Turkish Foreign Policy

Analytical Essay # 65512

History > European
History > Middle Eastern
Hot Topics > Iraq Wars

Assesses the tensions in Turkey's post-Cold War era foreign policy.

1,890 words () | 8 sources | MLA | 2005 United States

Paper Summary:

As Turkey has tried to find its place in the post-Cold War system, it has encountered problems stemming from its geopolitical position straddling both East and West. The paper shows that, in desiring both close ties to the West-particularly membership in the European Union and friendship with the USA, and Middle Eastern trade without involvement in Middle Eastern politics, it has frequently found itself at cross-purposes with regard to foreign policy. These competing goals of foreign policy have come to a head most notably in the Gulf War and the American invasion of Iraq. The paper shows that this situation is complicated by Turkish concerns over how foreign policy might affect the Kurdish population. The paper shows that the tensions between the competing goals of Turkish foreign policy-its eastern and western goals and its concern about how foreign policy might affect the Kurds--have caused some paralysis; Turkish foreign policy since the Cold War has been primarily reactive and in support of the status quo.

Paper Outline:
Introduction
The Kurds
The Gulf
The United States
The Middle East
Conclusion
Bibliography

From the Paper:

"The biggest sources of competing goals in Turkish foreign policy are Turkey's concern over Kurdish nationalism and its position between East and West. Since the Cold War its concern over Kurds has been notably at odd with its alliance with the United States. Turkey's connection to the US has been winning out. The second source of tension, that of East and West, has intensified since the end of the Cold War. Since the 1950s, Turkey has tried to disengage from Middle Eastern politics and keeps its relationships in that region mainly economic, with the exception of Israel, with whom it has strategic and military ties."