Atilla's Musings

Iran, Turkey have own plans for Iraq’s strategic Sinjar

Source:al Monitor Date:18Nov2017

ISIS is now gone from Iraq and Syria,  but peace is a distant dream. Regional actors have a myriad of issues to settle.  This article discusses the role Sinjar in Iraq, currently a stronghold of

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A Turkish-Iranian businessman may now be cooperating with investigators looking into Michael Flynn

Source:CNBC Date:17Nov2017

WOW!!!.  As far as Turko-American relations go, the title  of this article could be the bomb shell of the century.  The article claims:   The release of a well-connected Turkish-Iranian

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Muslims, money and democracy in Turkey

Source:Hurriyet Daily News Date:12Nov2017

AKP managed to expand Turkey’s middle class, as well as bringing in the formerly “disenfranchised” Islamists ot its center. Yet, contrary to accepted wisdom, a prosperous  and

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S-400 Dispute Highlights Ongoing Difficulties in Turkey’s Rapprochement With Russia

Source:The Jamestown Foundation Date:07Nov2017

Many experts argue that Turkey is turning its face away from the west.  This is certainly the intention, but  alternatives prove hard to find.  An imagined Sunni Arab-Turkish  alliance  fractured

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Analysts: Turkey May Pay Heavy Price for Iraqi Kurdish Leader’s Resignation

Source:Voice of America Date:31Oct2017

Be careful what you wish for is the subtitle  of this VoA article, which also quote me. Barzani is gone, but it is too early for Ankara to uncork that celebratory  champaign.  His replacement

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Turkey’s Echo Chamber Trap

Source:Carnegie Europe Date:24Oct2017

A masterly and gloomy analysis of Erdogan’s policy dilemmas. The summary is that it will get worse for Turkey; unless the citizenry takes matters into its hands. Excellent summary of

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How will the Turkish-US visa crisis end?

Source:Daily SABAH Date:20Oct2017

White House officials expressed hope that the visa crisis with Turkey will be resolved soon, but this not   what the omnes say. First, I link an article by pro-AKP columnist Mr Burhanettin Duran,

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Turkey targets 30% hike in military spending next year

Source:al Monitor Date:19Oct2017

This article should be read with great interest by financial investors doing business in Turkey, who had so far paid no attention whatsoever  to the turmoil in Iraq and Syria.  In addition to the

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After visa crisis comes Reza Zarrab scandal

Source:Voice of America Date:14Oct2017

There  is hope, and believe me, no more than that, that the mutual visa ban between USA and Turkey will be lifted soon. With neither side budging from its position,  I don’t see how, but

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Turkey and the US face the end of a promising partnership

Source:Financial Times Date:13Oct2017

This op-ed by a former Assistant Secretary of State describes very accurately how the American establishment feels about Ankara. It is not 100% objective, because it ignores Ankara’s

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