Review of Erdoğan’s Long Arm in the US: Turkish Influence Operations among American Muslims | Middle East Quarterly

December 12, 2021 / By

Hacked emails tell the story of how Erdoğan’s Turkish proxies first pitched the idea of infiltrating “Capitol Hill and the U.S. security establishment through front organizations and lobbyists under the guise of journalism.” Yayla, director of the Center for Homeland Security at DeSales University, discusses Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s two-pronged strategy for manipulating U.S. …

Review of Erdoğan’s Long Arm in the US: Turkish Influence Operations among American Muslims | Middle East Quarterly Read More »

Why Mediterranean tensions may not benefit Erdogan at home – Al Monitor

October 21, 2021 / By

Is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan using tensions in the Mediterranean to boost his domestic approval and win the yet-unannounced-but-constantly-rumored snap elections? Many of his opponents think so. In his “A Look at the Week” show with Rusen Cakir on the independent news platform Medyascope on Aug. 28, the journalist Kemal Can underlined an interesting …

Why Mediterranean tensions may not benefit Erdogan at home – Al Monitor Read More »

The Conquest Verse and downward spiral in Turkey-Greece ties – Duvar

October 21, 2021 / By

Relations between Turkey and the European Union may indeed be back on track, but which track is that exactly? Just when I had given credit to EU-Turkey rapprochement, despite my usually pessimistic self, the usual flare-ups with Greece started up again. Can there be an EU-Turkey rapprochement despite Ankara’s “troubles” with Athens? As Turkey declares …

The Conquest Verse and downward spiral in Turkey-Greece ties – Duvar Read More »

Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkey’s pugnacious president – BBC News

October 21, 2021 / By

From humble beginnings Recep Tayyip Erdogan has grown into a political giant, reshaping Turkey more than any leader since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the revered father of the modern republic. But in the past year the economy has deteriorated, with inflation rising to some 20%, a weaker Turkish lira and unemployment reaching about 15%. Mr Erdogan’s …

Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkey’s pugnacious president – BBC News Read More »

Turkey’s referendum – Turkey is sliding into dictatorship – The Economist

June 18, 2022 / By

Hence the outside world should not give up on Turkey, but be patient. Partly, this is self-interest. As a NATO member and a regional power, Turkey is too important to cut adrift. It will play a vital part in any peace in Syria. Driving it into Russia’s arms makes no sense. Turkey has also been a conduit for refugees into the EU as well as vital in controlling their inflow. The refugee situation is in flux: the EU will need to keep talking to Turkey about how to cope with the resulting instability.

Engagement is also in Turkey’s interests. The EU is its biggest trading partner. Contact with it bolsters the Western-leaning Turks who are likely to be Mr Erdogan’s most potent opposition. NATO membership can moderate the next generation of officers in its armed forces. Although Turkey will not join the EU for many years, if ever, a looser EU, with several classes of member or associate country, might one day find room for it.

Aleppo’s businessmen blame Turks for damaged factories, looted equipment – Al Monitor

June 18, 2022 / By

Ulabi said, “Some 6.3 million people lived in Aleppo and in its rural fringes. It is one of the oldest settlements in the world, famous for its historic bazaars and mosques. Emewiye Mosque is 900 years old. Aleppo is going through extremely tough times because of the terror by armed groups supported by the West, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Before the crisis, Aleppo had very close geographical and blood ties with neighboring Turkey.

Turkey’s [Justice and Development Party] government provided all kinds of support to terrorists who came from all corners of the world to fight against the Syrian people. They stole most of the industrial plants of Aleppo and carried them off to Turkey. Everybody saw that looting and how they were carried to Turkey. We respect Aleppo’s traditionally close relations with the Turkish people. But we oppose the policies of the Erdogan government. Many times they said they were sending food and medicine to Syria, but they shipped in weapons concealed under medicine crates.

If Turkey really wants to fight terror, as it claims, then it has to end this endless support from its borders. If neighboring states stop their logistical and arms support, our people are strong enough to take care of these terrorists. Syria was developing economically and was a safe country before they sent their terrorists.”