Biden's view on Israel: Ideological blindness and strategic weakness

President Biden's opinion piece published in The Washington Post over the weekend reveals how disconnected he is from reality. Biden makes a peculiar analogy by suggesting that Putin and Hamas are "fighting to erase their 'democratic neighbors' from the map." This is, at the very least, a strange comparison. Biden claims that these actors hope to benefit from the chaos they create by undermining regional stability and integration. However, it's evident that Biden fails to accurately contextualize Russia's invasion of Ukraine or Israel's actions in Gaza.

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Biden's view on Israel Ideological blindness and strategic weakness
The US's leadership crisis

The US's leadership crisis

Navigating a tumultuous week in the U.S. presidential race, it's evident that leadership crises persist in both parties. Tuesday's elections in Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky revealed that despite Biden's waning popularity, Republicans face an uphill battle. The ongoing potency of the abortion issue for Democrats and the sustained resistance against Trumpian candidates were evident. Surveys highlighting Biden's perceived disadvantage in age and the challenge of presenting a vibrant alternative to Trump contribute to the complexity.

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The candidates competing to clinch the Republican Party's nominee for the 2024 presidential election faced the voters in the first debate of the primary season on Wednesday night. Former President Trump, who is significantly ahead in public opinion polls, did not participate in the debate, allowing the other candidates to vie for attention. Former Vice President Mike Pence and former UN Representative Nikki Haley delivered standout performances in the debate, where Trump's influence was felt on almost every issue. Although these two candidates had served in the Trump administration, they refrained from directly criticizing the former president, even though they garnered applause from the audience, many of whom had paid to attend.

The American presidential elections are famous for their long and extensive primary process, which takes about one and a half years to complete. During this period, candidates participate in televised debates to present themselves to the public, and after four to five months, different states select their candidates in the primaries. In the 2024 presidential campaign, the Republican Party will hold its first debate in August 2023, followed by debates in September and October. The primary process will begin in January 2024, with Iowa being the first state to hold primaries, and by the end of March, the candidate will likely be determined. The competition between the two parties' candidates will continue until the November 2024 elections, ultimately deciding the next president. Considering the current balance, it is highly likely that Trump and Biden will face each other again in the November 2024 elections.

The tradition of not filing lawsuits against former American Presidents, which was maintained until Trump, has now ended, opening the door for future Presidents.

Surveys show that Trump has left his mark on the Republican Party and transformed it.

DeSantis takes on Mickey Mouse: What's at stake?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, seen as one of Trump's most serious challengers, has been locked in a battle with Disney for over a year now. Disney, which has operated in Orlando with a special status since the 1960s, is like an autonomous republic. Its massive theme park contributes significantly to the state's economy by attracting tourists from all over the world. DeSantis is a conservative politician representing the right-wing of the Republican Party, and he has passed a law limiting the content of sex education in state schools in line with his views. When Disney criticized this law in public, it sparked DeSantis's fight against the corporation.

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DeSantis takes on Mickey Mouse What's at stake
3 Questions A first in US history Indictment of Donald

3 Questions: A first in US history | Indictment of Donald Trump, a former president

Facing charges, arrest, or imprisonment would not prevent Trump from running for president, as a clean record is not required

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What is the background and significance of the Turkish foreign minister’s visit to Washington? What are the differences and similarities between the two countries’ Ukraine policies? Will the U.S. sell F-16s to Türkiye? What is Türkiye’s position on Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership? What is Washington’s view on Türkiye’s engagement with the Syrian regime?

'The opposition has a democratic right to criticize the Turkish government’s refugee policy. That right, however, should be exercised without poisoning the country’s democratic culture'

Washington’s perspective on Ankara is no longer plagued by excessive tensions either. It would seem that the Afghanistan talks and Turkey’s efforts to normalize ties with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) made a positive impact on the atmosphere. Yet the state of idleness and deadlock, which Erdoğan mentioned, won’t change in the absence of fresh attempts to foster bilateral cooperation.

Turkey has been enjoying good relations with three Gulf states – Qatar, Oman and Kuwait – for decades. However, Turkey’s relations with the other three members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – worsened due to their conflicting perspectives toward the Arab insurgencies.

The 2021 NATO summit in Brussels saw a more positive atmosphere than the 2019 London summit. Many important issues were mentioned in the 79-item communique presented in Brussels. The coming days will show what concrete steps are taken from the long agenda that seems more like a wish list at the moment

Yemeni civilians suffer the most from the conflicts of interest between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The crisis, both political and military in nature, has affected the entire Middle East region for years

The Middle East continues to be one of the most dynamic regions of the world. On the one hand, it directly and indirectly influences not only the policies of regional countries but also those of the global powers.

Expectations need to be moderated despite the optimism

The famous quote thought to have been said by Leo Tolstoy states that 'all great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.'

Turkey and Egypt, which have been experiencing a tense relationship since the military coup against the democratically elected government of Mohammed Morsi in July 2013, have initiated a new diplomatic dialogue in response to changing regional and global dynamics.

It is time for everyone in the Middle East to make a new strategic assessment. Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced last Friday that Turkey had made 'diplomatic contact' with Egypt.

The Middle East is not a foreign policy priority for U.S. President Joe Biden – just as it wasn’t for his predecessors Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

The new U.S. administration has declared that it intends to follow a “de-Trumpization policy” in the Middle East.