Turkey and France are at odds over the Libyan war where they back opposing sides. France accused Turkey of defying an arms embargo on Libya and targeting a French naval ship. Turkey has rejected those accusations and has accused President Macron of turning a blind eye to arms been sent to warlord Khalifa Haftar’s militas. What impact could this dispute have on relations between the NATO allies? Plus, it's been three years since Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman assumed power, steering the country on a dangerous diplomatic and military path. We look at where the kingdom is headed under MBS.

Guests:

Bilgehan Ozturk

Researcher at the SETA Research Centre

Francois Burgat

Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations

Ghanem el-Dosari

Saudi Human Rights Activist

Andreas Krieg

Lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London

Relations soured between Turkey and France after a naval standoff last month in the Mediterranean Sea. France accused Turkey of defying a United Nations arms embargo on Libya and targeting a French naval ship. Turkey rejected those accusations and blasted France for turning a blind eye to atrocities committed by Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar as well as the flow of weapons to his militias from the UAE and Egypt. France has now suspended its role in a naval security operation amid the row. What impact could this dispute have on the relationship between the NATO allies?

Guests:

Bilgehan Ozturk

Researcher at the SETA Research Centre

Francois Burgat

Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations

Three years ago Mohammad bin Salman displaced then Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. Since then the young prince has taken Saudi Arabia on a dangerous diplomatic and military path from the blockade of Qatar, the war in Yemen, to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. We look at those three tumultuous years to see where the kingdom and crown prince could be headed.

Guests:

Ghanem el-Dosari

Saudi Human Rights Activist

Andreas Krieg

Lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London

France and Turkey are both members of the NATO military alliance but, as Hyder Abbasi reports, that friendship has soured over the long-standing Libyan conflict.

On June 15, Turkey launched a co-ordinated land and air assault targeting the PKK terror group inside northern Iraq, to stop them from carrying out cross-border raids. So how important is this latest operation in Turkey’s long running war against the PKK? Plus, Turkey's aid to South Korea during the Korean War helped forge a lasting partnership between the two countries. Ankara's participation hastened its membership into #NATO in 1952 as well as a military alliance with the US and its western allies. How can two countries further strengthen their relations?

Guests:

Talha Kose

Associate Professor at Ibn Haldun University

Tallha Abdulrazaq

Researcher at the University of Exeter's Strategy and Security Institute

Mesut Uyar

Professor at Antalya Science University

Se-Woong Koo

Founder of Korea Expose

#StraitTalk #Turkey

Seventy years ago, Turkish troops joined a UN coalition to push back North Korean troops that attacked South Korea. The move marked the Turkish Republic's first overseas military operation and its eventual emergence as a military power. Turkish President Erdogan, marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, said it helped forge a special bond between Ankara and Seoul. So, what's next for the partnership between these two countries?

Guests:

Mesut Uyar

Professor at Antalya Science University

Se-Woong Koo

Founder of Korea Expose​

Turkey launched a co-ordinated land and air assault on dozens of PKK positions inside northern Iraq. The strikes that began on June 15 came in direct response to attacks by the PKK terror group on Turkish military bases. Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the operations were meant to prevent future cross-border raids. So, how will this operation impact Turkey's long running war against the PKK? And how will it affect Ankara's ties with Baghdad?

Guests:

Talha Kose

Associate Professor at Ibn Haldun University

Tallha Abdulrazaq

Researcher at the University of Exeter's Strategy and Security Institute

The US and Turkey have disputes on everything from the Syrian war to military hardware. But recent gains by the UN-backed Libyan government against warlord Khalifa Haftar may have opened a window for better relations. Will the situation in Libya be a turning point for the NATO allies? Plus, after Turkey reopened in early June, there's been a spike in COVID-19 cases. Is the country headed for a second wave?

Guests:

Glen Howard

President of the Jamestown Foundation

Kadir Ustun

Executive Director at SETA DC

Serhat Unal

Professor at Hacettepe University

Mario Ottiglio

Global Health Policy Expert

Turkey was able to keep coronavirus deaths relatively low during the height of the pandemic. But there's been a recent spike in cases since the country reopened at the start of June. We look at Turkey's early response to the virus and how it plans to tackle a potential second wave.

Guests:

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Serhat Unal

Professor at Hacettepe University

Mario Ottiglio

Global Health Policy Expert

US-Turkey relations may be headed in a new direction after recent military gains by the UN-backed government in Libya against warlord Khalifa Haftar. Turkish President Erdogan and his US counterpart spoke on the phone after which Erdogan signaled that a new era could stem from cooperation in the North African country. Although many sticking points remain between the two NATO allies, can Libya prove to be a turning point?

Guests:

Glen Howard

President of the Jamestown Foundation

Kadir Ustun

Executive Director at SETA DC​