FinPol Digest

  Saturday, 31 October 2020. Erdogan insulted French President Macron over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that have angered the Islamic world. Meanwhile, the insult was prompted to call the French envoy to Turkey and political tensions between the two countries escalated. Erdogan described Macron as a mentally ill person who needed a psychiatric examination. However, Erdogan had the opportunity to escape the turmoil in his country, taking advantage of the turmoil in the Islamic world and calling for a boycott of the French products, pretending to protect the freedom and dignity of Muslims.   And this shows the difficult period in Turkey economically, politically and militarily. Erdogan took advantage of the deteriorating situation between the Muslim world and French. This calls into question Erdogan's betrayal of the interests of Muslims by waging war in the Middle East. Turkey is totally against security in the Middle East, and relations with the Middle East have deteri...

 Anti-government protests in Iraq have seen a never-ending curve and now have grown to the extent of police resorting to extreme measures. These protests have been going on for over a year and a few days ago the protests marked their one-year anniversary and on the second day of the show, the police clashed with dozens of protesters and fired tear gas in Baghdad. The police took this step when some of the protesters started burning tires and hurling rocks on the strategic Al-Jumhuriyah bridge across the Tigris River, an area that leads to the famous green zone. According to the photographs released by AFP, the police can also be seen using stun grenades. As per reports, the green zone is only separated by a concrete wall from where the protests are being held in Tahrir square. Iraqi reports cannot enter the green zone where the parliament, government offices, and the United States embassy is situated. Iraq has seen the largest protest ever since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. ...

Monday, 26 October 2020. US President Donald Trump on Monday pledged "major sanctions" against Turkey in reference to Russia's test of the S-400 fighter jet, in its offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish fighters. The long-running conflict between the two countries has exacerbated the political situation in the region, The Turkish military is directly involved in the crisis in the region, es pecially its military support to Azerbaijan. "Do people really think we should go to war with Turkey, a NATO member?" Trump said on his Twitter account. "The same people who got us into the Middle East mess are the people who most want to stay there,” Trump said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged the United States to impose sanctions on his country if he can, while also launching a second attack on French President Emmanuel Macron, who last week described him as mentally ill. Speaking a day after suggesting that Macron needed mental health...

  Vladimir Putin has found himself in the middle of successive crises going on in Russia's neighboring countries. From political turmoil in Kyrgyzstan to massive uprising in Belarus, the Russian President is grappling to find solutions to these mounting flare-ups that appears to be spinning out of control. Amid these challenges, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh is the most concerning. With Turkey providing mercenaries and arms to Azerbaijan, Moscow needs to step up efforts to broker a 1994-like ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan in a bid to settle the conflict. As Russia shares cordial relations with both warring sides, however, Putin will have to mediate the conflict diplomatically to sustain the country's position in the region. The land-locked country of Kyrgyzstan has been witnessing violent protests over the past few days. Seen as Russia's most loyal ally in the Central Asian region, Kyrgyzstan has been facing one of its worst...

 The EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, the European joint mission in Libya, announced on Monday that Commodore Theodoros Mikropoulos, from the Hellenic Navy, finished his assignment as Chief of Staff of Operation and he will take on the position of Force Commander. As programmed, after six months Italy leave the Force Command of the EU joint mission to Greece. Colonel Filippo Quagliato, from the Italian Air Force, handed over the duty in the presence of the Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Fabio Agostini. “Commodore Mitropoulos was truly precious, he was very useful and measured in a complex the moment also due to the Coronavirus,” Agostini affirmed.  Theodoros Mitropoulos was born in Athens in 1965, has held numerous administrative positions on a regular, operational, and strategic level. The European Council officially adopted the decision to launch the Eunavfor Med Irini operation last March. The main task of the mission remains the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya. Si...

  Sunday, 18 October 2020. Haji Abukar Omar was arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Mogadishu last night. In an interview with Kulmiye Radio, which will be released today, Abukar Omar Adan said, "I support al-Shabaab in principle and I want the infidels in Halane to be killed. The arrest of Haji Abukar comes after he gave an interview to a radio station about the principles of Al Shabaab and his support for some of their principles. He also went on to answer a question, do you support the terrorist bombings? He replied that it was up to them to decide the purpose of the bombings, but he did not answer. In the interview, Haji Abukar made it clear that he supports the principles of extremist groups and the elimination of the "infidels" in the country and this has hastened his arrest. "I have never had anything in common with any politician. I have no interest in Al-Shabab’s principles. I want the destruction of non-believers in th...

  Saturday, 17 October 2020. Reports from the war-torn region of Nagorno Karabakh say Azerbaijan bought weaponry worth $ 77m from Turkey a month before the fighting broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh, proving that Turkey sold military arms to Azerbaijan. According to a report arms sales in the region has quadrupled compared to the past. Since the beginning of the war in Nagorno Karabakh, military relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan have emerged. Turkey has provided military support to Azerbaijan since the beginning of the war and has reportedly sold fighter jets and ammunition.  While working to expand and modernize the Azerbaijani defense sector by providing modern weapons. A spokesman for the Azerbaijani president's office said they had reached an agreement with the defense company from Turkey to purchase arms. Azerbaijani Defense Minister Z. Hasanov has declared that they are ready to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) from Turkey , as part of a defense ...

 After a heated discussion on Wednesday and a final ultimatum by the United States, Sudan has decided to normalise its relationship with Israel. The US had reportedly issued an ultimatum of 24-hours to the North African country to make a decision on normalising ties with Israel only after which it will remove Sudan’s name from the blacklisted countries. The US had presented Sudan with offers such as removing travel ban, making attempts towards increasing aid towards Sudan, commitment to facilitate private investment in Sudan, arranging an investment conference within the country and forgiveness of billions of dollars of Sudanese debt to the US, reports Jerusalem Post quoting a Sudanese journalist. The deputy chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo had earlier said in an interview that they are open to the proposal of normalising ties with Israel and even exploring other options with Israel. Experts have said that it was only a matter of time that Sud...

 Germany has come out in support of Cyprus and Greece against Turkey as it tries to use all of the oil and gas available in the disputed area of the East Mediterranean region. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday said that Turkey should refrain from provoking the disputed region and as the European Union partners it supports Cyprus and Greece. The foreign minister was on his way to the two countries and just before his flight, he said, “Ankara must end the interplay between detente and provocation if the government is interested in talks - as it has repeatedly affirmed.” He asserted pressure on Turkey to not get into deep waters of the disputed territory and asked Ankara to remain open for talks and further dialogues. Turkey had once again broken the accord by announcing that it will be sending a ship to the region on Monday which was strongly reverted by Greece who asked the European Union for strict action on Turkey and also asked the union to impose sanctions on the cou...

 The United States has always been an active agent in the Middle East. It is still arguable if this involvement has been fruitful for the region or has it intensified the situation but no matter what, whatever happens in the US or whoever holds the power in the US, it impacts the activities and politics of the Middle East.  To analyze what would the power in the US brings to the middle east, we have analyzed their current stance. For example, Iran. Iran is a country which was opposed by even the Obama government so no matter which administration takes over, it is to be noted that the treatment towards Iran will be strict. The only difference with Biden leading the charge will be the relaxation of sanctions that the US imposed on Iran’s economy.  While some may argue, but Trump has been more than firm regarding the sanctions on Iran but if Biden comes into the picture, he will most probably try to undo what the Trump administration has done. From what can be gathered throu...

  Diplomatic relations in the Middle East, between the Gulf States and Turkey, are deteriorating. UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash on Saturday condemned the presence of Turkish troops in Qatar, saying it was contributing to "severe political divisions" in the region. This is fueling diplomatic tensions between the two countries, which were at loggerheads in 2017 when the Gulf States cut ties with Qatar. The UAE's foreign minister has described Turkey's military presence in the Gulf as a state of emergency, contributing to deep divisions in the region. The minister pointed out that this strengthens the divisions in the regional governments, and does not take into account the sovereignty of the states and the interests of the Gulf and its people, so our region does not need regional protection and the establishment of traditional colonial ties. The minister described Turkey as a threat to regional security. Gargash expressed concern about Erdogan's visit to Qa...

  Lebanon ’ s former prime minister Saad Hariri warned that amid the ongoing political and economic crisis, Lebanon might collapse if the country ’ s leaders did not take a united stand towards implementing the French plan. Hariri during a television interview late , on Thursday, said, “ I call on political parties to think well so as not to waste this chance...French President Macron ’ s initiative still stands and we can still enact it. If we let it fail, it would be a crime. ”   French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a reform plan to help the crisis-riddled country recover from its worst financial crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. France, which led the efforts to gather foreign aid for Lebanon’s recovery, raised an urgent need for reforms and stable government which stands for transparency, accountability, retribution and justice.   Unfortunately, the small Mediterranean country’s sectarian leaders of the two main Shiite parties, Hezbollah and the Amal bloc...

  As I read about the things happening in the USA, I can say that Trump disregard dearly warnings, denied the severity of the danger, and criticized the doctor's and scientists' advice. He declined to strictly enforce the Defense Production Act and neglected to strictly plan our national protective equipment inventory, leaving a significant shortage of masks and gloves that must remain secure for front-line employees. He neglected to develop a national strategy for testing and contact tracing as cases rose. Without the capital, he left the state and local governments to fail.   There are options out there; we only need knowledgeable leaders who know how to listen, lead, and get things done with empathy. Throughout the country, people in Congress are begging the president and his Republican boosters to fix these crises with the urgency they deserve, admit their errors, and act on behalf of the people who sent them to Washington. It's time for them, if they can't, to st...

  Yesterday, on a visit to Baku ,  Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed his solidarity to Azerbaijan’s President   amid its recent clashes with Armenia. Despite many international calls for a truce by Russia, France, and the US, the conflict has proceeded.    Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu censured calls for a ceasefire and asked the global community to support Azerbaijan, stating that the past truces had neglected to end Armenia's control of the territory of Azerbaijan.   According to AP reports, citing Cavusoglu, “Let’s have a cease-fire, ok, but what will happen after that? Will you be able to tell Armenia to immediately withdraw from Azerbaijan’s territory? Or are you able to draw up a solution for it to withdraw? No.”   The recent conflicts started on Sept. 27, when the Armenian powers attacked locals of Azerbaijani settlements and military sites in the area that let to casualties.    Throughout the last...

  On September 29, fighting resumed after members of the National Defense Forces (NDF) militia, allied with the Syrian regime, attacked the 8th Battalion of the Fifth Division. "These battles turned into clashes between the" 8th Brigade, "whose members were mostly from the Daraa region, and the influential movement of the" Honorable Men "of As-Suwayda. Meanwhile in June, SOHR activists say two members of the fifth group were killed in clashes with Mahajeh administration forces in the Daraa countryside, after a military intelligence checkpoint was attacked by a civilian from the town. Meanwhile, fighters from Daraa of the Russian-backed 5th Army took control of a road near Damascus-Daraa owned by the military intelligence branch in the towns of Sayda and Kahil, east of Daraa. Clashes in the town of al-Qarya, south of As-Suwayda province, on its administrative border with Daraa province, are attributed to Russia's support for the "8th Brigade" t...

  Here’s an interesting situation   I read that I want to share. It’s about the tangled situation in the middle east. A complicated equation in the natural gas market has been developed by Qatar, Russia, and Iran. The Middle East faces many crises under the current conditions and has become an arena for shared and conflicting interests. No one can tell for certain whether a blessing or a curse is natural resources such as gas and oil in this area.   As we take a look at the situation, In the regional gas market, a problem is now looming: Qatar plans to increase its production of gas, challenging the interests of countries such as Russia and Iran. Russia, for instance, is trying to maintain its own position as one of the world's biggest producers of gas. It’s something to look forward to what will happen in this rivalry between the said countries. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has accused Armenia of "aggression" and "expansion of territory" in the region. This confirms the suspicion that Turkey provided political and military support to Azerbaijan during the war broke between Azerbaijan and Armenia, taking advantage of previous conflicts between Armenia and Othmans. The Turkish government denies the atrocities committed by the Ottomans in Armenia and continues to fight alongside Azerbaijan. Turkey has been accused of playing a role in last week's fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The week-long fighting appears to be escalating and Turkey seems to be contributing to the violence and fuels the conflict there. Now, the eyes of the world are on Turkey's involvement in the war, which on September 29, Turkey promised to provide direct military support to Azerbaijan, calling Armenia an aggressor. Russia has called on Turkey to remain neutral and find a solution also. Turkey's fore...

  Armenia’s top officials have confirmed that the country is going to bring Armenian origin citizens from Greece to fight in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan.     The secretary to the president of Azerbaijan, Hikmet Haziyev, said that they have got information about Armenia’s plan that they will be bringing people from western countries to fight in the disputed region as mercenaries.   "We call on those states to stay away from such provocations against Azerbaijan and to take measures. Citizens of these countries will become targets if they participate in military operations," he said.   He went on to add that Armenians have been attempting to enter the cyberspace of Azerbaijan. The official claimed that apart from the Armenians occupying the disputed area, journalists are also staying in those areas working for Armenian forces, who are illegally staying in the area.   He alleged that these foreign reporters were brought by Yerevan to disrupt th...

  Amidst the escalation of tension between Greece and Turkey over the usage of energy resources in the disputed territory of the Eastern Mediterranean, the European Union has threatened Turkey with imposing sanctions.   According to foreign media reports, on October 2, the president of the European Union the commission has urged Turkey to stop all its activities in the disputed territory and maintain peace and stability in the region. She called on Ankara to "abstain from unilateral actions" in the eastern Mediterranean region.   This happened during a meeting of the EU leaders where the chief said that the organization wants a positive and constructive relationship with Turkey. She also added that the level of positive dialogue in the region is only possible when Ankara abstains from its unilateral actions in the region.   A lot of countries have expressed their concerns about Turkey’s dominance over the region. A few days earlier, seven European nations decid...

  The efforts to find peace in Libya seems to have covered some ground as an UN-led peace talk between the warring factions of Libya took a conclusive turn with agreeing over a prisoner exchange. The warring factions that have been getting support from foreign parties have now come under pressure to avert any further escalation. It has taken more than humanitarian peace talks to put an end to the civil war lead mayhem in Libya. In the face-to-face military talks, it was decided that General Haftar led side and the UN-recognized government side will agree to a prisoner exchange and open the air and land transit across the country’s divided territory. In a written statement, the UN support mission in Libya has confirmed that the two days talks were conducted in “a spirit of responsibility, transparency and mutual trust," that has resulted in progress on several of the lingering issues between the war's two parties. Starting October, both parties have agreed to amicably r...

  In his first-ever address to the United Nations General Assembly, the Saudi ruler laid down his country’s positions on terrorism and Iran.   This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and, with the pandemic having forced the General Assembly online, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud addressed the gathering remotely for the first time since assuming office in 2015. In it, he clearly outlined the position that his country is taking with respect to the most pressing issues facing the region and the globe today.   Stressing on the shared human values of “peace, moderation, tolerance, and solidarity”, he said it was more important than ever to work together in the coming days to jointly address the challenges confronting humanity, the most urgent of which is the coronavirus pandemic. He mentioned that Saudi Arabia has $500 million in support towards combating the disease and improving response in health, humanitarian, and economic spheres....