Tension has been escalating in Yemen since U.S. forces withdrew from the region. Now, as Iran extends its support to Shiite militants and the Saudi-led coalition conducts airstrikes on strategic positions, the situation is getting out of control in the country.

In response to the most recent developments, foreign fighters became a top priority for the intelligence community in Turkey and other European countries.

If anyone actually thought that the Arab revolts, the most recent wave of change in the Middle East, would allow Iran and Israel to put pressure on the region, though, time has proved them wrong.

Anti-democratic, authoritarian pro-Western regimes hindered political participation and representation to create a hospitable environment for radical organizations.

The discourse of "new Turkey" has repeatedly appeared during historical turning points of the Turkish Republic. It is used for the sake of different interests by local and foreign circles.

The West still does not trust the political actors holding Islamic traditions in the Middle East, and it does not know how to interact with them effectively.

The “Assad-Sisi axis” has become one of the paradigms explaining very well the global crisis that we have gone through as far as its actors and global repercussions are concerned.

The activism of late observed in Turkish foreign policy demonstrates a clear preference for a regional approach to international relations. It has been almost a mantra for Turkey’s new foreign policy elite to promote regional actors’ ownership of economic and security affairs in their own neighborhood. Various such initiatives that Turkey has been spearheading recently in its adjacent regions, including the Middle East, Caucasus, Balkans and beyond, underscore Turkey’s emergence as a regional power willing and able to assume leadership roles in those regions. Turkey has been pursuing customs and visa liberalization with many of its neighbors, while initiating strategic cooperation councils with others. Similar to Turkey’s initiation of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in the 1990s, Turkey has also launched a Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform. Complementing these efforts are various other bilateral or trilateral processes under its patronage, such as the ones between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, or between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

After 10 years of service as head of the Labour Party and the prime minister of Great Britain, Tony Blair left office yesterday. He leaves behind a mixed legacy. His unyielding support for Turkey’s EU membership has been crucial for improving relations between Turkey and the UK. But Mr. Blair has also been a staunch ally of the Bush doctrine. How will history remember him?

SETA PANEL DISCUSSION Chair:       Bulent Aras, Bulent ARAS, SETA, Coordinator, Foreign Policy Studies Panelists:        Robert Malley, International Crisis Group, Middle East and North Africa Program Director     Joost Hiltermann, International Crisis Group, Deputy Program Director, Middle East and North Africa     Peter Harling, International Crisis Group, Project Director (Iraq, Lebanon and Syria) Date: March 12, 2010 Friday Time: 13.00 – 14.15 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara

Turkey might play a role in reintegrating the Iranian state into the international system. Turkey’s initiatives may have a moderating influence on the Iranian state and would, in any case, be a better policy route to choose rather than a direct confrontation.Turkey might play a role in reintegrating the Iranian state into the international system. Turkey’s initiatives may have a moderating influence on the Iranian state and would, in any case, be a better policy route to choose rather than a direct confrontation. It is a good sign for Iran and Turkey that the volume of trade between the two countries increased from $1.3 billion in 2002 to $10 billion in 2008. Iran is also be seen as a natural gateway by the Turkish state in order to reach into the markets of Central Asia and Pakistan. These kinds of Turkish political and economic initiatives will not only serve the interests of the Turkish and Iranian states but also have the potential to replace the aggressive military rhetoric of Western countries in dealing with Iran if the ultimate aim is to re-include Iran into the world economy and moderate its behavior. In addition, a more peaceful future for Iraq depends on reintegrating Iran with the rest of the world. Hence, the wiser course of action for western countries is to follow the Turkish example of engagement with Iran using diplomacy rather than issuing military and economic threats

President Obama's trip to Turkey April 6-7 is undoubtedly significant. The visit follows Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip abroad last month, which included two separate bilateral stops, Israel and Turkey.

SETA CONFERENCE By  Robin Wright  The Washington Post Date: November 26, 2008 Wednesday Time: 16.00 – 17.30 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara

2007 was no ordinary year for Turkey. Turkish democracy went through major trials. Turkish society became more confident in the exercise of its democratic rights. The Turkish economy continued to grow. Turkey became more active in regional politics. Stability and prosperity shifted the focus from narrow ideological debates to a larger vision for Turkey in the 21st century. But are any of these a guarantee for more progress in Turkey? To put it more bluntly, are the events of 2007 a temporary change of climate, or do they point to a deep-seated change in Turkish politics and society?

SETA CONFERENCE By  Kim Beng Phar  Visiting Scholar, Waseda University, Organization of Asian Studies / SETA Research Fellow Date: November 15, 2007 Thursday Time: 15.00 - 16.30 Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara   The Impact and Implication of East Asia as a Global Political Actor: The Risk/Perils of Indifference In, and by Turkey

The Bush administration’s troubles in the Middle East and at home show no sign of diminishing. More and more Americans are coming forward to call the US policy in Iraq a total disaster. Their remedy is immediate withdrawal from Iraq. But there is more to US troubles than the mismanagement of an unjustified war. After much fanfare, the Bush administration’s “new  strategy on Iraq” turned out to be similar to shooting in the dark hoping that some shots will hit their target. Sending more troops to Iraq without pressuring the Maliki government to stop sectarian violence was received with more suspicion than ever.

There is a growing Muslim population in the very heart of Europe, where states are largely secular. Secularized European social life, political culture and the public sphere are all facing an enormous challenge of accommodating a relatively religious Muslim citizens coming from different Muslim countries. Despite settling in Europe and getting socialized here, many Muslims attach great importance to their sacred and religious values, trying to express their demands and identities in the public sphere.