Recent Posts

Peshmerga reform hangs in the balance in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region

Efforts to reform the Iraqi Kurdish security forces known as the Peshmerga are at serious risk of failing. Tensions between the ruling parties of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region are not new, but the working relationship between the leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) …

Read More »

Syria’s economic freefall continues despite Arab League return

Syria’s dramatic readmission into the Arab League in May was perceived as a turning point for the country’s fortunes. A swift normalization agreement was concluded with Saudi Arabia and an official meeting — albeit tense and brokered by Russia — was even held between the Turkish and Syrian foreign ministers, …

Read More »

The successes and failures of Turkey’s new economic team

It has been two months since Turkey’s new economic team took over and some progress has been made. Under the new minister of treasury and finance, Mehmet Şimşek, and the new governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT), Gaye Erkan, market normalization has begun and the …

Read More »