Monthly Archives: August 2011

One of the most formidable tasks ahead for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government in Turkey is to tackle the root causes of problems in the judiciary, addressing primarily two major issues: lengthy trials and long pre-detention … Continue reading →

In the last National Security Council (MGK) meeting held on Aug. 18, members of this top decision-making body on national security matters discussed the possibility of establishing a “buffer zone” along the Syrian border in case there is a wave … Continue reading →

We have reached a point of no return with the Syrian authoritarian leadership, with US and European leaders now openly asking for the departure of President Bashar al-Assad who, like his father before him, chose a brutal crackdown over listening … Continue reading →

While the US is set to leave Iraq by the end of the year, the question is who will dictate terms in relatively stable northern Iraq where the Kurds have had a pretty much autonomous state since the fall of … Continue reading →

There are numerous examples in modern history of how to provoke a war with an enemy by secretly plotting incidents that will create public uproar at home, giving legitimacy and the necessary backing to wage a bloody war on a … Continue reading →

If you ever wonder whether Turkey has its own real-life version of the spy novels by British author Ian Fleming, who is best-known for creating the fictional character James Bond, here’s the scoop from the espionage gang indictment accepted by … Continue reading →

I am not happy about the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government’s habitual waiting until the last minute to make necessary reforms for further democratization in this country or its acting only when it is faced with a … Continue reading →

While reading the terrorist Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) indictment the other day, I came across an interesting piece of information that was not publicized much at the time a court in Diyarbakır made it public in June 2010. According to … Continue reading →