The release last week of a European Commission report highly critical
of Bulgaria's and Romania's progress in their efforts against
corruption serves as a useful reminder that both Brussels and Ankara
should exercise patience while negotiating Turkey's European Union bid.
The Bulgarian and Romanian cases demonstrate that both Europe and its
potential members are best served by an exhaustive, deliberate
accession process.
U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision to visit Turkey this week indicates that he is looking to Ankara to help implement his diplomatic strategy in the Middle East, a role to which Turkey aspires but has not yet demonstrated the capacity to fulfill. A predominantly Muslim democracy located at the intersection of Europe and the Middle East, Turkey has enjoyed a strategic partnership with the United States for nearly 60 years. But the nature of the alliance has come into question… more
As Policy Analyst for the American Strategy Program, Benjamin Katcher contributes to the program's aim of informing the foreign policy discourse in Washington through research, writing, and innovative programming. Mr. Katcher also manages and contributes to the popular national security blog, The Washington Note. His primary area of interest is in the… more
