by Robert Olson Selahattin Demirtas, co-chair of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), has mentioned several times in the last few months that Turkey and its Kurdish population will go to war. He stated such a possibility in early March while… Continue Reading
by Robert Olson James Dobbins, Philip Gordon, and Jeffery Martini, ranking members of Rand Corporation and former State Department officials, have authored another study advocating polices that the U.S. should pursue to obtain some kind of peace in Syria. Given the… Continue Reading
by Robert Olson Mohammad Ali’s funeral in Louisville, Kentucky on June 8 and his eulogy on June 9 offered a rare opportunity for Americans to experience the juxtaposition of local and global politics. Most Americans are familiar with Ali’s influence… Continue Reading
by Robert Olson Turkey and Israel will likely normalize diplomatic relations in the next few months or sooner. The media in Turkey and Israel have reported that the two countries will soon exchange ambassadors—the point at which normalization would be… Continue Reading
by Paul R. Pillar The repeated indicators of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarian tendencies bring to mind that Erdogan once said, “Democracy is like a streetcar. When you come to your stop, you get off.” With a statement like… Continue Reading