Turkey

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday explained his rationale for asking Russian tourists to leave Turkey, and it is ominous. He anticipates that there may be further “incidents” between Turkey and Russia over Syria policy, and that Moscow may be constrained to “respond.” In that case, […]

Russia

Boycotts as Russia seethes against Turkey after Shootdown

contributors

By Tom Balmforth | ( RFE/RL) | – – MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin said there would be “serious consequences” after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane on November 24. True to the Russian president’s word, Moscow has issued a slew of retaliatory measures and proposals following the incident along the Syrian-Turkish border. The […]

al-Qaeda

Why did Turkey dare shoot down a Russian Plane? The Proxy War in Syria

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Turkish government decision to down a Russian jet operating in the north of the Syrian province of Latakia is breathtaking in its boldness. Russia may no longer be a superpower, but it is a nuclear-armed great power. The newly elected Justice and Development Party (AKP) […]

Russia

Putin, Furious, calls Turkey ‘accomplices of terrorists’ after Russian jet downing

contributors

EurActiv.com | – – Russian President Vladimir Putin called Turkey’s downing of a Russian fighter jet today (24 November) a stab in the back administered by “the accomplices of terrorists,” saying the incident would have serious consequences. Speaking in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday before a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah, […]

Authoritarianism

After the AKP Victory in Turkey: Elective Dictatorship?

contributors

T. Deniz Erkmen | (Informed Comment) | – – The results of November 1st snap elections in Turkey were a surprise; not just for the left or liberal opposition who were hoping for a decrease in AKP (governing center-right Justice and Development Party) vote share, not just for the pollsters almost all of whom failed […]

Democracy

Will Turkey’s winning Justice & Development Party seek Imperial Presidency?

contributors

By ERDAĞ GÖKNAR | (ISLAMiCommentary) | – – Erdağ Göknar The Nov. 1 parliamentary elections in Turkey resulted in an outcome that few commentators or polls had predicted: Another outright parliamentary majority for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling AK Party (AKP). In the almost five months since the AKP lost its parliamentary majority on June […]

Democracy

Turkey election: Erdoğan and the AKP get majority back amid climate of violence and fear

contributors

By Bahar Baser and Ahmet Erdi Öztürk | (The Conversation) | – – Turkey’s president, Recep Tayip Erdoğan, appears to have strengthened his grip on the country after the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won an outright majority in a snap election just five months after an inconclusive poll. It is a result that will […]

Democracy

Turkey: Can a pro-Feminist, pro-Kurdish Party get out the Women’s Vote?

contributors

By Mona Tajali | (OpenDemocracy) | – – The Turkish HDP’s egalitarian gender ideology played a key role in the election of a record number of women to parliament in June’s election. Can these gains be sustained in the political turmoil ahead? On June 7th Turkey held parliamentary elections which marked major turning points in […]

Featured

Syria: US Boots on Ground risks Conflict with Turkey, not Russia

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The White House’s announcement on Friday that the US will keep “less than 50” special ops troops at an HQ of the Kurdish YPG in northeast Syria for the purposes of training and strategic counseling raised concerns in some quarters that Russia might inadvertently bomb US […]