The F-35 decision and its aftermath

The Pentagon removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier comments about Ankara being treated unfairly over its move to purchase the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. That Congress favored Turkey's removal was no secret either. It remains to be seen whether the United States will levy sanctions on Turkey under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

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The F-35 decision and its aftermath
The Bahrain conference and the 'Deal of the Century'

The Bahrain conference and the 'Deal of the Century'

The United States is holding an international conference – in reality an economic workshop – in Bahrain on June 25-26 to launch the Middle East peace plan by encouraging investment and economic promises in the Palestinian territory.

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A few weeks ago, this column detailed how, in the last two decades, U.S. administrations have periodically made war plans and debated conflict scenarios. Both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations did it, and now the Donald Trump administration has come to a similar point of deliberating a military response against Iran.

Pentagon officials continue to maintain the same dysfunctional and hostile policies against Turkey. They are now using Turkey's purchase of the S-400 air defense systems from Russia as a pretext to pressure and threaten Turkey. The Pentagon's recently resigned chief Patrick Shanahan had warned his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar about economic sanctions and the abandonment of military cooperation between the two NATO allies.

The Saudi-UAE alliance's risky ventures, which designate Iran as an archrival and Turkey as an adversary, makes them vulnerable to demands from the U.S.-Israel axis and undermine their international credibility

Turkey has a very busy agenda ahead of itself for the month of June..

Good cop, bad cop policy in Gulf

Tensions between the United States and Iran swing like a pendulum between confrontation and negotiation.

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Good cop bad cop policy in Gulf
Moscow follows wait and see policy on US-Iran tensions

Moscow follows wait and see policy on US-Iran tensions

The growing tension between the U.S. and Iran is in the spotlight in our region. Washington is approaching Iran with a policy of "maximum pressure." They have not only strengthened the sanctions but also sent an aircraft carrier to the Gulf.

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Idlib province is the only region under the control of the Syrian opposition. More than 3 million people, most of whom migrated from other parts of the country, live there. The tension has increased following the Bashar Assad regime's ground forces' operations in the region over the last several weeks.

It is now almost a ritual of U.S. administrations to escalate tension with Iran. At least in the last three administrations we have seen similar forms of escalations between the two countries. During the Bush administration, Iran became part of the axis of evil and there were speculations and rumors that if things do not go so terribly in Iraq the next target will be Iran.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated dangerously over the past week. Although both sides deny that war is imminent, a violent confrontation grows more likely with every passing day.

President Donald Trump's administration is increasing its pressure on Iran...

The U.S. is concentrating too much on the Middle East, which may cost it dearly; it has already issues such as the trade war with China, the Venezuelan crisis and Russia's increasing global effectiveness to handle

The Donald Trump administration continues to use American power crudely every day. Washington not only continues to dismantle the post-World War II liberal order, an American creation, but has also imposed its unilateral national interest on the international arena and its actors.

The Trump administration is using sanctions, mostly economic sanctions, more aggressively compared to earlier administrations. Last summer, Washington imposed national security sanctions on Turkish steel and aluminum due to the detention of pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey.

Debates and discussions regarding Iran have spanned years in Washington. From the "axis of evil" to "Sunni-Shiite equilibrium" and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to the "maximum pressure" campaign, there have been a variety of different positions and policies offered by the last three administrations in the White House.

Leadership requires managing multiple interacting layers at the same time. It also entails meeting conflicting needs and demands simultaneously without allowing them to collide with each other. Precise, effective timing and ordering is a sine qua non. It is crucial to keep the balance of what needs to be done. In reviewing, you should not lose control or reproduce disputes. This can be achieved not by succumbing to the clichés, but breaking them.

Turkey, US 'can find creative solutions' on Iran oil sanctions, says Hudson Institute senior fellow

In a quest to assure stability in the region, Turkey has to find new, more active, regional partners and maintain its opposition against the unilateral policies of foreign players

'Mission accomplished' is such a catchy phrase that every executive in every field will be happy to use it to mark their achievement. It represents the successful execution and completion of a task: A solemn and proud pronouncement of victory and triumph.

There are few democracies around the world with a domestic political debate as lively as the national conversation in Turkey...