Atilla's Musings
Election setback evokes intra-party challenge to Erdogan
Source:Reuters Date:22Apr2019
Rumors of disgruntled former AKP heavyweights getting ready to stage a rebellion against Erdogan have been circulating for long, only to be dismissed by pro-AKP and opposition media. They are
Squaring the triangle: Why Turkey and the EastMed project need each other
Source:War on the Rocks Date:20Apr2019
EastMed, if and when completed, will transport up to 352 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually along a 1,250-mile pipeline through overland and underwater pipelines across Cyprus and Greece
Turkey remains 157th out of 180 countries in world press freedom index
Source:Stockholm Center for Freedom Date:19Apr2019
You can’t have economic development without democracy. You can’t have democracy without a free press and freedom expression. Ergo, you can’t have economic recovery in Turkey!
Turkey’s Islamist meddling in Libya conflict
Source:Ahval News Date:16Apr2019
A rare article explaining Turkey’s position in the escalating Libyan civil war With the civil war in Libya heating up once again, Turkey’s role there may become significantly more
Russia Might Regret the U.S. Drawdown in Syria
Source:Lawfare Date:15Apr2019
The Syrian Conflict from the Russian point of view. Also has important lessons for Turkey. An alliance with Russia instead of NATO-US would bring few benefits: Though the announced drawdown of
Radical Love Book’ hailed as key to Turkish opposition election success
Source:Middle East Eye Date:13Apr2019
Probably the first pro-CHP article in any English language press outlet! Faced with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s polarising invectives labelling them as terrorists, the CHP tried a
U.S. Lawmakers Talk Turkey to Ankara
Source:Foreign Policy Date:12Apr2019
The title not withstanding, this article is not about US-Turkey relations, but the East-Med energy chess game. Worth a read, because it dispells silly ideas like an NG pipeline to Italy or
The Alevis Dilemma
Source:Lima Charlie News Date:08Apr2019
Turkey observers usually pinpoint the ethnic tensions between Turks and Kurds, but few pay attention to an even deeper secterian divide. Alevites vs the Sunni majority. This analysis by a
Rumors about the “death” of Russian-Turkish alliance in Syria greatly exaggerated
Source:Modern Diplomacy Date:06Apr2019
A well-balanced and thoughtfull article on Tukey’s options in Syria. Neither Russia nor US is willing to grant Ankara it main priorities of safe return of Syrian refugees and eradication
Post-revolutionary Iran and Turkey at 40: Pragmatism and convergence
Source:Brookings Instituse Date:05Apr2019
For those who wish to understand how Turkey and Iran can compete in Syria, but cooperate in economics. In due course, Turkey learned to co-exist with Iran’s new regime and during the