Uluslararası Stratejik Araştırmalar Kurumu

Turkey’s Pipeline Politics
Sedat Laçiner

Whether Turkey has become an energy hub is a subject of continuous debate, even though the pipelines passing through or reaching Turkey indicate it has already become a regional center for energy transportation: Currently, there are two main naturalgas pipelines between Russia and Turkey.

Obama Speaks to the Muslim World from Cairo
Kaitlin MacKenzie

Barack Obama’s highly anticipated speech in Cairo drew the attention of millions around the world, and though, as he stated himself, "change cannot happen overnight…no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust,” events since then lead one to ponder how much Obama can really do to bring about change.

The Palestinians at a Pivotal Crossroads
Alon Ben-Meir

President Obama's push for a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict has given the Palestinians an historic opportunity to end their disastrous state of affairs. Although many parties involved in the conflict-especially the Arab states and Israel-have contributed directly or indirectly to Palestinian suffering, the Palestinians have undoubtedly inflicted the greatest injury upon themselves by forgoing numerous opportunities to make peace with dignity.

Possible Outcomes of Iranian Presidential Elections
Arzu Celalifer Ekinci

As elections come closer a highly contentious atmosphere can be felt both in the political arena and the streets, since there was a serious rivalry among candidates through TV debate programs, electoral meetings and campaigns.

European Parliament Elections and the "Race to the Bottom” in Turkey Opposition
Mehmet Özcan

The 2009 European Parliament Elections, the biggest trans-national elections in EU history, were held on 4-7 June, 2009. According to the provisional results released by the European Parliament last night, EPP-ED, the center-right political group is estimated to have won 267 seats, while on the other hand, PES, the center-left political group seems to turn out the biggest loser of the elections with 159 seats, compared to 217 seats in the 2004 elections

Project Evaluation in Repowering (May 2009)
Haluk Direskeneli

Your writer had great joy when he learnt that a Turkish engineering contractor group had received the turnkey contract for repowering an old thermal power plant in Istanbul. As of the end of 2008, the contract was announced to be 388 million Euros, and the down payment was released.

European Parliament Elections and Turkey: No Hope for Change
İrem Güney

Next week, we will know the results of the European Parliament elections and will probably have read many articles on the expected effects. This year has been a critical year for the whole world, including Europe, which is deeply affected by the global financial crisis.

'Wake Up, Israel'
Alon Ben-Meir

I am departing from my usual analysis of the Arab-Israeli conflict as I profoundly feel that these are neither ordinary times, nor ordinary circumstances. The challenges and opportunities that Israel faces today will undoubtedly lay the ground for its future coexistence both in the Middle East and as an ally to the West.

Turkey-Azerbaijan-Armenia Triangle
Kamer Kasım

Continuing negotiations in order to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia produced a “Road Map”, which created discussions also about Turkey-Azerbaijan relations and future of the politics of the Caucasus, particularly, security and energy dimension of it.

Sarkozy and Merkel on Turkey’s Membership Bid: One Europe or Many?
Mustafa Kutlay

Turkey, after a long struggle, finally started membership talks with the European Union in October 2005. When the negotiations started, the level of optimism among the Turkish public was quite high. Even, the decision was welcomed as the “realization of a dream” by some pundits.

Elections in Europe, Sarkozy-Merkel and Turkey: From a Different Perspective
Fatma Yilmaz Elmas

France and Germany, the engines of European integration, have reiterated their opposition to Turkey’s EU membership. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, in an interview with Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper, “the EU must stop making vain promises to Turkey and study with it the creation of a big common economic and human space”.

European Parliament Elections and the Rising Turkey Opposition in Europe
Mehmet Ozcan

In recent days, some EU leaders have begun to use Turkey’s membership as a political weapon in their European Parliament election campaigns. However, taking into consideration the current state of Turkey-EU relations, maybe this is the worst move to confine relations to short-sighted policies based on temporary political gains.

Obama's Two-State Challenge
Alon Ben Meir

President Obama's March 18th meeting with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will introduce a new dimension to the long standing American-Israeli alliance. The changing circumstances in the Middle East and the potentially diverging views each leader holds in connection with the Arab-Israeli conflict could make finding common ground more challenging than in the past.

Chariots of Revolution "Devrim ARABALARI"
Haluk Direskeneli

"Chariots of Revolution" is the name of a recent movie, which depicts the sad story of first attempt to manufacture the first Turkish automobile. These were 4- each passenger cars which were manufactured by 23 Turkish engineers within 130 calendar days in year 1961.

How the Left Stepped Left
Cenk Alican

Germany’s opposition Left Party (Die Linke/ Linkspartei) has introduced its agenda for the forthcoming European and national elections to party fellows and media this week. The election program is marked by the party’s left-wing force and the theatrical sunshine unity of its leaders.

Afghanistan – Pakistan Turmoil: The US Misconception of the Region?
Süleyman Özeren

Afghanistan has been a land of destruction and suffering for years, and a similar situation will last years to come. There have been several devastations which have played a role in the suffering of the people in Afghanistan.

The Greatness of Nations
Sundeep Waslekar

In a recent visit to Istanbul, I stayed at Ciragan Palace, once the abode of the Ottoman emperors. It is on the Bosporus with one of the most panoramic scenes in the world. At this spot, you see Asia and Europe, modern and ancient, nature and technology.

Elections in Europe, Sarkozy-Merkel and Turkey: From a Different Perspective
Fatma Yilmaz Elmas
fyelmas@usak.org.tr
France and Germany, the engines of European integration, have reiterated their opposition to Turkey’s EU membership. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, in an interview with Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper, “the EU must stop making vain promises to Turkey and study with it the creation of a big common economic and human space”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has voiced “privileged partnership, but no full membership” for Turkey as their common position, once again.

The Intraparty Clash of Pro-Kurdish DTP
İhsan Bal

On the morning of April 14th, Turkish Police Forces conducted operations in different cities. The first news reports stated that these operations were held against a shadow group, behind the DTP, which has ties to the PKK. Operations were first begun in 12 cities and were then extended to include more than 20.

Soma Thermal Power Plant for Sale
Haluk Direskeneli

Our new job is to figure out its proper procedures and the face value of the plant, plus terms and conditions of the scheme. That is the question to estimate how much to pay in order to buy Soma Thermal Power Plant in Privatization.

Russia Dupes Azerbaijan?
Sedat Laçiner

It was obvious that nothing would be the same in the Caucasus, after the war in the region between Russia and Georgia in August of last year. During the war, the Georgian leader acted frantically with the backing of the US. Without asking anyone, including its neighbor Turkey, Georgia threw itself into Russia’s line of fire.

Evet, Yapabiliriz! (*) – Obama’s Turkish Test, Turkey’s Obama Opportunity
Barin Kayaoğlu

President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey last week, his first to a Muslim nation since becoming Chief Executive on January 20, was a significant success. During his two-day visit to Ankara and Istanbul, Obama did and said all the right things. His most crucial statement came in response to the question of whether he was sending a message to the world by concluding his European trip in Turkey.

Nabucco as a Chess Game: Azerbaijan’s Next Move
Rovshan Ibrahimov

On March 27, 2009, a memorandum was signed between the Azerbaijani oil company SOCAR and Russia's Gazprom. This memorandum includes a statement of deliveries, beginning in January 2010, of Azerbaijani natural gas to Russia on the boundary conditions, DAF Azerbaijan / Russia.

Turkey, EU, and U.S. Relations within the Context of the Security-Freedom Pendulum
Mehmet Özcan

The US-Turkey alliance, which has been built on “if”s since the end of the Cold War, has been well-conducted due to the active foreign policy adopted during Ozal’s Presidency. The separatist terrorist movement which began in the 1980s accelerated its violence during the 1990s. As is known, a security concern came to the forefront in this period, and relations between Turkey and its Western alliances were strained as a result of their support to the organization.

Why U.S. President Obama must be a ‘Cautious Realist’
Güner Özkan

Obama was met like a pop star anywhere he went in Europe and Turkey in last several days. There are many credible reasons for this: young, dynamic, kind, black, inspirational, non-unilateralist, and so on. These credentials and characteristics he has and displays are very different from those of his predecessor, G.W. Bush.

Financial Crisis, G20 and Beyond: Balancing the Global Imbalances
Mustafa Kutlay

The G20 Summit is finally left behind. The leaders of the most developed 19 countries and representatives of the European Commission and the European Central Bank met at the ‘minimum common denominator’ and arguably went beyond the expectations.

Netanyahu's Second Chance
Alon Ben Meir

The new Israeli government led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu has raised many conflicting feelings among those concerned about the fate of the Arab-Israeli peace process. Will Netanyahu scuttle the little progress that was made under his predecessor Olmert, or will he engage the Palestinians anew?

Turkish Opposition to Rasmussen as the Head of NATO
Nermin Aydemir

NATO now appears to feel at ease after the thorny discussions at the NATO Summit on 3-4 April 2009, which was marked with the Turkish opposition against Rasmussen as the chief of the Alliance. The Turkish resistance seriously complicated the appointment of Rasmussen. Yet, the former Danish PM succeed to become the General Secretary thanks to do strong support from the heavyweights such as US, UK, Germany, France and Italy.

Obama's Critical Visit to Turkey
İhsan BAL

U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Turkey has significant meanings beyond the face value during his presidency, he made his first transoceanic visit to London for the G-20 summit. He then attended the NATO summit on the France-Germany border.

NATO Summit: Is It The Way Forward for Rasmussen?
Süleyman Özeren

The NATO summit in France and Germany for many reasons has been a fruitful meeting. The newcomers to the Organization, Albania and Croatia, the return of France to NATO military command, and the pledges of the member states to the Afghanistan mission could be the most important aspects of the summit.

Liquidation of PKK from Iraq, the US and Talabani
Sedat Laçiner

Iraq’s Kurdish President Jalal Talabani says “I did not call on the PKK to lay down its arms”. He also argues that he did not call the PKK to leave Iraq. “I just delivered Turkey’s demands, those ideas were not mine” he adds.
So to speak…

Lisbon’s Ways Through Karlsruhe
Cenk Alican

Never before in the history of European integration – not even when the French and Dutch rejected the European Constitution in referendums in 2005 – has the idea of a common legal framework for the Union’s people driven on such a bumpy road as it is these days.

Visa-Vis – Why Visa-Free Travel is Just the Beginning for Turkey’s Road to the EU
İrem Güney

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Turkish citizens who wish to enter the EU countries with the aim of providing services should not be required to obtain visa. [1]. This decision has fueled an ongoing debate in European Union countries on the visa-free travel of some Turkish citizens.

‘Terrorism Supporter’ to be the Secretary General of NATO
Sedat Laçiner

NATO has started to take on new roles, especially after the Cold War period, among which combating international terrorism is its first priority. The expansion of NATO’s operation area from the former Yugoslavia to Afghanistan is also a new development NATO is operating among religiously and ethnically diverse populations from numerous regions.

Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant in Soma
Haluk Direskeneli

We are very pleased to learn the recent Announcement made by Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey (www.maden.org.tr) that they will be organizing a Workshop/ Seminar on “Soma Basin Coal Reserves in Energy Generation” on 16-17-18 April 2009 at Soma Thermal Power Plant and Soma Basin Coal Mines premises with cooperation and contributions of Chambers of Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical Engineers of Turkey.

The Soysal Decision: A “Standstill” Lesson from the ECJ to EU Countries
Ercüment Tezcan

In my comment dated 2 September 2007 about the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) decision regarding Veli Tum and Mehmet Dari, I drew attention to the “standstill” principle and expressed that if this rule could be efficiently applied, many unlawful acts would be prevented.

‘New Diplomacy’ in International Political Economy and Turkey-EU Relations
Mustafa Kutlay

International Political Economy (IPE), from the very beginning of its emergence as an academic field in the 1970s, have constantly tried to close the gap between economics and other social disciplines in general, and between economics and politics in particular.

Anti-Americanism: What Causes It, How Can It Be Stopped?
Barin Kayaoglu

In 1985, the political scientists Alvin Z. Rubinstein and Donald E. Smith edited a book that discussed anti-Americanism in the Third World. As they set up the conceptual framework of the book, Rubinstein and Smith declared that even though anti-Americanism was easy to identify, it was difficult to define.

Moscow’s Recent Confrontation with the US in Central Asia
Turgut Demirtepe

Two recent developments in Moscow within the past month have the potential to severely influence the balance of power in Central Asia. First, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan announced the decision to close the US air base near Bishkek during his official visit to Moscow.

Treading an Ominous Path
Alon Ben Meir

The collapse of the coalition negotiations between Likud Leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Kadima's Tzipi Livni over Netanyahu's refusal to commit to the two-state solution may force him to form a narrow-based right-of-centre government. Such a government is likely to impede any progress or end up disintegrating under domestic and American pressure to make important concessions for the peace process.

Strengthening Strategic Partnership: Obama’s Visit to Turkey
Süleyman Özeren

The United States’ foreign policy has started to show signs of change. Yes, the U.S. has declared it will support any government in Israel no matter what, but the big difference is that it is also considering, directly or indirectly, engaging countries which it has considered a threat to world peace.

Can We Challenge Our Ideas?
Sundeep Waslekar

Ideas predate civilization. They even predate humanity. The ideas of fire, weapons and symbols were probably thought of by Homo erectus before the birth of Homo sapiens. However, lately some of us tend to believe that we don’t need to evolve our ideas.

Turkey’s Relations with Armenia and the Impact of the Armenian Diaspora
Kamer Kasım

Turkey’s relations with Armenia started in the unstable atmosphere of the Caucasus. As a landlocked country, Armenia needed to establish good relations with its neighbors, particularly with its western neighbor Turkey. However, developments in Turkish-Armenian relations have stalled over the years.

Identity Politics: A Litmus Test for Turkey's DTP
İhsan Bal

Towards the March 29 local elections, one of the top questions on the agenda is who will win Diyarbakir and who will receive the votes of the citizens of Kurdish origin. In this process, the DTP’s propaganda, which aims to get the votes of Kurdish people and practices politics through the lens of ethnic identity, is built upon polarization. As the election date comes closer, this polarization and blocking strategy seems to be continued with a higher tone by the DTP politicians.

The EU’s Challenge with the Financial Crisis and the Future of the “Single Market”
Mehmet Özcan

As the financial crisis deepens and its destructive effects are experienced throughout the world, the EU begins to deal with the most arduous challenges in its history. Undoubtedly, it is very probable to encounter several crisis and conflicts within the process of European integration.

The Nabucco Pipeline: Increased Actuality, but Inertia in Realization (II)
Rovshan Ibrahimov

Turkey is a key player in the Nabucco project, which plans to build a pipeline through Turkish territory. It should be noted that the Nabucco gas pipeline is considered to be a continuation of the existing international Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and other internal gas pipelines in Turkey.

Gerhard Schroder’s visit to Iran – German Foreign Policy at the Crossroads
Cenk Alican

It was a vivid verbal tug-of-war on Germany’s political stage when former Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroder of the Social Democrat Party (SPD) decided to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran last week. Federal MPs of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Green Party (Grüne) criticized Schroder’s travel plans and tried to urge him to cancel his meeting with the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinedjad.

Can Armenian Diaspora Persuade Turkey to Recognise Armenian Allegations?
Sedat Laçiner

Armenian Diaspora has been carrying ‘genocide’ campaigns against Turkey for decades. They argue that these campaigns’ main aim is to persuade Turkey to recognise the Armenian allegations. As a matter of fact that the Armenian Diaspora by following such a way is trying to take revenge from Turkey more than imposing anything on it.

Does the Soysal Decision Solely Concern Visas?
Mehmet OZCAN

Turkish citizens Mehmet Soysal and Ibrahim Savatli, who worked as lorry drivers for a Turkish company, filed a case in the Berlin Administrative Court after they had been required to provide visas for entry to Germany....

Obama’s Challenges: Extraordinary Rendition and the State Secrets Privilege
Kaitlin MacKenzie

The honeymoon is over. The Obama administration, which had promised an end to Bush-era constitutional abuses, has done an about-face, reversing its opinion on the executive “state secrets” privilege that it denounced during the campaign.

Obama’s Foreign Policy Approach and Turkey
Süleyman Özeren

Since becoming the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama has followed a different path in several policy issues, including foreign relations. One of the most prominent aspects of Obama’s foreign policy is that he and his State Department team are open to dialogue and they approach the issues with an understanding of the positions of the concerned parties.

Turkey's New Middle Eastern Approach
Sedat Laçiner

Ottomans governed the region for 400 years and before the Ottomans there were other Turkish origin groups, such as the Mamluk Dynasty, Aq (Ak) Qoyunlu, Qara (Kara) Qoyunlu Turcoman. Apart from them, many Turks occupied important positions in the Abbasid Dynasty's military and governed Iran, one of the most important countries in the Middle East, for hundreds of years. For example, the spoken language in the Shah Ismail's palace was Turkish, and many of the Iranian shahs were of Turkish origin.

Nabucco Pipeline: Increased Actuality, but Inertia in Realization (I)
Rovshan Ibrahimov

The aftermath of the January energy crisis between Russia and Ukraine, which resulted in the interruption of the natural gas supply to some European countries, has once again made relevant the establishment of alternative energy routes from Russia to supply natural gas to Europe.

Israel: Coalition of the Unwilling
Alon Ben Meir

The result of the Israeli elections on February 10th expressed clear sentiments of the public's weariness of the political process and deep cynicism about the campaigning leaders. The question that faces the two leading contenders for prime minister, Kadima's Tzipi Livni and Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud is twofold: Will they rise to the occasion, join forces and put the country on a path of recovery; or will they go their own separate ways to try to form a narrow coalition government and set the country on a course for political turmoil.

Aftermath of the Energy Crisis – Russia Still Dominant in the Market!
Hasan Selim Özertem

Every year starts with new hopes, great expectations, and efforts to forget bad memories of the past. While nobly intended, I feel that we only change the calendar and begin, once again, counting down each day until the New Year.

Energy Policy of the European Union: Problems and Probable Solutions
Ercüment Tezcan

Natural gas, and in a wider context the energy issue, comes to the scene ironically in the coldest days of winter, and seems to occupy the EU agenda lately. Actually, this is not the first energy crisis that Europe has dealt with. The process began with Russia’s closure of the valves, which it has done several times.

Is PKK Turkey’s Hamas?
İhsan Bal

After Mr. Tayyip Erdogan’s walk-out incident in Davos, one of the most common statements made is that Israel and Turkey have been fighting terrorism; thus, they have to be on the same side. Part of this statement implies that PKK and Hamas are similar organizations and Kurds share the same fate as Palestinians do.

European Values and Turks in Germany
İrem Güney

The Partnership Agreement with the European Economic Community (EEC) has not resulted in the free movement of Turkish people in Europe. The visa application procedure is one of the most important and controversial issues today and the legal decisions have not changed much.

Subsidizing Gas Price in Household Consumption - Not a Smart Solution!
Haluk Direskeneli

Mr. Murat Karayalçın, CHP candidate for Great Ankara Municipality Mayor said that "Natural gas, which is distributed to 1,100,000 units for household consumption in Ankara, is to be subsidized, in order to stop coal pollution". (METU Alumni Association, on 7 January 2009).

How Can Provincial Elections Contribute Security in Iraq?
Guner OZKAN

Iraq descended into a civil war further after the first election in January 2005 causing thousands of dead. On the 31st of January, Iraqi people once again went to the polling stations to elect 440 representatives for the provincial councils from over 14, 000 candidates.

Turkish-American Relations under the Threat of the Armenian Lobby
Kamer Kasım

With the election of Obama as US President, a new era has begun in Turkish-American relations, bringing with it new expectations. Turkey and the US might continue and develop their cooperation in the geographical area from Afghanistan to the Balkans. The two countries have expectations from each other.

The Violence and Settlements Anathema (Part 1)
Alon Ben Meir

From his first Middle East tour as President Obama's special envoy, George Mitchell must have found that not much has changed since his 2001 report. During his previous mission on the origins of the Second Intifada, Mitchell concluded that ending the Israeli settlement activity and violence are intertwined and remain the core impediment to meaningful negotiations.

Ergenekon Case and Indecent Proposals
İhsan Bal

Turkey surely is in an important situation with the Ergenekon Case. This case, regarded as the most important in the history of the Turkish Republic, has long captivated the public attention with buried guns and grenades, links with the previous staggering assassinations, and plans for further assassinations. This is common for terrorist organizations.

The CD and DVD Weapons of Ergenekon
İhsan Bal

Turkey surely is in an important situation with the Ergenekon Case. This case, regarded as the most important in the history of the Turkish Republic, has long captivated the public attention with buried guns and grenades, links with the previous staggering assassinations, and plans for further assassinations.

Turkey-EU Relations in 2009: What is on the Agenda?
Mehmet Ozcan

The direction of Turkey-EU relations in the incoming year constitutes one of the controversial issues debated by many EU specialists, politicians, and media. A general perception of the issue is that the relations will continue on the same path as the previous year.

How Mitchell Should Deal with Hamas?
Alon Ben Meir

The recent appointment of George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East is no doubt a positive sign of President Obama's commitment to the region, signaling that there will be immediate and direct American involvement in the Arab-Israeli peace negotiations.

Use of War Terminology in Combating Terrorism
Sedat Laciner

Using the language of war in combating terrorism has been dramatically increased in the recent period. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in particular, the Bush administration identified combating terrorism as a war, even a “global war.” Not only in the US, but also in other countries, the term “war on terrorism” had often been used instead of “combating terrorism,” to gain the public support so as to employ security forces and to mobilize people and other sources more effectively.

The Somalian Straits and Maritime PT Syndrome Linked to Terrorist Organization and the Use of Private Military Companies
Andrin Raj

The threat of piracy in the Somalian waters of the Gulf of Aden has been recently an ongoing struggle for ships and vessels enroute these waters. The instability of Somalia however goes back as far as the beginning of the Somalian civil war that dates back to the early 1990s and the collapse of the state.

Small Fish with Shark Teeth
Cenk Alican

Ten years ago the Liberal Voters Alliance (LVA, Freie Wähler) was a side issue on Germany’s political stage. But now, having gained 19 percent of votes in Bavarian local elections in March 2008 and more than 10 percent in elections to Bavarian Parliament in September 2008, the little party has become the key for Federal President Horst Köhler (Bundespräsident) to be re-elected by the Federal Convention (Bundesversammlung) on May 23rd.

After Gaza Attacks: Does Arab Initiative Possible for the Middle East?
Serpil Açıkalın

After the cease fire on 18 January, three weeks after Israeli assaults, we have enough data for an evaluation of the events. In 2006 (Israel's War on Hezbollah in Lebanon), we saw that Hezbollah was more successful than today’s Hamas –if we measure the success with the number of dead people-.

Touching "the Untouchables" in Turkey
İhsan Bal

The legitimacy of a state disappears if it fails to punish people who keep guns, bombs, blackmailing tapes, or action plots in an attempt to create chaos in the country. Therefore Turkey has to pursue the Ergenekon case (the Untouchables case) until the end for its own sake.

Mission: Impossible? Ending the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, In a Nutshell
Barin kayaoglu

The question of Palestine remains the biggest chasm between Israel, the Arabs, and non-Arab Muslims. Since the first war between Arab states and Israel in 1948-49, there has been no end in sight to the conflict. For sure, Israel managed to sign peace treaties with, and gain recognition from, two of its neighbors (Egypt and Jordan). But because Israel does not take the bold steps necessary to create the Palestinian state, most Arab and Muslim countries refuse to recognize it.

Israel – Hamas Conflict and Iran’s Stance
Arzu Celalifer Ekinci

Recent Israeli attacks on Gaza caused more than a thousand civilian casualties. At least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and 5000 injured since the beginning of the attacks. Israel’s disproportionate use of force and its attacks on civilians had been condemned and led to many protests all around the world.

Israel Shakes the Very Bases of Its Security Permanently
Dilek Aydemir

Since the beginning of the Israeli assault against Hamas, Israeli officials have stated that Israel invaded Gaza to retaliate against Hamas' unending rocket attacks which targets its security. Moreover, supporters of Israel's offensive further asserted that Israel did not intend to kill civilians.

The Arab World, Israel and Hamas
Osman Bahadır Dinçer

23 day war in Gaza seems to have ended with more than 1300 dead and thousands of wounded Palestinians. It is really difficult to predict what is going to happen in upcoming days. Yet, it is not impossible to say that the forthcoming elections in Israel will occupy much of the time and the agenda of the Israeli politicians.

Obama and Change - But How?
Mehmet Yegin

Barack Obama is officially the President of the United States. For nearly, two months not only the US, but also the world discussed his election, his team, and the change he would bring to the White House. After eight years of Republican control, the West Wing passed to the hands of Democrats again.

US Medal of ‘Dishonour’ and War on Gaza
Güner Özkan

On the 13th of January, the US's highest civil award, the Congressional Gold Medal of Honour was given to three ‘outstanding’ politicians by the outgoing President Bush. They are former British and Australian Prime ministers of Blair and Howard and President Uribe of Colombia.

Turkey: Sacrificing 44 Sheep for Obama!
İhsan Bal

One may easily see the breeze of happiness blowing in a global sense from Latin America to the Middle East after the presidential elections in the US. Turkey is not an exception. People of Gurtepe village, in Van, sacrificed 44 sheep for the appraisal of Obama’s lection as the 44th president of the US[1] This is just one of the examples that people showing their hopes and expectations from the new term in the US foreign policy.

'A War Against Hamas—Not the Palestinian People'
Alon Ben Meir

Now that Israel has unilaterally declared an end to the hostilities it appears that Hamas, which has been badly crippled, will eventually sign on to the ceasefire. Having achieved its war objectives, Israel must demonstrate that the war was waged against Hamas and not the Palestinian people. The tragic losses of many innocent civilians and the destruction resulting from war must be a catalyst for an irreversible movement toward peace.

İrem Güney

Today is not the first time that the European Union faces stark criticism for its foreign policy. In fact, many political scientists argue that the EU does not and will not for the foreseeable future possess a true common foreign policy due to its intergovernmental character and the resulting conflicts of interest among member states.

2009: Russian Gas Policy - First Step Taken
Rovshan Ibrahimov

For the past few years, the New Year has begun with a tradition: confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. The two countries celebrated this New Year with differences in their views of Ukraine’s natural gas price and a transportation fee for Russian gas to pass through Ukraine territory to European countries

Energy Overview of Ankara, 2009
Haluk Direskeneli

Turkish Chamber of Mechanical Engineers is participating to 2nd Urban Symposium in Ankara on 17th January 2009 Saturday afternoon. As an active member of Energy Commission in The Chamber of Mechanical Engineers since graduation year of 1973, your writer is to deliver a speech on "Energy Overview in City of Ankara" in Ankara 2nd Urban Symposium in IMO Conference Hall.

Ukraine and Russia Signed Gas Deal: So Back to Geopolitics!
Güner Özkan

The row over the delivery of Russian gas to Europe between Ukraine and Russia seems to be resolved after its start at the beginning of this month. Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers’ meeting in Moscow on the 17th and 18th of January produced finally an agreement that appears to have just now relieved all involved. But, how can all these be read? Is it just a deal to warm the people in cold or go back to the energy geopolitics of Ukraine?

Remarks on the Israeli Assault
Nermin Aydemir

The death toll in Gaza nears 750 and thousands of others are wounded. Almost all the victims are civilians, including hundreds of children. Medical care options are highly limited since the Israeli Defense Force neither hesitates to bomb hospitals, nor keeps ambulances out of the bomb shower.

The Israeli Factor in the Rise of Hamas
Osman Bahadır Dinçer

The recent events in the Middle East have been watched by sensitive people around the world approximately for two weeks. Yet, the decision makers, who could not understand it is impossible to reach a solution by only condemning, are only watching the ‘state terrorism’.

Gaza Attacks: The US, its Arab Allies and Turkey
Serpil Açıkalın

Israel has been continuing its offensives in Gaza since December 27. The death toll reached 770 at the end of thirteenth day and a quarter of the deaths are civilians. Although many Arab columnists had interpreted the election of Obama as a new era for the future of the region -because there were many expectations from him- the last events caused pessimism, particularly on the basis of his long silence.

A Welcome Party from Israel for Obama
Sedat LACINER

It seems like the headlines will be occupied with Israel and its actions during Obama’s presidency as it was during George Bush’s. Obama, who already gave too many promises on Jerusalem, will have a hard time dealing with Israel’s further demands and actions.

An Overall Assessment of the French EU Presidency
Ceren MUTUS

By the first day of the New Year, a new leaf was turned over for the European Union. The Czech Republic which assumed the EU’s six-month Presidency from France on January 1 will be presiding over the meetings of the EU-27 between January and June 2009.

2009 Prospects for the Horn of Africa as the Power Vacuum Furthers in Somalia
Huseyin AKTURK

The headline-grabbing raids by the Somalian pirates as well as the gains of the radical Islamist groups in the southern region of Somalia marked the failure of the international community, specifically the United Nations, despite the thousands of Ethiopian soldiers backed by the United States occupying the Somali lands.

The Gaza tragedy: Is the Human Rights an 'Export Material' for the EU?
Mehmet OZCAN

The human rights policies of the EU have always been criticized severely. Many scholars blame the EU for using human rights concept as an ‘export material’, and for developing contradicting attitudes at different places as well as at different times.

Israel's Land Operation
Sedat LACINER

Israel, on the 8th day of its air and sea strikes, launched a land operation in the Gaza Strip. Actually, it was an expected step. All Israelite high officials involving Minister of Defence and Foreign Minister were stating that the operations were still at the preliminary stage. Avital Leibovich, the spokesman of the Israel Ministry of Defence, made a declaration that “we just started the secondary stage” when the Israeli forces impinged the land borders.

Israel's Method in Combating Terrorism
Ihsan BAL

The international community is aware of different Israeli ways of combat with terrorism. The news agencies broadcast live news world widely about the ways with which Israel eliminates the menace of “terror” targeted its territory and its citizens.

Changing the Reality in Gaza
Alon Ben-Meir

Israel's ongoing and decisive military response to Hamas' continuing rocket attacks should have been anticipated by the organization's leadership. Yet it seems they have badly miscalculated the Israelis' sentiment and resolve.

Gaza: Legitimacy Requires Responsibility, Consistency, and Commitment
Süleyman Özeren

If legitimacy involves acceptance or approval of the appropriateness or coherence of any implementation or policy decision of a government, then it requires responsibility and commitment.

An Overall Assessment of the French EU Presidency
Ceren Mutuş

By the first day of the New Year, a new leaf was turned over for the European Union. The Czech Republic which assumed the EU’s six-month Presidency from France on January 1 will be presiding over the meetings of the EU-27 between January and June 2009.

Euro@10: A Question of 'Single Representation'
Mustafa Kutlay

Amid the global financial turmoil and recession in the Euro Area, the member countries prepare to celebrate the tenth year of the adoption of euro. When it was first introduced in 1999, the EU, albeit not with all members, realized one of the biggest dreams of the European integration process.

No Illusions around the Horn of Africa
Cenk Alican

In December the EU`s Marine Mission “Eunafor Atalanta” started operating around the Horn of Africa. It is for the first time in this framework that Germany receives a robust international mandate to combat pirate activities off the Somali coast.

Deniable Plausibility or a Different Course of Action!
Suleyman Ozeren

Israel has carried out attacks on Hamas targets on last Saturday, and Sunday. More than 300 people have been killed and hundreds have also been wounded in the attacks. Since, many of the casualties were civilians; a huge reaction occurred at international community, moreover, numerous Muslims held protests against the attacks all over the world.

Why Azerbaijan Has No Full Diplomatic Relations With Israel
Shamkhal Abilov

Azerbaijan and Israel has a developed relationship on the economical and political spheres and Israel consider Azerbaijan as its important strategic partner in the region. But despite of the developed relationship between these states Azerbaijan has no full diplomatic relation with Israel.

Thermal Power Plants Overview as of End 2008
Haluk Direskeneli

Here at this end of the globe, your humble writer sincerely advocates ratification of Kyoto protocol, more utilization of local coal/ wind/ hydro sources, more thermal power plants with clean coal technologies i.e. Circulating Fluid Bed (CFB), Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC), firing local low quality lignite, more emphasis on national energy supply security, more professional education and creation of engineering backbone in nuclear technology, more green employment in green technology.

Negotiating an Israeli-Palestinian Breakthrough
Alon Ben Meir

The difficulty in concluding an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement lies in the internal and psychological struggle resulting from decades of debilitating conflict that has left both sides weary about future co-existence.

Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai: An Analysis
Ihsan Bal

It is hard to determine the terrorist group’s roots according to the limited information. The group may be members of a local terrorist organization, or an international terrorist organization that calls themselves the “Deccan Mujahedeen”. The attackers may not belong to any organization but a group solely formed for this specific terrorist activity.

Turkey and Agreement with IMF: Neither Compulsory, Nor Adequate
Mustafa Kutlay

Since the financial crisis deepens, governments all around the world have started to search for alternative measures to mitigate its effects. As can be remembered, the first comprehensive recovery plan (amounted at 700 billion dollars) came from the United States in October.

Advancement within the Immigrant Society: Not an Easy Task to Achieve
Nermin Aydemir

Concerns over unemployment spreads out all around the world as the impacts of the global economic crisis are felt more deeply every passing day. Things are not easy neither for the companies nor for the governments or for the people.

The Audacity of Hope
Sundeep Waslekar

The election of Barack Obama is a victory for the underdog. It is a victory for democracy. It is a victory for the United States of America. It is a victory for the world. But, most important, it is a victory for the concept of hope.

US Presidential Elections and the Moscow-Washington Line
Habibe KADER ÖZDAL

After the victory of Obama in US presidential elections, the attention turned on the up-coming US policies over the world issues. While all the newspapers were predominantly emphasizing Obama’s victory that was liken a revolution, Moscow had witnessed a very consequential speech of Medvedev. During his first nation-address since he took over the presidency form Putin, Medvedev pointed out very important issues on both domestic issues and foreign affairs.

Yes, we Cem! Congrats Mr. Ozdemir!
Cenk Alican

Germany`s Obama, Turkey`s Pioneer, Europe´s Elvis! Commentators and columnist of daily papers used endless synonyms to describe an event that has set benchmarks in Germany`s political and party landscape this weekend: 43-year-old Cem Ozdemir, member of the European Parliament since 2004, was elected co-chairman of the Greens at the party`s ordinary congress in Erfurt, receiving 79.2% of the delegates` votes.

Turk-Ita Forum: European Public Concerns under Examination
Fatma Yilmaz

The Turkish-Italian Forum has recently been convened, having two parts first one is in Rome, second in İstanbul. With the aim of providing an opportunity for dialogue between Turkey and Italy in terms of Turkey’s accession process to the EU, the Forum, the fifth one, brought political leaders, businessmen, scholars and media representatives together. In contrast to the past four forums....

The Playboy King of Swaziland Challenged by Pro-Democracy Movements
Huseyin Akturk

Every year, people in Turkey as well as all others in the world, get introduced to the tiny kingdom of Swaziland with the annual traditional ceremony called the “Reed Dance” (the Umhlanga in Siswati) where twenty to thirty thousand half naked, virgin women in the country get together to pay their tribute to the Queen Mother.

Obama's Daunting Middle East Challenge
Alon Ben-Meir

After eight years of misguided policy by the Bush administration in the Middle East, the time is overdue for an enlightened strategy to tackle the region's woes. This must include an approach that will bring hope to a region shattered by violence, consumed by conflict and division and filled with disdain toward the United States.

Some Socio-Economic Variables among Migrants in the Netherlands
Nermin Aydemir

Immigrant groups in the Netherlands are increasingly integrating to the education system and labor market, according to the latest integration report of the Central Bureau for statistics. Although differences between the native and the migrants remain to some extent, the second and third generations perform much better than their (grand) parents.

Civil Society in “European Commission 2008 Progress Report on Turkey”
Dilek Aydemir

Especially in the last two decades, civil society has gained a role as an important actor in giving voice to people’s demands and strengthening the social bases of politics at societal level in Turkey. Moreover, intentions to create a civil society which can make positive contributions to political pluralism were considerable.

The New U.S. President and Iran
Arzu Celalifer Ekinci

Finally we left this famous U.S. presidential elections behind and Barack Obama as the first ever black president of the U.S. won the historic victory. But this was just the first step for president-elect Obama. Everybody knows that as soon as he takes office in January 2009 he will find a series of problematic and major ongoing issues on his desk.

Second Obamania in Berlin – Herzlich Willkommen Mr. President?
Cenk Alican

Barack Obama`s sweeping election victory has caused optimistic reactions in the German political and business landscape. The expectations of lawmakers and economic actors are high, but once the euphoria starts fading, Berlin will feel the new president’s hard shell. Conflicts among old friends may occur.

Humanitarian Intervention in Darfur: A Viable Option?
Huseyin Akturk

Darfur is considered as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. From 2003 to 2008, it is estimated that about 300,000 people, mostly civilians died due to violence, disease, and starvation and more than 2 million civilians became internally displaced persons.

New Thermal Power Plant Investment in Bandirma
Haluk Direskeneli

Your writer has received press releases from various resources for a new thermal power plant in Bandirma, Turkey. It is advised that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), has received order for M701F gas turbines for natural gas-fired power generation plants in Turkey. The 920 MW (megawatt) gas turbine combined-cycle (GTCC) power plant for a Turkish electricity provider for the domestic market, is slated to go on-stream in August 2010.

Turkish Economy amid Global Financial Turmoil
Mustafa Kutlay

Finally, it has happened. The reluctant comparisons and bashful voices at the very beginning of the crisis have turned out to be screams and outcries. Almost every newspaper lists the similarities between current global crisis and the Great Depression in 1929. Almost every single news starts with the phrase of “the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression” in order to show us how terrible the situation is.

Gas OPEC: New Instrument of International Policy
Rovshan Ibrahimov

On 21 October in Tehran Russia, Qatar and Iran have agreed on the establishment of a "gas troika", which will cooperate in the gas sector, in particular external export contracts for natural gas. It is expected that this troika will create an organization similar to oil OPEC. All formalities in the formation of a new organization will be dealt in18 November in Moscow, where the gas-exporter countries forum will be held.

US' Military Operation in Syria and International Law
Sedat LAÇİNER and Ceren MUTUŞ

US air forces launched a military assault on Syrian territory that killed eight people on October 26. According to the statements of Syrian officials and witnesses, four US helicopters penetrated eights kilometers into the Syrian territory and targeted a building in the village of al-Sukkariya in the Albu Kamal area near the border with Iraq.

Will PKK Survive?
İhsan BAL

The recently rising terrorist attacks of PKK have reached their peak with martyr of the 17 soldiers in Aktütün on 3 October 2008 and 6 security personnel in Diyarbakır on 8 October 2008. After these two attacks, Turkey has locked its agenda to terrorism while focusing on the questions of what the PKK terrorism is aiming to do, what are the reasons lying beneath the attacks and how to conduct an effective struggle against the terrorist organization.

The US, Economic Crisis and Politics
Hasan Selim Özertem

It has been more than a month that the conflict in Georgia broke out and since then the diplomacy has gained impetus in the region. Even though different reactions have been shown against Russia it has become clear that there is a dispersion of hegemonic power of the US in the world politics.

"Why did you open the door in the first place?"
İrem GÜNEY

Recently, Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan accused the EU of prolonging the accession talks on purpose, by opening two chapters during each term presidency[1]. The same idea was also expressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Babacan. I cannot think of a better summary of recent EU-Turkey relations than Erdoğan’s words.

Drug Smuggling As Main Source of PKK Terrorism
Sedat LACINER, PhD
slaciner@gmail.com
Some claim that Turkey is one of the transit countries of the drug trafficking, not a consumer; so the fight against narcotic should not be involved with in the priority struggels of Turkey. Even, within some conversations, it is

The Changing Nature of Turkey’s Trade Structure: An Overview
By Mustafa KUTLAY
mustafakutlay@gmail.com
At the end of last month, Turkey’s 2007 trade statistics have been published. According to the statistics, Turkey has achieved significant success and increased its trade

Where to Go with the Lisbon Treaty?
Mehmet OZCAN, PhD
mozcan@usak.org.tr
European Union Leaders signed a new treaty on the 13th of December in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. This Reform Treaty, or known as Lisbon Treaty, forms the last circle of EU's periodic revision policy. With this treaty, EU Constitution, signed in Rome in 2004, mostly