Tag Archives: US

Turkey’s Upcoming Election and the Syria Conflict

4 May 2015 On 27 April, the International Crisis Group published the “Statement on a Syrian Policy Framework”. The Statement starts with an analysis of the conflict and then suggests a framework for a political deal based on the understanding … Continue reading

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Yemen’s Ordeal Continues

28 April 2015 On 24 April Saudi Arabia announced that “Operation Decisive Storm” had achieved its objective and priority would now shift to rebuilding the country and political dialogue. This new phase was to be called “Renewal of Hope”. This … Continue reading

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UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2216 on Yemen

17 April 2015 UNSC Resolution 2216 of 14 April 2015 represents a diplomatic victory for Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, in particular the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In this Resolution, the Security Council remains silent on the Saudi-led military … Continue reading

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Escalation in Yemen

15 April 2015 The fighting in Yemen no doubt reminds Turks of a beautiful but sad folk song (Lament of Yemen) mourning the loss of thousands of Turkish soldiers in this far away part of the Ottoman Empire during the … Continue reading

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From Joint Action Plan toward a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action

Co-authored with Yusuf Buluc (*) 5 April 2015 On 23 November 2013 P5+1 and Iran reached agreement on a Joint Plan of Action which was a roadmap for the negotiation process that was to follow. Sixteen months later we have … Continue reading

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Arab States Trying to Overcome Disarray

30 March 2015 On 26 March 2015, Saudi Arabia supported by the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar started air strikes against the Houthis who in addition to Yemen’s capital Sana had also captured the country’s second largest city … Continue reading

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Syria Conflict Enters Its Fifth Year

17 March 2015 During the past four years of internal strife more than two hundred thousand Syrians lost their lives. Almost half the population is either internally displaced or living as refugees in neighboring countries. Homes and infrastructure are in … Continue reading

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Prime Minister Netanyahu on Iran

6 March 2015 I watched PM Netanyahu’s address to 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 his … Continue reading

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Dealing with ISIL

21 February 2015 The US is constantly trying to promote the impression that there is indeed a broad and solid coalition determined to “degrade and defeat” ISIL. The reality is somewhat different. For the time being all we have is … Continue reading

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Western Response to Escalation in Ukraine

7 February 2015 A group of distinguished scholars and former practitioners from the Atlantic Council, the Brookings Institution, the Center for a New American Security, and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs have recently published a report (*) which outlines … Continue reading

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