Peter Edel

Erdogan finds himself in serious trouble, since followers of the U.S. residing Imam Fethullah Gülen are harassing him with successive corruption investigations. With his reputation as an autocratic leader who crushed protests against  the demolition of a park with 130,000 teargas grenades, Erdogan can forget about support outside of Turkey. Gülen does it better abroad. His hollow phrases about peace, democracy, tolerance and interfaith dialogue still impress those who do not look much further.

AKP Keen to Polarize Turkey Further
By Peter Edel
After the occupation of Istanbul’s Gezi Park had been ended by the riot police most of the traces were removed.  All that remained was a small corner where the victims were commemorated with photographs and texts. However, this memorial site now belongs to the past as well. 

Turkey’s View Turns Towards the East
By Peter Edel
Earlier this year NATO stationed American, German and Dutch Patriot air defense systems in Turkey, to offer protection against an unlikely missile attack from Syria. Turkish defense specialists were introduced this way to the special qualities of the Patriots. A fortunate concurrence of circumstances, since Turkey is in the market for its own air defense system. Raytheon, the American producer of the Patriots, cooperated with the Turkish defense industry before and was preparing the contracts already.

“After the party rallies of last weekend ‘civil war’ was written on many walls in Istanbul…”
By Peter Edel

“After the party rallies of last weekend ‘civil war’ was written on many walls in Istanbul…”
By Peter Edel