  President Erdogan traveled to New York and addressed the UN General Assembly. He also hoped to have a face-to-face meeting with President Biden. When such a meeting failed to materialize, President Erdogan vented his … Continue reading →

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