Turkey's resolve to dislodge the Democratic Union Party (PYD) from Afrin, a Kurdish enclave in northern Syria adjacent to the Turkish border, will be seriously tested by the US and Russian opposition to military action against the Kurds.

The nostalgia among a section of the AKP to recreate the Ottoman past through economic and geopolitical integration has been the driving force behind Turkey’s recent assertive postures in regional matters including the Qatar crisis.

The post-referendum changes in Turkey will have far reaching implications not only for the form of government but also for the long-term future of the republic and adversely affect democratic consolidation.

What to make of the combination of Trump’s missile strikes in Syria, changes of mind about China and Russia, warnings to North Korea, signals about scaling up military presence in Afghanistan, and outreach to Turkey?

The Turkish republic stands at a crucial juncture today. The latest constitutional amendment will change Turkey’s 94-year old parliamentary system of government. As the constitutional amendment bill awaits referendum, serious questions arise about the direction in which Turkey is heading.

Turkey’s insistence on a role for itself risks escalating the already fraught sectarian situation in Iraq, undermining Iraqi sovereignty and not yielding any significant military or political gains for itself.