"A compelling view of Erdogan's Turkey, chronicling the erosion of democracy and the heavy-handed crackdown after the coup of July 2016."
—Ambassador Morton I. Abramowitz, former US Ambassador to Turkey
"An Uncertain Ally is a compelling political history that chronicles Turkey's abuses against human rights, killing of Kurds, and insidious support for Islamic extremists. It convincingly advocates for a more reality-based, honest approach to relations with Turkey, ending exceptionalism."
—Ana Gomes, Member, European Parliament
"David Phillips offers recommendations, certainly worthy of Washington DC's consideration, for a broadening of collaboration between the United States and Turkey in such fields as counterterrorism, trade, energy and human rights. With American persuasion, this might serve to render relief for Turkey' s diverse population from the harsh authoritarian and radical policies of President Erdogan."
—Seymour Topping, professor emeritus of International Journalism, Columbia University
‘At this moment of tumultuous transition in the presidency of the United States, nuanced and informed understandings of global politics are timely and more important than ever to read. An Uncertain Ally by David Phillips, is a welcomed addition to the literature and an important corrective to many popular misunderstandings of Turkey today. […] As a reader I was engaged from beginning to end, and the suspense of the real world events and the protagonist of this story makes it all the more compelling.’
—Susan Sgorbati
"To him, Erdogan is a dictator who sees himself as the new Ataturk, with a mission to remodel the Turkish state and Turkish society in the image of its glorious Ottoman past. As Phillips describes it, Erdogan’s authoritarian personality, his ‘inner Stalin’ (p. 177), comes to the fore whenever he is under pressure."
—Hanns W. Maull, Survival: Global Politics and Strategy
