Murat Yeşiltaş | Author | The New Turkey

Making Sense of Turkey’s New Counter-Terrorism Strategy

November 23, 2018

Turkey is revolutionizing its counter-terrorism strategy not only against the PKK in Turkey but also against other terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq. The new face of terrorism and changing dynamics in the Middle East are likely to push Turkey to revolutionize its military affairs in the near future.

The Dynamics Behind the Istanbul Summit

November 7, 2018

The Istanbul Summit is much more critical in terms of exposing the vital position of Turkey and Russia in the Syrian crisis, rather than the summit outcome.

Geopolitics of the Khashoggi Murder

October 25, 2018

If Trump decides to retreat MbS because of his brutality, which is unlikely to happen, it will not be a decision of American liberal principles, but a decision motivated by the increasing unpredictability of MbS's actions in the Middle East.

The False Promise of the United Nations

September 28, 2018

In order to start a new initiative for UN reform, the UNGA should question President Trump’s speech as it reveals the main issues with the UN, and then, should refer to President Erdogan’s statements as a baseline to start thinking about its structure and possible reforms.

Winning Idlib

September 21, 2018

At this stage, the most important objective for Turkey is to solve the potential radicalization of the armed groups. If Turkey can deliver its objective, then it can keep its overall position in the Syrian civil war.

Does Turkey’s Idlib Resolution Work?

September 14, 2018

This is the right time for the international society to take real responsibility in order to overcome the already deepening Syrian crisis. The violent fall of Idlib will not bring an end to the Syrian Civil War, but Idlib can provide a tremendous opportunity for Russia and the international community to find a common ground for the future of Syria.

Idlib Conundrum Continues After Tehran Summit

September 8, 2018

The final meeting of the summit was interestingly broadcasted live so that the participating nations could raise their position publicly regarding the Idlib issue. It was a textbook example demonstrating competing discourses and strategies that frame the participating nations’ policy justification regarding the situation, not only in the Idlib region but also in Syria.

Turkey’s difficult calculations about Idlib

August 31, 2018

If the regime and Russian military campaign goes beyond a limited military intervention and turns into a full-scale military assault in Idlib, then two major developments should be expected. The first one is the radicalization of the moderate armed groups against Russia and the Syrian regime, and the second is the alienation of Turkey from the Astana process, which might bring more cost for Russia.

Turkey’s quest for a new geopolitical portfolio

August 17, 2018

The crisis in relations between Turkey and the U.S. is pushing Turkey to rethink its current foreign policy strategy and gives Ankara an opportunity to readjust its geopolitical portfolio.

Damage Control in Turkey-US Relations

August 10, 2018

One of the most fundamental things that the Turkish administration should be aware of is the fact that under the Trump administration no single strategic logic can run bilateral relations and other regional issues. For this reason, it would be more appropriate for Turkey to remind itself that the tensions in Turkey-U.S. relations are shaped by mutual foreign policy choices rather than a single actor-centered determination.