Tag: Turkey

  • EU chief complains Turkish leader was sexist

    A meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in complaints by von der Leyen about sexism. Only two chairs were set up for the meeting in Ankara, and one of them had already been taken by European Council President Charles Michel. The Associated Press has the…

  • The U.S. formally recognizes the of Armenian genocide

    The U.S. formally recognizes the of Armenian genocide The systematic killing and deportation of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces in the early 20th century was “genocide,” the United States formally declared on Saturday, as President Joe Biden used that precise word after the White House had avoided it for decades for…

  • Egypt, Turkey and the Real China Challenge

    Development or democracy? Biden’s International Priorities On April 6, 2021, Turkey released imprisoned Turkish Journalist Ahmet Altan after a European court ruled his civil rights were violated. Mr. Altan spent more than four year in prison for allegedly taking part in the failed coup of 2016. Turkish officials claim that the Turkish judiciary is independent…

  • Explosives kill 1, injures 12 in Baghdad

    A car laden with explosives blew up in Sadr City in Iraq, killing one person and injuring 12. The driver was killed. Iraq’s president condemned the attack, calling it a “shameless” attempt by terrorist groups to destabilize the country during the holy month of Ramadan. The Associated Press has the story: Suicide bombing kills 1, injures…

  • Greece and Libya to reassess maritime boundaries

    After a tumultuous dispute in 2019 between Greece and Libya over maritime boundaries, the two countries are finally going to reassess the situation. Greece expelled the Libyan ambassador in 2019 after Libya signed an agreement with Turkey over maritime boundaries that angered both Greece and Cyprus. The Associated Press has the story: Promising talks over…

  • Russia: Troops on Ukraine border are response to NATO

    Responding to criticism for increasing the number of troops on its border with Ukraine, Russia said said it did so in reaction to aggression from NATO. NATO says this is the largest number of troops Russia has placed on the border since it first annexed the Crimean region from Ukraine in 2014. The Associated Press…

  • Turkey and Libya cooperate on maritime borders

    Angering Greece and Cyprus, the nations of Turkey and Libya have forged ahead on their own reaffirming their commitment to a controversial 2019 maritime agreement. Turkey is trying to help the ravaged country of Libya, but Greece and Cyprus say it undermines the rights of other eastern Mediterranean countries. The Associated Press has the story:…

  • Emerging Security Issues in the Middle East

    Introduction Emerging Security Issues in the Middle East American foreign policy in the Middle East has been adrift since the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The Bush administration pursued an interventionist policy that tried to bring democracy to Afghanistan and Iraq. The Obama administration tried to reduce the US military footprint in…

  • Russia worried about possible massive fighting in Ukraine

    After Russia moved a significant number of troops along the border between Ukraine and the territory Russia seized, the country became concerned that full-scale fighting could start. Ever since Russian seized Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula, fighting has resulted in the deaths of more than 14,000. The Associated Press has the story: Russia increases troops on border…

  • Dozens sentenced to prison for Turkish coup

    Trials for hundreds of people arrested for their involvement in a 2016 failed coup against the Turkish government concluded with dozens sentenced to life in prison. The coup was reportedly led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Associated Press has the story: Former military, other dissidents sentenced to…