Turkey

Euronews | — “The Turkish President has triggered fresh controversy, declaring in a speech that women are not equal to men. Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticised the feminist movement, claiming they do not accept or understand the concept of motherhood. He spoke at a global justice and women’s summit in Istanbul. An English translation of […]

Christianity

Pope Francis’s Visit to Turkey Embroiled in Partisan Controversies

contributors

By Ali Murat Yel The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis will visit Turkey on 3-day official visit from November 28 to 30. However, the publication of Turkey’s official invitation letter in Milli Gazete, a Turkish daily, has caused an enormous stir in the country. As a result, Pope Francis’s visit has stirred controversy among […]

History

Turkish President Alleges Muslims ‘discovered’ America before Columbus

contributors

Ruptly TV | — [ What follows is some crackpot theory completely divorced from reality… for another attempt at mystifying the Ottomans in the New World see this earlier blog post about the map of Piri Reis– Juan] RUPTLY TV TRANSCRIPT: “Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (Turkish): ”Two Ottoman ships left Istanbul port to Basra […]

al Qaeda in the Arabian Penisula

Can Iraqi Christianity survive Exile at hands of ISIL?

contributors

Euronews: “The yard of Mar Eliya Church in the city of Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan has been converted into a camp for Christians, more than 200 families who escaped the extremist Islamic State movement (ISIL). Christians in ever-greater number have been fleeing the northern city of Mosul, the second-largest in Iraq. Some say the country’s […]

Colonialism

Centenary of the Ottoman Empire’s Entry into World War I

contributors

100 years ago, the Ottoman Empire bombarded two Russian ports, entering the war on the side of Germany and Austria. Below is rare footage of Ottoman forces operating during the war. The Ottomans lost, and victorious France and Britain carved up the Middle East into countries like Syria and Iraq, which have now fallen apart. […]

Featured

Turkey allows Kurdish Peshmerga to Cross to Kobane

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole The Turkish press is reporting that Turkish intelligence is facilitating the crossing of a couple hundred paramilitary troops (Peshmerga) from Iraqi Kurdistan to the Turkish town of Suruç, 16 km from the Syrian border. They intend to help relieve the besieged Kurdish-Syrian town of Kobane, which is being attacked by ISIL. The […]

Iraq

Iraq: Are Senior ISIL Commanders already Defecting in Mosul & Tikrit?

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | via Niqash.org Senior members of the Sunni Muslim extremist group, the Islamic State, have disappeared from Mosul and Tikrit. Sources suggest they defected for a number of reasons: they fear the end is nigh for their group, the threat posed by unhappy former allies who have already assassinated some […]

Featured

The end of National Sovereignty in the Middle East? Iraqi Kurdistan sends troops into Syria

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole: Al-Manar reports that the legislature of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (a super-province of Iraq) has voted to send Kurdistan forces to the Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane to help it fight off a concerted attack by ISIL. The vote opens the way for Iraqi Kurdistan to intervene in the Syrian civil […]

Featured

Defying Turkey, US airdrops arms to Kobane Kurds

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole In a step that over-ruled America’s Turkish NATO ally, US jets dropped food, first aid and weaponry into the besieged Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane on Monday morning. Turkey’s president Tayyip Erdogan, in remarks made on Sunday, rejected the idea of arming the Syrian Kurdish fighters, equating them with terrorists. Al-Khaleej [The […]