Nick Danforth

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Protesters held placards reading “U.S.A. get out of Middle East” in front of the United States embassy in Ankara, Turkey, earlier this month. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

MundoAméricaEuropa, , ,

The current crisis between Ankara and Washington over the fate of the imprisoned American pastor Andrew Brunson is the culmination of a long-simmering dispute over the fundamental nature of the relationship between the United States and Turkey. Both sides want the relationship to continue but have irreconcilable expectations about whose terms it should continue on.

Washington, after years of frustration, is seeking to enforce some ground rules for the alliance by showing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he will pay a price for arresting innocent Americans, buying Russian weapons and ignoring the United States’ sanctions against Iran.

Ankara is seeking to challenge the “asymmetric” balance of power within the alliance, insisting that Washington can no longer dictate Turkey’s economic relations with its neighbors, ignore its strategic concerns over Kurdish fighters in Syria or expose the Turkish government’s corruption and human rights abuses.…  Seguir leyendo »

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey speaking at the Grand National Assembly in Ankara this week. Credit Adem Altan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

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Last week, a federal jury in New York convicted a Turkish banker, Mehmet Hakan Atilla of playing a role in an elaborate gold-smuggling scheme that involved bribing high-ranking Turkish government officials to help Iran evade American sanctions.

Making the case even more explosive, testimony at Mr. Atilla’s trial alleged that the scheme had the approval of Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Mr. Erdogan, of course, is not pleased. The other day, he again voiced his longstanding claim that the Iran sanctions violation case is just the latest link in a chain of C.I.A.-orchestrated plots against him, including the 2013 protests in Gezi Park and the 2016 attempted coup.…  Seguir leyendo »

Pro-government supporters flood the road leading to Istanbul's iconic Bosporus Bridge on Thursday, July 21. Turkish lawmakers approved a three-month state of emergency, endorsing new powers for President Erdogan that would allow him to expand a crackdown against his opponents. (Emrah Gurel / Associated Press)

Europa,

The recent coup attempt in Turkey came as a complete surprise to most observers. But a decade ago, the only surprise would have been the fact that it didn’t succeed. After all, in the last 60 years Turkey has had four coups led by a military famously committed to secularism. When the Islamist Justice and Development Party, or AKP, was elected in 2002, another coup seemed all too likely.

Having survived, the AKP’s authority now appears unchallenged; President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is taking no risks as he purges the military of any potentially disloyal officers who remain. How did Erdogan and his party escape the fate of their predecessors?…  Seguir leyendo »