Houthi Attacks and Saudi Arabia’s Security Dilemma
Bringing maritime traffic in the Red Sea under Houthi control was intended to exert pressure not only on Saudi Arabia but also on global actors.
Middle East
To Hit or Not to Hit Assad, Is That the Matter?
April 2018 strikes gave the message to Assad that the volume of strikes will increase if he uses chemical attacks…
Without a Coherent Strategy, US Strikes Mean More Damage for Syria
If Trump chooses the “minimum strike” option by targeting more than one place including aircraft bases, ammunition stores and command…
Assad Knows Chemical Attacks Will Not End His Regime
The international community has reassured Assad that he may be punished for it but using chemical weapons will not spell…
What does US Withdrawal from Syria Mean for Turkey?
The recent announcement of President Trump to withdraw American troops from Syria has not only further complicated the situation for…
Ankara Summit: Discussing Divergent Scenarios in Syria
Among such diverging priorities, Turkey, Iran and Russia will need to give each other benefit of the doubt rather than…
Turco-Qatari Military Buildup and its Regional Impact
The Turco-Qatari military cooperation holds a great potential in countering the Saudi-Iranian rivalry in the Middle East and thus the…
The PKK and its Complicated Future
The propaganda machine for the PKK has also lost its functionality after Turkey’s Afrin operation. This will certainly affect the…
Turkey in the Aftermath of the Afrin Operation
Turkey’s “allies” that arm, train, and protect the PKK may keep the group safe in some zones for some time,…
Strategic Exit in Afrin, but Whose Strategy?
Turkey’s encirclement strategy in Afrin, which is known for not letting easy retreat, left an exit door – or a…
How will Turkey carry out its Military Campaign beyond Afrin?
One way or another, it is clear that Turkey’s military-political victory will provide more opportunities for strategic manoeuvres in Ankara’s…
Presidential Elections in Egypt and the Future of the Authoritarian Regime
The presidential elections in Egypt in March 2018 is a new step toward consolidating the oppressive regime, which was established…
The PYD’s Forced Migration Policy in Syria
Not only Arabs but also Turkmens, Kurds and Assyrians have suffered from the PYD’s forced migration policy in Syria. The…
Who will land on both feet after the Afrin Operation?
Since Turkey implemented “boots on the ground” strategy in northern Syria, the Syrian crisis has become more complicated. Only those…
What are Israel’s Red Lines in Syria?
Israel will continue its precision airstrikes in Syria and increase its focus on the Israel-Syria border as well as its…
What does Qatari support for Turkey’s Afrin Operation mean?
Gulf countries seem to have no strategy for dealing with Iran, and they are short-sighted in not supporting Turkey, even…
Some Myths about the YPG
Abandoning the myths about the YPG would serve the US interests. Then comes the hard task of crafting a realistic…
Iran and the YPG: Friends or Foes?
During Operation Olive Branch, the YPG has used, visually confirmed, Iranian weapons. Among them are Iran-produced 107mm rockets, which were…
US Support to YPG: Violation of US National Law
The support the U.S. administration provides to the offshoots of the PKK constitutes serious contradictions and casts doubts on the…
