The creeping diminution of Ataturk's secular Turkish state began in 1970, when Necmettin Erbakan (1926-2011), who had been elected to Parliament the previous year, formed Turkey’s first Islamic political party in the post-Ataturk era. A year later, … [Read more...] about The Rise of Islamist Dominance in Turkey – Part I
Homage to Catalonia*
Left: Catalan pro-independence supporters celebrate after polls close. AFP: Gerard Julien Two contradictory groundswell political movements are colliding on the European scene with unpredictable results: The emergence of a supranational government … [Read more...] about Homage to Catalonia*
Weekly Review, September 21-25, 2015
The U.S. Moral Decline - Rachel Ehrenfeld - What would Eleanor Roosevelt say about the election of Saudi Arabia’s Geneva ambassador Faisal Trad, as Chair of the United Nation Human Rights Council’s monitoring panel? She would wonder … [Read more...] about Weekly Review, September 21-25, 2015
The U.S. Moral Decline
What would Eleanor Roosevelt say about the election of Saudi Arabia’s Geneva ambassador Faisal Trad, as Chair of the United Nation Human Rights Council’s monitoring panel? She would wonder how Saudi Arabia, which refused to sign the Universal … [Read more...] about The U.S. Moral Decline
A Tale of Two Viennas*
Left: The EU's Federica Mogherini (L), Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russia's Sergei Lavrov (R) in Vienna after the deal was signed. (Reuters/Leonhard Foeger) VIENNA 1815: The great powers of Europe; Russia, Prussia, Great Britain and Austria, meet … [Read more...] about A Tale of Two Viennas*
Xi’s Bluffing Hand*
Next week’s state visit of China’s No. 1 Xi Jinping looks to be all pomp and circumstance. There is little expectation that the long list of critical issues between Washington and Beijing will be addressed in any substantive way. And, in fact, the … [Read more...] about Xi’s Bluffing Hand*
Getting Serious About Syria: A Deal is Urgently Needed*
Left: Current Status of Syrian Civil War (By Syria location map2.svg) Secretary of State Kerry gets calls from his Russian counterpart and calls him back. But what we hear is more of the same: the United States wants Assad out, the Russians support … [Read more...] about Getting Serious About Syria: A Deal is Urgently Needed*
Another Gathering Storm*
Graf credit: World Economic Forum “Outlook on the Global Agenda - Just when you think things couldn't get worse, they do. As chaos, civil war and anarchy spread across the Middle East; as Europe is subject to the most massive Muslim invasion since … [Read more...] about Another Gathering Storm*
Algemeiner Articles from 2013-2015
Publications in https://www.algemeiner.com/author/rachel-ehrenfeld/ SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 8:19 AM Obama and Kerry: The ‘Lemon’-Car Salesmen Just like a used-car salesman, Secretary of State John Kerry continues to peddle the defective agreement with … [Read more...] about Algemeiner Articles from 2013-2015
Weekly Review, September 7-11, 2015
Europe’s refugee crisis a warning to Israel - Norman A. Bailey - There are certain situations that do not lend themselves to any reasonable solution which will fulfill all the objectives of the actors in the drama. The tidal wave of political and … [Read more...] about Weekly Review, September 7-11, 2015