Friends at the Gate: Why Turkey Matters in the U.S. and European Security
Abstract
A lingering post-Cold War ignorance of the geo-strategic importance of Turkey as a U.S., European, and NATO ally may risk long-term Turkish ambivalence or even animosity toward both the U.S. and Europe. Given the changed nature of our relations with Turkey, the U.S. can no longer take Turkish partnership, confined to the prism of NATO, or our ability to confront Iraq or other adjacent areas as a given, nor should we assume we can buy Turkish support when it is convenient. Turks increasingly see their relations with the west in a triangular way with competing pressures between Turkish, EU, and U.S. interests. They feel the pressure, are aware of the souring in the Turkish-American relations, and may find it increasingly difficult to harmonize their interests with the U.S. and EU if they can't balance the divergent pressures from each. The DoD and EUCOM would be wise to study the Turks more closely, understand their intense nationalism, growing domestic democratic influence, fear of an independent Kurdish state on their border, and their strong national security interest in EU membership. Accordingly, the EUCOM Commander in conjunction with DoD and DoS will need to assertively engage both Turkey and the EU together to include development of Theater Security Cooperation Plans that factor in the influence of the EU along with Turkish security interests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 18, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA425998
Entities
People
- David A. Davies
Organizations
- Naval War College