Turkey’s Post-Mosul Calculations in Iraq

by Robert Olson Turkey does not have one foreign policy toward Iraq but several. Its primary concern is not toward the Shi’a-dominated government in Baghdad but rather toward the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in Irbil, and, in particular, toward the… Continue Reading

Islamic State: Apocalypse Postponed?

by Derek Davison When the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) began publishing an online magazine in 2014, it named the new publication Dabiq, after the north Syrian town by the same name, which ISIS captured later that same year. The… Continue Reading

Turkey’s Gains in Syria

by Robert Olson On August 24, Turkey invaded Syria to retake the Islamic State (ISIS or IS)-held town of Jarabulus. Along with Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces comprised of anti-Assad, jihadist, and pro-Turkish Turkmen forces, Turkey has continued to drive… Continue Reading

Wayward Airstrike Puts Syrian Ceasefire on Brink

by Derek Davison A ceasefire that went into effect throughout Syria on September 12 may now be on the verge of collapse. On Saturday, a U.S. airstrike near the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor struck Syrian government forces, reportedly killing… Continue Reading

The Reconstruction of the Southeast and Turkey’s War in Syria

by Robert Olson Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on September 4 that Turkey would make a massive investment of $3.4 billion to rehabilitate the heavily Kurdish-populated southeast. The inclusion of substantial economic incentives could push the total package to… Continue Reading