The United States must take a step back in Syria
Ankara has declared a counterterror offensive against the YPG, signaling that it is time for U.S. forces to step back from northern Syria in order to avoid a possible confrontation with the Turkish military
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Checks and balances in world politics
The world powers are stuck in domestic and foreign crises, struggling to deal with rising problems and damaging the balance in world politics
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Washington's policy of supporting the PYD and YPG in Syria aims to push regional states into more clashes, which will only benefit Israeli interests at the end of the day
It is still unclear which superpower – Russia or the U.S. – has better ties with Turkey at the moment, as Ankara is open to working with anyone who respects its national security concerns
The future of the YPG is the top priority for Ankara since the beginning; therefore, unless the U.S. stops challenging Turkey on this matter, their bilateral relations can never get back on track
The Middle East is at risk in confronting a major systematic change as regional countries cannot remain safe amid domestic and external conflicts
The common fate of Turkey and Britain
Yet, the pain that accompanied Britain's decision to leave the EU two years ago hasn't ended just yet. The nature of the agreement fueled a new public debate in Britain, where former Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the mildest critics of the Brexit deal, called it "pointless."
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Perspective | The U.S. Rewards Offer for Three Top Leaders of the PKK: A Well-Thought-Out Plan?
What are the backstage strategic calculations of the U.S. rewards offer? What are the expected initial reactions of the relevant actors? What are the pragmatic implications of the rewards offer in terms of the interests of the relevant actors?
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What does the Sochi Agreement Mean for Idlib? What are the Implications of This Agreement? What are the Challenges Facing the Sochi Agreement?
The Erdoğan-Bahçeli meeting on Thursday reconfirmed that the two political blocs, namely the People's Alliance of the AK Party and MHP and the opposition's Nation Alliance, formed for the June 24 presidential elections, will remain in place for the next local elections
Both the Turkish and American sides need to handle their disagreements in the Syrian crisis; otherwise, their traditional partnership may never return to normal
Ankara is perturbed by the U.S. plan to set up observation points in northern Syria controlled by the PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) due to concerns that it may lead to legitimizing the group's presence in the area.
The U.S.' misguided actions and the EU's passive stance toward the Middle East and the Syrian civil war have laid the groundwork for the Turkish-Russian rapprochement
The CHP leader has launched his party's campaign for upcoming local elections, seeking to form a strong alliance, but tough days are waiting for him as his rivals, the AK Party and the MHP, are still strong enough to defeat his party
The same day the congressional elections took place in the U.S., the State Department announced that it would offer rewards for information leading to the arrest of three major PKK figures, namely Murat Karayılan, Cemil Bayık and Duran Kalkan.
President Erdoğan has called on Western powers to stop trying to negotiate new Sykes-Picot style agreements in the Middle East and North Africa, and urges them to support Turkey's fight against terrorism
The traces of the World War I can still be observed in the Middle East, which is caught between global powers pursuing their interests and local actors struggling with conflicts and civil wars
For the time being, Washington and Ankara find themselves in a favorable position to hold talks and the two must now take constructive, concrete steps regarding potential flashpoints in the region
Ankara will never allow the YPG, or whatever the Americans intend to call it in the future, to represent Syrian Kurds at the negotiating table
President Erdoğan's visit to Paris for Armistice Day commemorations is expected to see a meeting with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, during which key issues, particularly FETÖ and the YPG, will be discussed
The U.S. has decided to put a bounty on the heads of top three PKK terrorists. The step has been seen in Ankara as a belated move and insufficient to restore trust in ties, as Washington continues to back the YPG – the PKK's Syrian offshoot
