تركيا

For the last six years, the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, Tusiad, has been a crucial source of support for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The pro-business, pro-European Union group provided the party with domestic and international legitimacy, and armed it with the means to fight off accusations

Praying in Istanbul's Blue Mosque on Friday, I witnessed firsthand Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's international publicity coup. Ahmadinejad's visit produced little in terms of substantive policy; the signing of a multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline deal was put off. But Ahmadinejad got something just as valuable: a chance to spin his

What is the Kurdish Regional Government's current status in northern Iraq, and what implications does it hold for the United States? Is Kurdish independence a likely scenario? To examine these questions, a four-member Washington Institute delegation visited the KRG in February 2008, exploring its political and economic situation, its ties

The jailing of two retired Turkish generals over the weekend has heightened tensions between the government in Ankara and its critics. The generals are among 21 people whom police have detained over the past week, including a senior industrialist and a prominent journalist, on suspicion of plotting a coup against

On June 24, 2008, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza delivered the ninth Turgut Ozal Memorial Lecture at The Washington Institute. The following is the prepared text of his remarks. Read a rapporteur's summary of the event. Like Turkey itself, U.S.-Turkey relations have navigated

Turkey's ruling AKP party is taking several risks by associating with Syria. If the allegations of Syria's nuclear cooperation with North Korea are confirmed, the AKP might be seen as a Syrian supporter, thus damaging its image in Washington. Furthermore, Turkey's publicized attempt to reconcile Syria and Israel -- a

In Washington, there is a growing consensus that the AKP is changing from a seemingly progressive, pro-European party into a majoritarian, exclusionist one. In an interview with Cumhuriyet reporter Elcin Poyrazlar, Soner Cagaptay argues that the AKP's image has been damaged recently because of its increasingly unilateralist approach in Turkish

In February 2008, Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) passed two constitutional amendments that intend to lift the ban on Islamic headscarves on college campuses. Although it is still unclear how the legislation will be implemented, the new laws are likely to have a negative impact on how the

In the past several months, the Kurds have grown increasingly uneasy with their situation in northern Iraq, as they begin to feel serious pressure from Iran and the Iraqi Arabs. And since many Kurds believe the United States will abandon their cause, it appears that they see Turkey as their