Tag Archives: Turkey-Russia

The Trump-Iran-North Korea Imbroglio

Posted on April 10, 2018 by

April 10, 2018 Forty-seven years ago, today, the U.S. table tennis team arrived in China. Later in the year, in July 1971, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made a secret trip to China   paving the way for Richard Nixon’s own … Continue reading →

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A World in Disarray and Turkey

Posted on March 28, 2018 by

March 28, 2018 It has been two roller coaster weeks. On March 15, 2018 the US imposed new sanctions on 24 Russian entities and individuals for interfering in the 2016 election and conducting a series of damaging cyberattacks. On March … Continue reading →

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UNSC Resolution 2401(2018): What It Does Say/Not Say About Afrin

Posted on February 28, 2018 by

February 28, 2018 UNSC Resolution 2401 (2018) of February 24 demands that all parties cease hostilities without delay for a durable humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days throughout Syria. It calls upon all parties to immediately lift the … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Syria Predicament

Posted on February 22, 2018 by

February 22, 2018 In Syria, Turkey is running in a narrowing alley. On the one hand, Secretary Tillerson recently said, “…we’re not going to act alone any longer. We’re not going to be U.S. doing one thing and Turkey doing … Continue reading →

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Who are the terrorists?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by

February 5, 2018 Washington designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. Last week the Department of State also designated its leader Ismail Haniyeh as a terrorist. Some in the Arab world were no doubt delighted whereas Turkish Foreign … Continue reading →

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Shifting Priorities in Syria

Posted on January 22, 2018 by

January 22, 2018 On January 17, Secretary Tillerson delivered remarks at Stanford University. His topic was “The Way Forward for the United States Regarding Syria”. Next to him was Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser and later Secretary of State during … Continue reading →

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On Turkey and the Middle East

Posted on June 24, 2017 by

June 24, 2017 In the fall of 1966, I took a series of exams to join the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Among other things, we were asked to comment on a widely used metaphor, “Turkey is a bridge between East and … Continue reading →

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