Turkey

Policy Analysis on Turkey

Turkey Pivots to Tripoli: Implications for Libya’s Civil War and U.S. Policy

Facing pressure from General Haftar and his foreign military backers, the Tripoli government has welcomed the helping hand extended by Ankara, whose own lack of regional options has drawn it into the middle of another conflict.

Dec 19, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay
Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

A Decisive Vote for Humanitarian Support in Syria

Renewing the UN cross-border mechanism is crucial to helping millions of needy Syrian civilians, preventing Russia and Assad from weaponizing aid deliveries, and safeguarding future international assistance efforts.

Dec 18, 2019

◆

Dana Stroul

Articles & Testimony

Turkey Doubles Region’s Troubles—First in Syria, and Now in Libya

New maritime and military agreements may pull Ankara into Libya’s civil war, adding yet another foreign actor to an already tortuous multilateral showdown.

Dec 16, 2019

◆

Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

What Will It Take to Repair Middle Eastern Economies?

Directly investing in nongovernmental enterprise and giving international approval to private competition can change the dynamic in individual countries, promote liberal economies, and give citizens greater agency.

Dec 8, 2019

◆

Bilal Wahab

Articles & Testimony

Why Erdogan Wants to Get Along with Trump

The Turkish leader knows that if he cannot restore economic growth at home or stay just out of Russia’s permanent orbit, his political troubles will only increase.

Nov 14, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

Erdogan in Washington: Setting the Agenda for a Pivotal Visit

The Trump administration needs to treat the meeting as a chance to frankly address congressional concerns and defuse a host of hot-button issues, from Syria policy to F-35 production.

Nov 7, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay
Anna Borshchevskaya
Conor Hiney
Dana Stroul

Brief Analysis

Why Turkey Is Raising the Stakes in the East Mediterranean

Ankara is willing to take provocative and risky steps around Cyprus because it views the island’s gas resources and strategic location as crucial to countering rivals and securing interests in the neighborhood.

Nov 4, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

The U.S.: Between Being the World’s Policeman and Trusting Regional Partners

Despite long-documented public weariness with Middle East conflicts, Trump’s successor could well recognize the value of reestablishing American credibility in the region.

Oct 28, 2019

◆

Dennis Ross

‘Erdogan the Good’ or ‘Erdogan the Bad’?

An in-depth conversation on Washington's misguided tendency to view Turkey through binary lenses based entirely on Erdogan’s policies, forgetting the country’s strong political diversity.

Oct 25, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

The Sochi Summit: Potential Outcomes and Implications

As Washington pushes Erdogan to act responsibly in northeast Syria, the Turkish leader may face contrary pressures from Russia and Iran, who are keeping forces on the ground to back up whatever demands are made at this week’s summit and beyond.

Oct 21, 2019

◆

Anna Borshchevskaya
Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

Trump’s Letter to Turkey’s Erdogan Shows the U.S. Is Struggling to Keep Up with Ankara

Erdogan has achieved his primary goal of breaking the U.S.-YPG partnership by leveraging Trump and Putin against each other, but Russia and Iran won’t let him exit Syria scot-free.

Oct 16, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

Turkey’s Syria Incursion: What Spurred It, and What’s Next?

The Trump administration is implicitly backing Ankara’s policy imperatives for now, but its approval comes with an imminent expiration date that could arrive even sooner if the operation goes awry.

Oct 11, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Turkey’s Syria Offensive Puts Alliance with U.S. Near Breaking Point

Erdogan is relying on his personal relationship with President Trump to stave off congressional anger, but bilateral ties cannot function if civilian and military agencies lack faith in each other.

Oct 9, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

Trump’s Troop Withdrawal Gives Turkey Access to Syria—and ISIS Space to Rebuild

If the president insists on removing U.S. forces before conditions on the ground are sufficiently stable, he will clear the way for a terrorist resurgence.

Oct 8, 2019

◆

Dana Stroul

Video

Brief Analysis

Erdogan's Empire: The Evolution of Turkish Foreign Policy

A lively discussion of how Ottoman history, pro-Western precedent, and sharp regional setbacks have shaped the Turkish leader's shifting approach to foreign affairs and relations with Washington.

Sep 27, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay
Amanda Sloat
Molly Montgomery
Tomasz Hoskins

Brief Analysis

Turkey’s Reconfigured Ties with the ‘Strategic West’

Despite diluting certain commonalities with Europe and Washington over the past decade, Ankara still relies on the West in the trade, investment, and security realms.

Sep 24, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

Another Conference on Libya? Enforce the Arms Embargo Instead

Without a concerted international effort to ground UAVs and halt the flow of weapons, the UN will have minimal leverage to restart the country's long-stalled political transition.

Sep 9, 2019

◆

Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

Will Turkey and China Become Friends?

Despite their limited economic relations and ongoing differences over the Uyghur issue, the two countries could grow closer if Western partners fail to provide the financial boost Turkey needs so badly.

Aug 14, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

Turkey’s Rising Wave of Social Protests

This year’s Istanbul election and last year’s move to a presidential system have unified and galvanized the opposition, raising questions about Erdogan’s next move.

Aug 12, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

U.S. Safe Zone Deal Can Help Turkey Come to Terms with the PKK and YPG

Checking the YPG’s ascendance in Syria could bring the PKK back to the negotiating table, ultimately making Turkey more amenable to Kurdish enclaves across the border.

Aug 7, 2019

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Supported by the

Turkish Research Program

Since its inception in 1995, The Washington Institute's Turkish Research Program has established itself as the most influential center in Washington for research and information on Turkey -- a predominantly Muslim, secular, and democratic U.S. ally.

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.

Regions & Countries

Issues

Turkey

Policy Analysis on Turkey

Turkish Research Program

Regions & Countries

Issues

Turkey

Policy Analysis on Turkey

Turkish Research Program

Sign Up for Email Updates from The Washington Institute