Yahya Bostan All daily Yeni Şafak Columns

Yahya Bostan

42 columns listing

Ankara's calculations, Trump's victory

10 November 2024, Sunday

In April, diplomatic channels were abuzz. Relations between Ankara and Washington were easing. Examples of this thaw included talks on Sweden’s NATO membership and F-16 negotiations. Diplomats and intelligence officers from both countries had even begun discussing the future of terrorist organizations in Syria. This progress was set to culminate in a meeting between the two leaders, with plans for a White House visit in May where President Erdoğan would meet with Biden in the U.S. However, Ankara

What topics did the U.S. and Iran agree on?

28 September 2024, Saturday

Israel has launched an attack on Lebanon following its actions in Gaza. While some are saying this indicates the region is heading toward a major war, the signs suggest otherwise. Despite open challenges, Iran has not taken action in Gaza. It remained silent as high-ranking commanders were killed and even adopted a position to ease tensions when its embassy in Damascus was targeted. After the death of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran took a more measured approach. Following the attack on Lebanon,

Iran is stepping on Türkiye's toes, not Israel's

21 September 2024, Saturday

Israel is striking all of Iran’s regional interests, leaving Tehran on shaky ground. Yet, Iran isn’t retaliating, as its strategy doesn’t involve direct confrontation with Israel. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for Iran to maintain its presence in the region. So, what will Tehran do? Interestingly, Iran is taking steps to limit Türkiye’s influence. How, you ask? Let me explain. Israel’s Clear Objective Israel views the current geopolitical situation as an opportunity. Its goal was

How did we become a key player in that power struggle?

22 August 2024, Thursday

Time is moving faster, and we can barely keep up. As we look back years from now, we may realize we overlooked key developments that marked turning points. One such moment is the intense power struggle unfolding in Africa among global powers. Türkiye has become a key player in this great struggle, especially through its critical moves over the past year. I'll explain how, but first, let's take a snapshot of the situation. THE ECONOMIST: ONE REASON IS TÜRKİYE In April, *The Economist* published an

A new situation on the ground: U.S. missiles, Russian radar, Turkish drones

29 July 2024, Monday

In the past, this would have been something television channels would cover for days. But this time, it's being handled quietly and discreetly. I’m talking about the extensive cross-border operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces in northern Iraq. This might be the largest operation ever conducted to date. The heroic tales would require pages to write. It's spreading like ink drops. Nevertheless, the Turkish state’s strategic thinking, diplomacy, and military experience have chosen to remain

Will the Ankara-Damascus dialogue end before it begins?

18 July 2024, Thursday

You know that I have been closely following the Türkiye-Syria dialogue process. Recently, there has been a growing sentiment that "this won't work." This is evidenced by Assad's latest conditional statement. Some believe multiple obstacles are trying to derail the process. Will the Ankara-Damascus dialogue end before it begins? From what I gather, this is not the case. Let me explain. Ankara's approach is clear. President Erdoğan initiated the process with a positive message, emphasizing Syria's

The secret is out: British soldiers in US uniforms are on the Turkish border

28 June 2024, Friday

A recent statement by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan didn't receive much attention. During an appearance on a television program (Habertürk), Fidan responded to a question about the Syrian branch of the PKK, the YPG, by saying, "We have issues with 2.5 countries: the USA, the UK, and a bit with France." When it comes to the terrorist organization PKK, countries like the USA, France, and Germany often come up. President Erdoğan and other state officials frequently warn these countries to stay away

The game is changing: Get ready for surprises in Syria

16 June 2024, Sunday

In Syria, there was a status quo with the US, Iran, Russia, and Türkiye maintaining their positions. When the Ankara-Damascus normalization process emerged, this status quo was disrupted. CENTCOM (US Central Command), which handles the Syria file, feared losing its place if normalization occurred and thus introduced a new strategy: merging terrorist structures in northern Iraq and Syria to expand its influence. In response, Ankara sat down with Iraq, collaborating on counter-terrorism and directly

What was discussed in the covert U.S.-Iran talks?

25 May 2024, Saturday

Some significant developments got lost in the dust cloud raised by the crash of Iranian President Raisi's helicopter. I'm referring to a secret meeting in Oman, which took place exactly a week before the crash. Brett McGurk, the U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, met with Iranian officials there. Since the meeting was secret, we only know what we're told or what they want us to know. However, we have some questions and suspicions we'll express. Here's

The heavy price paid by Türkiye...

11 April 2024, Thursday

It had been a year since the "One Minute" crisis. Tension was escalating in Ankara-Tel Aviv relations. Türkiye was openly targeting Israel's regional interests. One of these was the nuclear crisis between Israel and its main ally, the US. At the time, discussions were underway about Iran being next in line after the Iraq invasion. Ankara realized this would lead the region to the brink and, together with Brazil, brokered a trilateral nuclear deal (Iran's undeserved gesture would later be understood