In the heart of Istanbul's historic neighborhoods, away from the sleek glass towers of Levent and the diplomatic corridors of Ankara, lies a network of high-stakes intelligence hubs. They do not have satellite dishes on their roofs or encrypted servers in the basement. Instead, they are marked by the rhythmic clicking of backgammon tiles and the persistent steam of tulip-shaped tea glasses.
Welcome to the "Turkish kahvehane," the traditional coffeehouse that serves as the unofficial headquarters for the world's most confident geopolitical analysts.
My dear colleague Amez Ahmed and I arrived without an appointment, but by deploying some tactical journalism skills and a bit of persuasion, we managed to infiltrate their ranks and secure a seat at the inner circle.
Continue Reading on Daily Sabah
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.