nytimes.com | By The Editorial Board | April 2, 2019

Opinion A Wake-Up Call for President Erdogan
In local Turkish elections, the opposition, united and organized, took on an autocrat.

The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher. It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.

nytimes.com | By Eric Scmitt | April 3, 2019

WASHINGTON — Now that the Islamic State has been driven from its last sliver of territory in Syria, hundreds of American troops — not just their equipment — are leaving the war zone, just as President Trump ordered in December.

Nytimes.com | Carlotta Gall

ISTANBUL — At a recent rally to open the campaign before municipal elections in March, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was heckled by a group of public workers demanding jobs. But he was having none of it.

www.jpost.com | By Akil Marceau | February 4, 2019

More than ever, a strategic long-term vision is needed.

The December 19 announcement of the withdrawal of the 2,000 US troops fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria has not stopped inflicting damage and creating confusion. This started with the US administration and the resignations of defense secretary Jim Mattis and the special presidential envoy of the global coalition to counter ISIS, Brett McGurk. The two men both had intimate knowledge of the terrain and the serious consequences such a withdrawal would create. They understood the strategically dangerous and morally unacceptable decision to abandon their reliable and effective Kurdish allies in the war against the jihadists. 

Nytimes.com | By The Editorial Board

An Iranian Kurdish writer, detained for six years on a remote island for seeking asylum in Australia, proves that words are more powerful than fences.

theguardian.com | By Calla Wahlquist | 31 Jan 2019

Guardian writer on Manus Island wins $125,000 after sweeping non-fiction prize and Victorian prize for literature at Victorian premier’s literary awards 2019

reuters.com | Bye Robin Emmott and John Irish | January 18, 2019

BRUSSELS/PARIS (Reuters) - In Tehran on Jan. 8 during a meeting with European envoys, Iranian officials abruptly stood up, walked out and slammed the door in an extraordinary break with protocol.

washingtonpost.com | Bye Brett McGurk(*) |  January 18, 2019

The president decided to withdraw U.S. forces without consulting allies or understanding the facts on the ground.

Telegraph.co.uk | By James Badcock, Madrid

A Swiss MP has accused the Turkish government of passing off olive oil plundered from Syria as Turkish in order to sell it in European Union countries, including Spain.

Theguardian.com | Ranj Alaaldin

The US, Turkey, the YPG and desperate Syrian Kurds would all lose if Assad and his backers regained control