'Mission accomplished': US foreign policy in the Middle East
'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.
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Renewed Iran sanctions and the age of American-made turbulence
The U.S. announced Monday it will not renew special waivers that allowed eight countries, including Turkey, to import Iranian oil without violating renewed sanctions.
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The Trump administration continues to violate the basic principles of the international order established by the U.S. itself after World War II because the system no longer serves its interests. Rising global and regional powers, such as India, Indonesia and especially China, are the main beneficiaries of the continuation of the current system. The U.S. has been pursuing paradoxical policies, especially for the last decade.
Its geographic location as a bridge between East and West and its geopolitical significance made Turkey, particularly Istanbul, attractive for Bond movies. During the Cold War, as one of the most critical cities that absorbed the stress and tension of the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the U.S., the backdrop of Istanbul made the jobs of the producers of the popular culture films easier. This status of Istanbul continued following the end of the Cold War.
With no Daesh-held territories left and McGurk, Votel gone, time for the US to seriously reassess the role of CENTCOM and its policies
Earlier this week, senior Turkish officials visited the U.S. capital to prevent further deterioration of bilateral relations. Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan and Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalın shared Turkey's perspective with their counterparts.
S-400 a critical juncture in Turkey-US partnership
As tension between Turkey and the U.S. regarding the S-400 air defense systems grows, the expectation is that a creative solution to de-escalate the stress on bilateral ties and find mutually acceptable ways out of this turbulence will be sought.
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The S-400 factor in Turkey-US negotiations
Turkey's decision to purchase Russian S-400 air defense system has become a major sticking point with the U.S. While Turkey attaches great importance to procuring the air defense system, U.S. policymakers, who consider Turkey's decision a complete deviation from its traditional alliance system, have begun to threaten the country.
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While many focus nowadays on the S-400/F-35 tensions taking place in Turkish-American relations, another issue, namely Syria, is being discussed at the highest levels among officials from the two countries. For the last eight years, the divergence of policies in regards to the crisis in Syria has become one of the most significant irritants in bilateral relations.
Turkish-American relations are strained again ahead of the delivery of S-400 air defense systems from Russia. In their Moscow meeting at the beginning of the week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the plan to deliver the first set of S-400 air defense systems to Turkey in early July.
The Middle East has been experiencing turmoil since the Arab Spring uprisings and revolutions. A process of counterrevolution started with the military coup in Egypt in 2013. Much of the regional mayhem stems from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi-led efforts to reverse the democratization process initiated with the Arab uprisings and discourage any popular demands.
As the last remaining Daesh territory is on the verge of elimination, a worrying number of Daesh militants, mostly women and their children, have surrendered themselves to the People's Protection Units (YPG).
Which natural resources did the YPG seize control of after its engagement with the U.S.? What is the extent of YPG-controlled natural resources and what is the YPG’s energy trade capacity? How important are these resources?
When the French and the British carved up the Middle East, the Golan Heights was part of the French mandate. It was not part of the Palestinian territories, where the Israelis claimed their authority. And after the mandate was abolished for the current nation-states, the Golan Heights was naturally left for Syria.
In the last few years, it has become commonplace to question the future of the alliance between Turkey and the U.S. Some pundits emphasized the various disagreements between the two countries to indicate that the alliance has weakened and does not have the same strategic weight it used to have in previous decades.
Turkish and American officials are actively working to coordinate the status of eastern Syria after the withdrawal of American troops. President Donald Trump previously announced the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.
The most recent regional crisis erupted in South Asia after the Indian Air Force crossed into Pakistani air space in order to hit Kashmiri armed groups. The story of the crisis goes back to the end of British colonialism in the subcontinent.
The United States is revising its decision to exit Syria. Washington initially hoped to complete the withdrawal by April or, at the latest, the summer months. Yet the White House announced last week that 200 U.S. troops would remain on the ground for an unspecified amount of time to promote peace.
On the condition that both sides engage in sincere negotiations, Ankara-Washington relations can easily get back on track again in a very short period of time
The U.S. withdrawal from Syria is turning into a major debacle. Washington's superpower status enables it to exploit the disequilibrium in military might to invade other nations..
U.S. President Donald Trump is eager to declare victory against Daesh, yet his military commanders express concerns that the terrorist defeat might be short-lived.
