What the Turkish Coup Means for Iran

by Shireen Hunter Iran was among the very first governments to express its support for the democratically elected government of Turkey during the recent failed coup d’état. High Iranian officials such as the president, foreign minister, and the speaker of… Continue Reading

Coup Attempt Ripple Effect: Azerbaijan Closes TV Station

by Durna Safarova Azerbaijan, a strategic ally of Turkey, has suspended a national TV station that reportedly planned to broadcast an interview with Fethullah Gülen, the Pennsylvania-based imam who Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for instigating a failed coup.

Turkey’s Geopolitical Aims in Syria

by Robert Olson Turkey hopes to use the 2.7 million Syrian refugees now in Turkey as vehicles to develop and consolidate it geopolitical and geo-economic position. This is a vastly different policy from the one Ankara pursued toward Kurdish refugees… Continue Reading

Erdogan: The Savior-Turned-Destroyer of Turkish Democracy

by Derek Davison Turkey’s political landscape wasn’t supposed to look like this. When Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) won almost two-thirds of the seats in Turkey’s Grand National Assembly in 2002, it looked like a positive sign… Continue Reading

The March Madness of Turkish Politics

by Robert Olson Turkey’s politics in March 2016 continues to be tumultuous. The most important developments center on three pivotal issues. The first is relations between the government led by the Justice and Development party (AKP) and Kurdistan Workers’ Party… Continue Reading