My first piece for Stockholm University's Institute for Turkish Studies: The Next Big Middle East Conflict? The Turkish-Israeli Rivalry www.su.se/english/divi...

"In the longer term, unless, the U.S. reverses the course set by Trump, the war will speed up the end of the U.S.-dominated world order and help the emergence of a “multiplex world” in which U.S. dominance gives way to a complex framework in which

What happens when in your mind you replace the world with your simulacrum of it

"Power does not grow out of the barrel of a gun, cruelty is not the same as strength, and a politics built on such ideas promises ruin, delusion about the limits of our power and a betrayal of the promise of our founding." www.nytimes.com/2026/03/22/o...

Israel deliberately targeting medical facilities in south Lebanon, say health workers Medics and officials say there is systematic use of double-tap strikes in campaign to make the south uninhabitable www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

For all the US and Israeli dominance of the conventional aspects of the war so far, Iran clearly has a more coherent theory of victory (regime survival) and a more effective strategy to achieve it, mainly because it has a more precise notion of the enemy's center of gravity (global energy markets).

I see Barrack's statement about Kurds in Turkey&the region not a call for a sovereign Kurdish nation. If anything, it is aligned with Ocalan's&Ankara's emphasis on the so-called integration of Kurds into their respective states. Noteworthy that he refers to Syria as the model.

We are clearly about to invade Iran. Trump can’t take losing and the US has clearly lost this round of war, and nothing that would allow him to declare victory and leave is possible without ground troops. Which will also be a disaster, requiring even more ground troops as the global economy craters.

In seeking to liberate the US from the constraints of interdependence and multilateralism, both features of the liberal international order he disavows, Trump has only demonstrated the limits (and dangers) of American power when applied unilaterally. Some takeaways from the war. (Gift link.)

Yesterday marked one year since İmamoğlu was taken into custody He polled higher than Erdoğan. He's now in jail facing over 100 politicized charges. Thank you @sinemadar.bsky.social and Sinem Bal for including my thoughts the latest CATS Network issue: www.cats-network.eu/assets/cats/...

The near total absence of political life in post-Assad Syria. syrianobserver.com/syrian-actor...

I see Barrack's statement about Kurds in Turkey&the region not a call for a sovereign Kurdish nation. If anything, it is aligned with Ocalan's&Ankara's emphasis on the so-called integration of Kurds into their respective states. Noteworthy that he refers to Syria as the model.

"The AKP government may not have succeeded in co-opting the CHP leadership, but its display of dominance is proving effective. The main opposition party is legally besieged, politically isolated – especially at the elite level –

"The AKP government may not have succeeded in co-opting the CHP leadership, but its display of dominance is proving effective. The main opposition party is legally besieged, politically isolated – especially at the elite level –

CATS Network Roundup's March issue looks at Turkey's political landscape one year after the imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, also featuring an interview with @liselhintz.bsky.social conducted by Sinem Bal 👇 www.cats-network.eu/assets/cats/...

CATS Network Roundup's March issue looks at Turkey's political landscape one year after the imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, also featuring an interview with @liselhintz.bsky.social conducted by Sinem Bal 👇 www.cats-network.eu/assets/cats/...

Looking at Washington's seeming inability to mobilize its allies in its war with Iran, I cannot stop but thinking of the associative nature of power. One necassary and sufficient condition enabling it is that actors around the one claiming to be powerful should play along.

The administration came in with a theory, that alliances were a pointless constraint on American power, that expertise was weakness, that institutions were a sucker's game. It turns out that a bunch of on-line theorizing doesn't help much in the real world. And the world gets to bear the costs

one definition of power in international relations is when the terms of the conflict are framed as which country can withstand pain the longest, and pain for one means massive bombardment, death, and suffering and pain for the other means slightly higher gas prices. Also a definition of racism.

Looking at Washington's seeming inability to mobilize its allies in its war with Iran, I cannot stop but thinking of the associative nature of power. One necassary and sufficient condition enabling it is that actors around the one claiming to be powerful should play along.

Aviv Tatarsky. One of the most committed Jewish Israeli activists in defending Palestinians in the West Bank. Attacked by settlers viciously yesterday in Dir Istya where he was helping a Palestinian farmer. Israeli soldiers were there and did nothing. Every. Day. Photo: @nirhasson.bsky.social on X

A grim parallel between US escalating a trade war w/ China & realising that China has serious leverage in the form of rare earths & US launching a war vs Iran & realising Iran has serious leverage in the form of being able to blow up the world economy. Failure of statecraft.

There is a tendency to view the growing militarization in the EastMed through the lens of tensions and the potential for conflict between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we shifted our perspective to focus on cooperation among NATO’s European members.

There is a tendency to view the growing militarization in the EastMed through the lens of tensions and the potential for conflict between Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we shifted our perspective to focus on cooperation among NATO’s European members.

The Trump administration currently has no viable way of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Military escorts for tankers and other civilian ships are too dangerous to try, U.S. officials and military analysts told us: www.wsj.com/world/middle...

I'll have a brief on Turkey-Israel tensions coming out soon from SUITS In the meantime, you can listen to this (and don't mind my use of "Iran" instead of "Israel" in, like, the second or third sentence... we've all got Iran on the brain right now)

Here is the full episode. Worth a listen! www.wbur.org/onpoint/2026...

I spoke to Martin Di Caro at History As It Happens about Iran, Turkey, Israel and a new Middle East. Enjoy! historyasithappens.supercast.com/subscriber_v...

‘Extraordinary cruelty’: images show longterm ‘starvation strategy’ in Sudan www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

My latest: No, Turkey Is Not the New Iran Gift link: foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/09/i...

For instance 👇

Today, Ekrem Imamoglu stands trial on the most Kafkaesque allegation of establishing a " criminal organisation for illicit gain." The most threatening political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan allegedly sought, through this purported network, +

"The U.S. Justice Department has agreed ​to resolve its long-running criminal prosecution of Turkish state-run lender Halkbank (HALKB.IS) [on fraud, money laundering and ​conspiracy charges for allegedly helping Iran evade American economic sanctions.]

"A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defence assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean." www.msb.gov.tr/SlaytHaber/0...

I would not be surprised if the Turkish deployment of F-16s to Northern Cyprus and sending of naval assets by Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and France to the island are coordinated events among the European components of NATO.

Good thread about Ekrem Imamoglu's (arrested presidential candidate of the main opposition party in Turkey) trial and what's at stake for the regime.

Excellent thread on what is at stake as Istanbul's jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, stands trial in Turkey.

Today, the long-expected trial of Erdogan's main political rival begins in Istanbul. The NYT has a good review of the political stakes of the Imamoglu trial, including comments from @sinemadar.bsky.social Gift link www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/w...

Today, Ekrem Imamoglu stands trial on the most Kafkaesque allegation of establishing a " criminal organisation for illicit gain." The most threatening political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan allegedly sought, through this purported network, +

I would not be surprised if the Turkish deployment of F-16s to Northern Cyprus and sending of naval assets by Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and France to the island are coordinated events among the European components of NATO.

"Geblieben sind deshalb nur zwei schmale Luftkorridore, die aus Europa über die nördliche Türkei, Armenien und Aserbaidschan nach Turkmenistan, Afghanistan und Pakistan führen.

Wahrheit zum internationalen #Frauentag 2026.

"Several drones targeted the Peshmerga Unit 70 Command, affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in Sulaimani. [..] Two additional drones targeted areas near the United Nations headquarters and the Turkish consulate in Sulaimani city." www.rudaw.net/english/kurd...

“Whether there was a military impact is unclear – but the strikes swiftly brought the war directly into the lives of 11 million people in the UAE, nine out of 10 of whom are foreign nationals. Amazon has advised its clients to secure their data away from the region.”