Posts From Luke Rodeheffer
Turkey’s influence network in Europe is leading to tension
President Erdogan uses Turkey religious network in Europe to expand the government monitoring of opposition figures and gain popular support.
Security challenges in the Turkish-Syrian borderlands
The recent spate of ISIS-inspired terror attacks in Turkey and subsequent attempted coup, combined with foreign fighters’ incessant attempts to enter ISIS’s shrinking territory have kept Turkey’s border with Syria,
Sanctions encourage money laundering in Crimea
Economic isolation has put Crimea at risk for becoming a safe haven for money laundering. In recent weeks, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has expanded
Syrian smuggling a rising risk for Turkey
The conflict in Syria has resulted in many spillover problems in the region, also in Turkey. As the fighting continues, Turkish law enforcers are struggling to combat rising levels of illegal
Is a trade war brewing between Russia and Kazakhstan?
Russia and Kazakhstan officials claim there is no trade war between their two countries, but the behavior of the two governments follows a pattern of trade disputes between post-Soviet states in
Book Review: Putin’s Kleptocracy
Anyone interested in the development of capitalism in post-Soviet Russia, Putin’s rise to power, and the nexus between Russian oligarchic business and foreign policy will find this book to be
Eurasian Economic Union jeopardised by trade war
Fears of Russia’s declining ruble led Belarus’ government to impose a 30 percent commission on the purchase of foreign currency on December 19th. It comes just weeks before both former Soviet states
Turkish Bank Asya feels the political heat
Turkish Bank Asya has recently come under intense scrutiny through government investigations. Though the bank continues to deny all allegations, evidence is growing that the bank’s books may not all be
Eurasian Economic Union gains momentum
As the Eurasian Economic Union continues to gain momentum, interested parties are lining up and critics are speaking out. Despite the continuing unrest in Eastern Ukraine, economic integration processes are continuing
Islamic finance expands into post-Soviet states
Experts have calculated that Islamic Banking will be a $2.1 trillion industry by the end of 2014. Governments across the former Soviet Union are increasingly turning toward Islamic Finance as
