English

Turkey’s Demographics Defy Erdoğan’s Designs By Burak Bekdil BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,636, July 10, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Only 12% of Turks say they trust Islamic clerics, and more and more young Turks are unhappy at religious school. As high a proportion as 60.5% of pro-Erdoğan youths say they would rather live in Switzerland […]

This report examines Russia’s military and diplomatic campaign in Syria, the largest and most significant Russian out-of-area operation since the end of the Cold War. Russia’s experience in Syria will significantly shape its military thinking, influence promotion and personnel decisions, impact research and development for its arms industry, and expand its influence in the Middle East and beyond for the foreseeable future.

  BESA-By Irina Tsukerman: Turkey Is Building a Geopolitical Alliance Between Sunni and Shiite Islamists      Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, photo via Office of the President of Russia BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,528, April 14, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The recent news about the involvement of Iranian diplomats in the murder of an Iranian dissident in […]

CARNEGIE EUROPE, *Judy Dempsey,: Europe’s Missing Coronavirus Exit Strategy Other European countries are looking for an exit strategy as governments try and cushion the impact of a virus that has virtually shut down economies, closed borders, and temporarily ended a way of life that was so much taken for granted.   In contrast, Ireland, Britain, […]

Lexington Institute-Dr. Daniel Goure: Souda Bay: NATO’s Military Gem in the Eastern MediterraneanExecutive Summary The Middle East is afire, Russia is on the march and France, the United Kingdom, the United States and dozens of other countries are at war with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Eastern Mediterranean is at the center […]

The “1453” plan, the Bashi-bazouks and the “Grey Area”  between Greece and Turkey  Article written by Ioannis Ath. Baltzois* The events in Evros, especially in the Karaağaç Triangle, from February 28 until recently, when the Sultan decided due to various reasons (internal, frustration, coronavirus, etc.) to withdraw his guided “besiegers” and bashi-bazouks from the area, […]

At testing times, Turkey’s Islamist strongman, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has always sought refuge at home, taking pleasure in his massive popularity. But after 17 consecutive years in power, having won every election in which he ran, Turkey’s self-declared Sultan is showing signs of fatigue – and his popularity may be wearing thin.