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Turning the Tide: How Turkey Won the War for Tripoli
  • Analysis
  • Turning the Tide: How Turkey Won the War for Tripoli

    The War for Tripoli, launched by Gen. Khalifa Hifter in April 2019, came to an abrupt end in June 2020 after extensive Turkish military capabilities were introduced to the theater at the beginning of the year. This research paper seeks to drill down into the military, logistical, and technological aspects of the war, highlighting the unique role of drones, soft-kill and hard-kill air defense technologies, private military contractors, and extraterritorial military professionals in determining its final outcome. 

    November 10, 2020

    Is escalation in Idlib on the horizon?
    Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images
  • Commentary
  • Is escalation in Idlib on the horizon?

    As the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh rages between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey once again find themselves on opposite sides in a regional geopolitical war. With the reverberations from the fighting now spreading across the region, the fate of Idlib could be tied to battles elsewhere as Moscow potentially seeks to open up another front against Ankara.    

    Erdogan’s two-man rule
    Photo by Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
  • Analysis
  • Erdogan’s two-man rule

    For those following Turkey, there is no doubt about who calls the shots. From the economy and landscape to the arts and sports, everything reflects the will and vision of one man: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. To his supporters and many of his detractors, he is invincible and answers to no one but God. In reality, however, Erdogan has become increasingly reliant on Devlet Bahceli, the head of the hard-right MHP, who is playing a growing role in shaping his policies. And as Erdogan loses ground in the polls, Bahceli’s sway only increases.

    Monday Briefing: Will Russia and Turkey face off over Nagorno-Karabakh?
  • Commentary
  • Monday Briefing: Will Russia and Turkey face off over Nagorno-Karabakh?

    This week’s briefing on recent news and upcoming events in the region featuring Maxim A. Suchkov, Ibrahim Jalal, Eliza Campbell, Alex Vatanka, and Marvin G. Weinbaum.

    September 28, 2020

    Turkey’s Sahel strategy
    Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
  • Analysis
  • Turkey’s Sahel strategy

    On Sept. 9, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu embarked on a three-day trip to West Africa, which included stops in Mali, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. During his trip, Cavusoglu emphasized Turkey’s support for Mali’s post-coup transition process, struck infrastructure-related commercial deals with Guinea-Bissau, and underscored its commitment to engaging with multilateral institutions, such as the UN and AU, on addressing security challenges in the Sahel.

    September 23, 2020

    An International Financial Commission is Libya’s Last Hope
    View of the headquarters of Libya's Central Bank in Tripoli.
  • Analysis
  • An International Financial Commission is Libya’s Last Hope

    For the last five years, the international community has tried a range of different approaches to mediating the Libyan civil war. All have failed. Most nations not actively fueling the war with weapons, money, training, and mercenaries now see that halting these destructive flows is critical to bringing the rival militias to the negotiating table. However, this will not be enough to solve the conflict. Once militias are cut off from external sources of support, the core economic issues that gave rise to the conflict will still remain. Only a new approach empowering Libyan economic reformers and reworking the economic system can fix the dysfunction. To achieve this, international actors need to facilitate the establishment of a Libyan-led International Financial Commission with the authority to restructure the economy.

    September 14, 2020