Turkey

Via TeleSur | – – Ankara is angered by Washington’s support for Kurdish fighters in Syria in the fight against [the so-called] Islamic State group [IS]. Turkey is offering to “join forces” with Washington for a special operation inside Syria on the condition that the United States does not include the latter’s closet ally against […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

In Fight against ISIL, does US have to Choose between Turkey & YPG Kurds?

contributors

By James Miller | ( RFE/ RL ) The fight against extremists from the Islamic State (IS) militant group is heating up on two fronts. Since May 23, a coalition consisting of the Iraqi army and primarily Shi'ite militias, backed by U.S. air strikes, has advanced towards Fallujah, 40 kilometers west of Baghdad. There are […]

Free Syrian Army

ISIL Advance Traps 165,000 Syrians at Closed Turkish Border

contributors

By Gerry Simpson | ( Human Rights Watch ) | – – There are two walls on the Turkey-Syria border. One is manned by Turkish border guards enforcing Turkey’s 15 month-old border closure who, according to witnesses, have at times shot at and assaulted Syrian asylum seekers as they try to reach safety in Turkey […]

Authoritarianism

New Turkish PM Firmly Behind Erdogan on Executive Presidency

contributors

TeleSur | – – Binali Yildirim was unanimously selected by members of Turkey’s ruling party to be the country’s next prime minister. Turkey’s incoming prime minister says his government’s top priority will be a new constitution to create an executive presidency, a move that would give President Tayyip Erdogan the broad powers he has long […]

Authoritarianism

What Next for Turkey After President’s Power Play?

contributors

By Efe Kerem Sozer | (GlobalVoices.org) | – – Ahmet Davutoglu was disliked by many in Turkey. [Even after] he step[pped] down as Turkey's Prime Minister amid an apparent confrontation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he will fail to distance himself from the grave human cost of the government military operation in Eastern Turkey and […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

Americans may see ISIL as No. 1 Threat, but Turkey & the Kurds have other Priorities

contributors

By Abbas Djavadi | ( RFE/RL | – – For a long time the Turkish government was accused of assisting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) group. These accusations were heard especially since the battle Syrian Kurds fought with ISIS over the town of Kobani on the Syrian-Turkish border almost a year ago. […]

Development

Surprise! Despite Syria-Iraq Turmoil, Major Mideast Economies growing 3-4%

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – When you only hear bad news from a place, you form a negative opinion of it. But when I went looking for news about the economies of the most populous Middle Eastern countries, I was surprised to find that the IMF and/or World Bank is seeing […]

Authoritarianism

Is Turkish PM’s forced exit a Harbinger of greater Authoritarianism?

contributors

By Winston Obertan | ( GlobalVoices.org ) | – – Turkey's Prime Minister of nearly two years Ahmet Davutoğlu has announced his intention to quit his post “for the unity of the party” amid evidence of a bubbling conflict with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Davutoglu was the second most important figure in the AKP […]

Authoritarianism

Turkey’s Erdogan ousts PM in Search of Imperial Presidency

contributors

TeleSur President Tayyip Erdogan’s drive to tighten his grip on power has caused an increasingly open rift with his prime minister, possibly leading to his exit. Turkey’s ruling party is set to replace Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at an extraordinary congress in the coming weeks, officials said on Wednesday, signaling the end of his term […]