FETÖ is a new generation terrorist group with giant parallel organizations, strict believers, subcontracting in intelligence operations and acceptance of all kinds of efforts, regardless of how malicious they are, to achieve its goals.

In the midst of the Saudi-Iranian polarization, that is promoted by many to stir up new troubles in the Middle East, Turkey seeks to pursue a balancing policy

U.S. and Western Europe are joined at the top of the global pyramid by aspiring emerging powers led by China and India seeking to redefine existing power balances and institutional settings.

Everyone seems to agree that Turkey-U.S. relations are going through a rough patch. Throughout history, there had been ups and downs in bilateral relations. However, the problems between Ankara and Washington at a time of global uncertainty and deepening regional conflicts are indicative of a different kind of structural crisis.

We need to see that a big, malevolent game is being played. Of course, regional countries' faulty strategies, steps to save the day and especially elites' efforts to gain ground in domestic politics catalyze foreign powers' manipulations and interventions. However, it is indisputable that the region is currently facing a new policy of disintegration plotted by foreign powers.

In retrospect, this neo-medieval order did not emerge by happenstance or as a result of sporadic developments, but as a result of a deliberate, flexible and long-term regional transformation strategy conducted by the U.S. and its interlocutors.

The crown prince's grip on power, which has received the blessing of the United States, Israel and the Gulf, has been accompanied by powerful rhetoric of reform, a new vision, development and fighting corruption.

The 2019 elections are too critical to be "left" to Turkey's domestic politics alone. We cannot expect European capitals, which blatantly developed an attitude against the April 16 referendum, and the Gulf States, which acted implicitly, to remain silent in these elections.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is considering either incorporating the KRG peshmerga into the Iraqi military or keeping it as a minor local force. It is very obvious to what extent this recession troubles the KRG, which has tried to realize self-governance since 1991. It is safe to say that the situation has traumatized the collective memory of Kurdish nationalists.

In particular, the successive U.S. administrations made it clear that their quest to promote "moderate Islam" was ingenuine at four points:

Despite the push to present Meral Akşener, the chairwoman of the newly established İYİ Party, as an alternative candidate against President Erdoğan in the run up to the 2019 presidential elections, Professor Duran thinks this will not translate into results, as a true candidate for the opposition parties is yet to be identified

Decision by the U.S. administration and Congress will have a variety of ramifications for politics in the Middle East and U.S. relations with its partners in the nuclear deal. Remember that actions of the U.S. administration will be judged with U.S. actions and inactions that have taken place in recent years in the Middle East.

The reappearance of discourse on ‘moderate Islam', possibly with on the U.S. administration's request, cannot be a solution in the fight against extremism

The U.S. identified a new priority: The containment of Iran. Having secured the support of Israel and several Gulf countries, the U.S. president recently unveiled a new, strongly-worded Iran strategy. And he refused to certify the Iran nuclear deal to compel Congress to take action.

Trump's new strategy on Iran and the nuclear deal is likely to also have a huge impact on U.S. allies in the region

The Trump administration, which is still completing its first year, has so far not produced any result other than consolidating Moscow in the Middle East.