Turkey's Self-Defense against Terror Is Justified
The Turkish state has every right to defend the welfare and security of its citizens within a democratic framework via a new security paradigm and tougher penalties for those who are proved to support terrorist actions in different ways
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Israel's Concerns about Normalization with Turkey
Keeping in mind that Turkey and Israel could launch mutually beneficial joint projects, including a pipeline to export natural gas to European markets, why is Netanyahu's government reluctant to shake hands with Turkey?
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The city of Kilis, its local communities, nongovernmental organizations and AFAD, which all provide for the needs of Syrian refugees in a very systemic way, deserve much more international recognition, than only a Nobel Peace Prize
The overdue EU attempt to find a solution to the Syrian civil war and its resulting crises, aided by Ankara, is an opportunity for European values to end the ambiguity of its stance
There is an urgent need to systematically advance the integration of the refugee community into formal employment as well as national education system so that the accumulation of potential social tensions might be prevented from the start
Why Did Erdoğan Criticize the Constitutional Court?
Erdoğan ignores the Constitutional Court's decision which disrupts Turkey's efforts to become a state of law
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The Illusion of Change In Iran
At the regional level, Iran will continue to aggressively pursue opportunities to increase its influence, at least until Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which are distressed by U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East policy, are no longer troubled U.S. allies.
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When the PYD abused its defined mission of fighting DAESH and tried to make one-sided territorial gains, Turkey reacted correctly, feeling that a new geostrategic design was being made along its southern borders.
It is well-known that the YPG is tactically used by the PKK as an integral part of its irregular warfare strategy both in terms of man power band military equipment in the fight against the Turkish Armed Forces in eastern Turkey.
Bullying Turkey through the proxy of regime forces and PYD militants won't make Ankara adopt an isolationist stance either. Integrating 3 million Sunni Arabs, after all, will only strengthen Turkey's ties with the Middle East.
Western actors especially should consider revising their positions on Syria and the refugee crisis before exerting pressure on Ankara, which has already taken in 2.7 million refugees and spent $9 billion for their care.
The policymakers in Ankara are required to accomplish a structural transformation program for socio-economic development, while fighting a low-intensity war in the southeast and overcoming the international repercussions of the crisis with Russia. Not an easy job for sure. But then, who said that politics was an easy job?
The HDP made significant progress in the political arena, but it must keep in mind that a toxic mix of violence and cross-national alliances will not secure legal status for their voters.
Although abounding in energy sources compared to other regions, the Middle East suffers from the increasing significance of the energy market in shaping the nations' foreign policy in the 21st century.
