Atilla's Musings

Islamist Parties in Turkey: A Perpetual Matryoshka

Source:Middle East Forum Date:20Mar2020

Notwithstanding the awkward title, this analysis by Turkey expert Mr Burak Bekdil draws excellent conclusions about Turkey’s right-left divide and the prospects for a regime change:  

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North Cyprus presidential candidate calls for permanent partition

Source:Financial Times Date:11Mar2020

An idea I support fullheartedly:  Permanent partition in Cyprus   Ersin Tatar, the north Cypriot prime minister, said years of peace talks to end one of Europe’s most intractable conflicts

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Time is up in Idlib: Turkey launches operation spring shield

Source:EDAM Date:03Mar2020

This assessment by prestigious think-tank EDAM provides good insight into Turkish military strategy in Idlib.   Turkey’s counter-offensive has two dimensions. First, it is a punitive

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Turkey’s Nationalist Course

Source:Rand Corporation Date:19Feb2020

This is the RAND Corporation report that stoked coup rumors in  Turkey     Turkey remains a polarized country Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, democratic and civil rights in Turkey

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Idlib front, Iran’s weakening foreign operation capacity: analysis

Source:Yeni Safak English Date:15Feb2020

This analysis appeared in pro-AKP Yeni Safak, and is one of many critising Russia and Iran vis-a-vis their Syria policy.  The tide is changing   Following the Arab spring, the historical

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A Piece of a Greater Puzzle: The Libyan Civil War, External Influences and Regional Trends

Source:Jamestown Foundation Date:09Feb2020

Very good analytics explaining the power struggles outside Libya spilling over to its ugly civil war. Since Turkey is now a party to the war, a good primer for those who wish to catch up.  

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Turkey: Erdogan Seeks To Achieve Dream Of The Empire’s Rebirth

Source:Eurasia Review Date:06Feb2020

A surprisingly positive view of Turkey expanding military and diplomatic engagements in North Africa and Middle East.     Furthermore, in spite of the recent agreement reached in Berlin

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How Far Can Turkey Challenge NATO and the EU in 2020?

Source:Carnegie Europe Date:31Jan2020

Marc Pierini gives a tour-de-force of the new face of Turkish diplomacy and the challenges it presents to NATO and EU.  Yet, he is wrong on one point. Erdogan’s agressive diplomatic posture

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Battle for Idlib: Syrian government assault leaves Turkey facing tough choices

Source:Middle East Eye Date:28Jan2020

The advance means that two of the 13 Turkish observation posts established in that buffer zone are now encircled by Syrian government forces, including the one in Sarman since August. Advancing

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The Muslim World’s Question: ‘What Happened to Us?’

Source:The Atlantic Date:26Jan2020

An emotional quest why the Moslem Wordl became more intolerant and dogmatic starting in 1980s.   What happened to us? So many people of my generation and younger in the region are still

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