This week on Babel, Jon Alterman talks with Ambassador James Jeffrey, who recently finished serving as the Secretary of State's special representative for Syria engagement and as the special envoy to defeat ISIS. Ambassador Jeffrey talked about Turkey's Middle East policy, how to think about Turkey's versus Erdogan's views, and if Turkey has any allies in the Middle East. Then, Jon, Natasha Hall, and McKinley Knoop discussed the durability of Turkey's presence in the Middle East.

James Jeffrey, Merissa Khurma, Haleh Esfandiari, and Robin Wright, “On the Horizon 2021 | Middle East,” The Wilson Center, January 13, 2021.

Jared Szuba, “Outgoing Syria envoy reflects on Turkey, the Kurds and what everyone got wrong,” Al-Monitor, December 9, 2020.

Meliha Benli Altunışık, “The New Turn in Turkey’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Regional and Domestic Insecurities,” Foundation for European Progressive Studies, July 17, 2020.

Episode Transcript, "Erdogan's Middle East Policy," CSIS, February 23, 2021.