Although Turkish human rights abuses may seem like a secondary concern for the US in light of Turkish threats against US partners in Syria and Turkey’s deepening relationship with Russia and Iran, these issues cannot be separated.

Real intolerance against Muslims exists, no question. But the term “Islamophobia” is too often deployed to inhibit rather than encourage dialogue about honest questions, concerns, or grievances.

Ninety-five years have passed since the Pontian Genocide, but the Turkish government continues to erase the few remaining Christian religious and cultural artifacts in the region.

Many have praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms and say they represent the beginning of comprehensive reform within Saudi Arabia. But the monarchy’s stability is at risk.

As daunting as it may be, closing the God gap is a necessary step to improving communication with Russia and other important actors in international affairs.

What does NATO need to do going forward? The short answer: more and less.

Turkey’s current invasion of Afrin, Syria, is similar to its invasion of northern Cyprus in 1974.

So far, the United States has failed to articulate any clear strategy in Syria. It is not even clear who our allies are anymore.

In October of last year, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, liberated the city of Raqqa from the Islamic State, who had proclaimed it to be the capital of its caliphate. Four months later, NATO member Turkey has opened a military campaign in the Syrian region Afrin against the same Kurds who led the fight against ISIS.