Miscalculated steps in foreign policy have already changed the U.S.' image as one of the most 'concerned' world powers

The Syrian civil war has been a focal point for Turkish foreign policy makers since 2013. The conflict’s spillover effects, including a heightened threat of terrorism and a refugee crisis, have come to define Turkey’s relations with the United States, Russia, NATO and the European Union. Likewise, Turkey’s response to the crisis has lain at the crux of all accusations leveled against the country, from its alleged "axis shift" to Russia to its assumed revival of the neo-Ottoman spirit.

The modern world is dominated by nation-states, i.e. the Westphalian system. Although theoretically the concepts of nation and state overlap, in reality, they do not. The nation-state is a political institution that is not based on ethnicities, culture or religion. There are two main characteristics of nation-states: the most significant is territory, and the second is citizenship, as the only political link between the nation-state and the people of that territory. In principle, it covers every individual who lives in the country during the establishment process.

Sallust, a Roman historian and a contemporary of Julius Ceasar was popularized in writings on contemporary international relations after the end of the Cold War. Those who connect the works and writings by him to the evolving international order mostly used the concept of "metus hostilis," the fear of an enemy. Sallust in his writings stated that a lack of common enemy can be detrimental for the unity and integrity of the state. According to him, the destruction of Rome's rival Carthage brought significant domestic discord for Rome.

Political polemics are back and as splendid as ever. Turkey's opposition figures are fixated on a range of speculations about the pension system, a tank track plant, city hospitals, early elections and a senior Republican People's Party (CHP) member visiting the presidential palace.

While different factions within the main opposition continue to blame one another for once again emerging intra-party crisis, experts say point to a power struggle as the main cause of the problem in the Republican People's Party (CHP)

The 'lifestyle' row in Turkey seems without end. With children bowing to busts of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the republic's founder, on his death's anniversary, assaults against women with headscarves on the streets, a conservative Instagram influencer throwing a flamboyant party for her baby, and an opposition deputy quoting the late prime minister Bülent Ecevit's remarks about a female parliamentarian wearing the religious headscarf – the age-old debate on religious conservatives and politics is back in vogue.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump went exactly as expected. It was a very successful meeting in symbolic terms, allowing the two countries to reaffirm their commitment to working together, mend their strained relationship and keep negotiating. Turkish and U.S. officials found an opportunity to listen to each other at length.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in Washington, D.C. today for a highly anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. There are many issues on the two leaders' agenda, including Turkey's procurement of the Russian S-400 air defense system, Washington's relationship with the PKK terrorist organization's Syrian branch and the fight against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday announced his decision to visit Washington. He reached that decision following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who invited him.

The death of the Daesh leader is a significant development in the fight against the terror network. The literature on terror organizations argues that for terror groups utilizing religious discourse and religious framing for collective mobilization, the decapitation, death or imprisonment of leaders is a highly effective intervention.

Turkey's war against Daesh played a crucial role in the defeat of the notorious group and the killing of its leader

The United States has declared that it killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Daesh, after a successful military operation on Oct. 27. The death of Baghdadi will be a new turning point for the struggle against international terrorism and for Middle Eastern politics. The de-territorialization of Daesh was also a turning point, because with de-territorialization, Daesh had lost its claim on a caliphate and statehood. Therefore, in the near future, it has to restructure itself according to the new realities.

Turkey's legitimate campaign in Syria needs further steps to establish terror-free areas in the region

Turkey's deals in Syria have provided a great opportunity for a more secure region, but there is still a lot of work to do

In the last seven decades, since the beginning of the strategic relations between Turkey and the U.S., there have been different tensions and crises between the two countries. Observers and historians of Turkish-American relations have defined some of these crises as "turning points" and "critical junctures" that significantly affected the general trajectory of bilateral ties.

By demonizing the Turkish anti-terror operation in northern Syria, Western countries miscalculate regional balances, damage their interests