Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T20:58:04.420Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Reconstructing Turkish-American relations: Divergences versus convergences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2015

Mustafa Aydın
Mustafa Aydın*
Affiliation:
Department of International Relations, University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Turkish-American relationship experienced the most difficult period of its history after the refusal of the Turkish Parliament on 1 March 2003 to allow US troops to open a northern front to Iraq from Turkish territory. By the time a new administration took power in Washington in early 2009, the badly damaged relationship had recovered somewhat and recently has even taken a positive turn. Although the parameters of the recovered relationship are not yet clear, by analyzing the intricacies of diverging and converging worldviews and interests of the two states in the post-Cold War era, one can understand what happened to the strategic partnership of the 1990s and how Turkish-American relations may develop in the future. Accordingly, this paper will first look at the constraints and limitations of the current relationship through diverging interests and contextual viewpoints in the post-Iraq War world. It will then highlight the areas of convergence that existed even during the lowest point of the relationship. Finally, I will argue that, while the strategic partnership may have ended, a strategic relationship between the two states will continue to exist and may even produce a newer form of connection and cooperation, the contours of which will also be outlined for the coming years, taking into account the opportunities and hurdles ahead.

Keywords

Turkish-American relationsstrategic partnershipstrategic relationshipspecial relationshipnational interests
Type
Articles
Information
New Perspectives on Turkey , Volume 40: Special Issue on Turkish Foreign Policy , Spring 2009 , pp. 125 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © New Perspectives on Turkey 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

“5 Kasım 2007 Basın özeti.” BBC Turkish, http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkish/pressreview/story/2007/11/071105_pressreview.shtml.Google Scholar
Abramowitz, Morton. “What's up With Turkey?” Wall Street Journal, 25 March 2003.Google Scholar
Altunışık, Meliha. “The Turkish-Israeli Rapprochement in the Post-Cold War Era.” Middle Eastern Studies 36, no. 2 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aydın, Mustafa. Turkish Foreign Policy during the Gulf War of 1990-1991. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 1998.Google Scholar
Aydın, Mustafa, and Erhan, Çağrı, eds. Turkish-American Relations: Past, Present and Future. London: Routledge, 2004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aydın, Mustafa, özcan, Nihat A., and Kaptanoğlu, Neslihan. Riskler ve Fırsatlar Kavşağında Irak'ın Geleceği ¡ve Türkiye. Ankara: TEPAV, 2007.Google Scholar
Aydıntaşbaş, Aslı. “Erdogan's Davos Outburst Is Nothing New.” Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/30/erdogan-turkey-davos-opinions-contributors_0130_asli_aydintasbas.html.Google Scholar
Aykan, Mahmut Bali. “The Turkey-US-lsrael Triangle: Continuity, Change and Implications for Turkey's Post-Cold War Middle East Policy.” Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 22, no. 4 (1999).Google Scholar
Barkey, Henri J. “Turkish-American Relations in the Postwar Era: An Alliance of Convenience.” Orbis 33, no. 3 (1992): 447–64.Google Scholar
Beehner, Lionel. “The Challenge in Iraq's Other Cities: Kirkuk.” CFR Backgrounder, http://www.cfr.org/publication/11036.Google Scholar
Bernstein, Barton J. “Reconsidering the Missile Crisis: Dealing with the American Jupiters in Turkey?” In The Cuban Missile Crisis Revisited, edited by Nathan, James E.. New York: St Martins, 1992.Google Scholar
Brzezinski, Zbigniew. The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and its Geostrategic Imperatives. New York: Basic Books, 1997.Google Scholar
“Bush to Warn of Dire Effect If US Leaves Iraq.” Reuters, 19 March 2007.Google Scholar
Chace, Robert S., Hill, Emily, and Kennedy, Paul. “Pivotal States and US Strategy.” Foreign Affairs 75, no. S1 (1996): 33–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, Steven A., and Sherwood-Randall, Elizabeth. “Generating Momentum for a New Era in US-Turkey Relations.” Council on Foreign Relations, June 2006.Google Scholar
Cooper, Helene, and Landler, Mark. “On Iran, Obama Plans Talk and Some Toughness.” New York Times, 3 February 2009.Google Scholar
Cordesman, A. H. “Iraq and the Crocker-Petraeus Testimony: The Risks that Only Time and a Sustained US Presence Can Deal With.” CSIS, 8 August 2007.Google Scholar
Çağaptay, Soner. “Hamas Visits Ankara: The АКР Shifts Turkey's Role in the Middle East.” Washington Institute for Near East Policy, http://www.ciaonet.org/pbei/winep/policy_2006/2006_1081/2006_1081.html.Google Scholar
Çalışkan, Koray, and Yüksel, Taşkın. “Litmus Test: Turkey's Neo-lslamists Weigh War and Peace.” Merip Report, 30 January 2003.Google Scholar
Çalışkan, Koray. “Turkey's Dangerous Game.” Merip Report, 27 March 2003.Google Scholar
Daly, John C.K:. US-Turkish Relations: A Strategic Relationship Under Stress. Washington: Jamestown Foundation, 2008.Google Scholar
“Echoes of Davos Walkout Still Resonating Worldwide.” Hürriyet Daily News, 2 February 2009.Google Scholar
“Editorial: Secretary of State Pelosi.” Wall Street Journal, 16 October 2007.Google Scholar
Elekdağ, Şükrü. “2½ War Strategy.” Perceptions 1, no. S1 (1996): 33–57.Google Scholar
Flanagan, Stephen J., and Brannen, Samuel J.. Implications for US-Relations. Washington: CSIS, 2008.Google Scholar
Gordon, Philip H., and Ömer, Taşpınar. Winning Turkey: How America, Europe and Turkey can Revive a Fading Partnership. Washington: The Brookings Institute, 2008.Google Scholar
Harris, George S.Troubled Alliance: Turkish-American Problems in Historical Perspective, 1945-197I. Washington: AEI, 1972.Google Scholar
Hülse, Carl. “U.S. and Turkey Thwart Armenian Genocide Bill.” The New York Times, 26 October 2007.Google Scholar
International Crisis Group “Iraq and the Kurds: Resolving the Kirkuk Crisis.” Middle East Report, no. 64 (2007).Google Scholar
International Crisis Group. “Turkey and Iraqi Kurds: Conflict or Cooperation?” Middle East Report, no. 81 (2008).Google Scholar
Karaosmanoğlu, Ali. “European Security and Turkey in a Changing Strategic Environment.” Yearbook of the Hellenic Foundation for Defence and Foreign Policy (1990): 177–86.Google Scholar
Karaosmanoğlu, Ali. “Turkey's Security Policy: Continuity and Change.” In Politics and Security In the Southern Region of the Atlantic Alliance, edited by Stuart, D.. New York: Macmillan, 1988.Google Scholar
Karasapan, Ömer. “Turkey and US Strategy in the Age of Glasnost.” Middle East Report, no. 160 (1989): 4–10.Google Scholar
Katulis, Brian, and Juul, Peter. “The Kirkuk Impasse.” Center for American Progress, http://www.american-progress.org/issues/2008/07/kirkuk.html.Google Scholar
Kay, Sean. “What is a Strategic Partnership?” Problems of Post Communism 47, no. 3 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, Robert F.Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. New York: Norton, 1971.Google Scholar
Kessler, G. “White House and Turkey Fight Bill on Armenia.” The Washington Post, 10 October 2007.Google Scholar
Kirişçi, Kemal. “Post Cold-War Turkish Security and the Middle East.” Middle East Review of International Affairs 1, no. 2 (1997).Google Scholar
Krauthammer, Charles. “The Unipolar Moment.” Foreign Affairs 70, no. S1 (1990).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Larrabee, Stephen, and Lesser, Ian O.. Turkish Foreign Policy in an Age of Uncertainty. Santa Monica: Rand, 2003.Google Scholar
Lesser, Ian O. “Off Autopilot: The Future of Turkish-US Relations.” Turkish Policy Quarterly 4, no. 4 (2005).Google Scholar
Lewis, Jonathan E. “Replace Turkey as a Strategic Partner?” Middle East Quarterly (Spring 2006): 45–52.Google Scholar
Lundgren, Asa. The Unwelcome Neighbour: Turkey's Kurdish Policy. London: I. B. Tauris, 2007.Google Scholar
Makovsky, Alan O. “Turkey.” In The Pivotal States: A New Framework for US Policy in Developing World, edited by Chase, Robert S., Hill, Emily and Kennedy, Paul, 88–119. Washington: Norton, 1998.Google Scholar
McCreal, C. “A Strategic Friendship Cools: Relations between Israel and Turkey.” The Economist, 26 June 2004.Google Scholar
McCreal, C.. “Turkish PM Accuses Israel of Practicing State Terrorism.” Guardian, 4 June 2004.Google Scholar
McManus, Doyle. “Obama's Iran Strategy.” Los Angeles Times, 22 February 2009.Google Scholar
“MHP Milletvekili Deniz Bölükbaşı ile Röportaj: PKK'nın Silahları Barzani'ye Gidecek.” Aksam, 9 March 2009.Google Scholar
Migdalovitz, Carol. Turkey: Ally in a Troubled Region. Washington: Congressional Research Service, 1993.Google Scholar
Nachmani, Arnikam. “Turkey in the Wake of the Gulf War: Recent History and Its Implications.” Insight Turkey 1, no. 3 (1999).Google Scholar
Park, Bill. “Iraqi Kurds and Turkey: Challenges for US Policy.” Parameters, no. 34 (2004): 18–30.Google Scholar
Park, Bill. “US-Turkish Relations: Can the Future Resemble the Past?” Defence and Security Analysis 23, no. S1 (2007): 43–45.Google Scholar
Parris, Mark R. “Afterword.” In Turkish-American Relations: Past, Present, and Future, edited by Aydın, Mustafa and Erhan, Çağrı, 252–53. London: Routledge, 2003.Google Scholar
Parris, Mark R.. “Starting Over: US-Turkish Relations in the Post-Iraq War Era.” Turkish Policy Quarterly 2, no. S1 (2003).Google Scholar
Pleming, Sue. “Turkey, U.S. Play Down Tensions over Armenia Issue.” Reuters, 19 March 2009.Google Scholar
Riemer, Andrea K. “Water Issues and the Extended Understanding of ‘Security’: The Southeast Anatolia Project as a Multidimensional Potential for Crisis?” The Turkish Yearbook of International Affairs, no. 26 (1996): 81–100.Google Scholar
Rustow, Dankwart A.Turkey: America's Forgotten Ally. New York: CFR, 1989.Google Scholar
Sayan, Sabri. “Turkey: Changing European Security Environment and the Gulf Crisis.” Middle East journal 46, no. S1 (1992): 9–21.Google Scholar
Sayan, Sabri. “Turkish-American Relations in the Post-Cold War Era: Issues of Convergence and Divergence.” In Turkish-American Relations: Past, Present, and Future, edited by Aydın, Mustafa and Erhan, Çağrı, 91–105. London: Routledge, 2003.Google Scholar
Sezer, Duygu. “Turkey's Grand Strategy Facing a Dilemma.” international Spectator 27, no. S1 (1992): 17–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
“Speaker Pelosi Hedges on Genocide Resolution Vote.” CNN, 17 October 2007.Google Scholar
Stern, David L.The Wrong Horse: The Politics of Intervention and the Failure of American Diplomacy. New York: Times Books, 1977.Google Scholar
“Tezkere Onaylandı.” http://www.dunyabulteni.net/news_detail.php?id=25740.Google Scholar
Thomasson, D. K. “Pelosi Stumbles over Armenian Resolution.” New York Times, 15 October 2007.Google Scholar
Vest, Jason. “Turkey, Israel and the US.” The Nation, 23 August 2002.Google Scholar
Walker, Joshua W. “Reexamining the US-Turkish Alliance.” The Washington Quarterly 31, no. S1 (2007): 93–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White House Report “Turkey Told Kirkuk Will Be under US Control.” http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2003/April/20030410143441nosnhojb0.18978S2.html#ixzz0Afokc.Google Scholar
“Wilson: örgüte Silah Vermiyoruz.” CNN-Türk, http://www.cnnturk.com/2007/turkiye/07/03/wilson.orgute.silah.vermiyoruz/371137.0/index.html.Google Scholar
Yetkin, Murat. “Hibe Silahlar PKK'ya.” Radikal, 19 July 2007.Google Scholar
Zaman, Amberin. “Hamas Leader Meets Turkish Officials in Ankara.” Voice of America, http://www.voanews.com/tibetan/archive/2006-02/2006-02-16-voa4.cfm.Google Scholar