military

TeleSur | – – Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also stated that “those who support the terrorist organisation will become a target in this battle.” Turkey’s government has urged the United States to rein in its support for pro-Kurdish fighters, otherwise, they risk engaging with Turkish troops on the battlefront in Syria. The statement, […]

Authoritarianism

Turkey: Erdogan Marks Coup anniversary with more Crackdowns

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey commemorated on Saturday the anniversary of the failed coup in that country. The coup attempt was genuinely unpopular. Erdogan blames it on the Gulen movement, a shadowy cult-like organization that for years was allied with Erdogan. But in the aftermath, Erdogan […]

Bahrain

Saudi v. Qatar: Will Turkish intervention cause Escalation?

contributors

By James M. Dorsey | (Inter Press Service) | – – SINGAPORE (IPS) – Turkey’s parliament is this week fast tracking the dispatch of up to 3,000 troops to Qatar, home to the country’s military base in the Middle East. Certain to stiffen Qatar’s resolve to resist Saudi and UAE-led pressure to force it to […]

Climate Change

Only Putin is happy with Trump’s NATO Bull-in-China-Shop Catastrophe

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) Back in 2016 the talking heads on tv kept expecting candidate Trump, who made headlines almost daily saying racist and offensive things, to “transition.” Their theory was that he was acting out for his base in the GOP primaries but then would dial it back in the general election. […]

censorship

Turkey’s Coup aftermath and Human Rights: A Feminist Perspective

contributors

By Banu Gökarıksel | ( Duke University Blog ) | – – Feminist critiques of political power reveal the central function of gender, sexuality, and difference in maintaining that power. Yet, in current events, a feminist geopolitics is rarely considered and has been absent from analysis of the 2016 coup attempt and its aftermath in […]

Iraq

Iraq’s Growth Industry: Free-Lance Civilian Bomb Disposal

contributors

By Kamal al-Ayash | Ramadi | ( Niqash.org) | – – Locals are struggling to get rid of the explosive booby-traps the Islamic State left as they withdrew from Ramadi. For one group of daring locals, defusing the bombs has become a lucrative new job opportunity. In the central Iraqi city of Ramadi, it is […]

Iraq

‘Unacceptable’ UN says US-Backed Iraqi Militias Recruiting Children

contributors

TeleSur | – – The United Nations said it was “deeply concerned” about reports the groups are using children on the frontlines of the fight against the Islamic State group. Amid reports that U.S.-backed Iraqi militias are recruiting children to fight the Islamic State group, the United Nations said Wednesday it is “deeply concerned” and […]

military

The Turkish Coup — Real or Imagined?

contributors

Erdağ Göknar | (Duke Today) | – – Durham, NC – As if it were having a Cold War flashback, Turkey experienced a surprise coup attempt by a faction of the Turkish army Friday night. Though it evoked the Turkish coups of 1960, 1971 and 1980 quite realistically, and perhaps gave Turks of the political […]

Featured

Long Knives in Ankara: Victorious Erdogan begins Purge of Judiciary, Army

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – – President Tayyip Erdogan is taking advantage of the failed coup against him to purge the judiciary and security forces of anyone who is lukewarm toward or actively critical of him. These steps are, of course, the opposite of the ones Erdogan should be taking– he should be […]