Strategic Insight
Strategic Partners or Estranged Allies: Turkey, the United States, and Operation Iraqi Freedom
Strategic Insights are published monthly by the Center for Contemporary Conflict (CCC). The CCC is the research arm of the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Naval Postgraduate School, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
July 1, 2003
Perhaps the least expected short-term consequence of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) was a serious aggravation in US-Turkish relations. After the Turkish Parliament dashed American hopes of deploying forces from southeastern Turkey on 1 March 2003, the US-Turkish deterioration raises questions about the health of the two countries' "strategic partnership." Some have opined that because the United States is a global power while Turkey is only a regional power, rather than "partners" Turkey and the United States are "allies" destined to conflict on key matters.
It is too early to prognosticate on the future US-Turkish partnership; mixed indicators included harsh comments from Washington tempered by reassuring words by US diplomats in Ankara. Likewise, supplementary war funding contained $1billion in aid for Turkey, conditional upon the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) not obstructing US operations in Iraq. The departure from Turkish soil of American assets associated with Operation Northern Watch has also worried Turkish commentators, though the 22 June 2003 meeting between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül holds out the prospect that the tezkere krizi (parliamentary bill crisis) has been overcome in favor of humanitarian cooperation in Iraq.
The question remains: how did two NATO allies with supposedly common interests fail to activate their strategic partnership regarding matters of deep mutual concern? Chagrined American editorialists have asked how a country funded and protected by the United States since 1946 could let us down at this key time.[1] More telling, American officials have pondered how American (and Turkish) negotiators could fumble the ball so totally and publicly.[2]
- Barak A. Salmoni
Artigo Completo
Strategic Insights are published monthly by the Center for Contemporary Conflict (CCC). The CCC is the research arm of the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Naval Postgraduate School, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
July 1, 2003
Perhaps the least expected short-term consequence of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) was a serious aggravation in US-Turkish relations. After the Turkish Parliament dashed American hopes of deploying forces from southeastern Turkey on 1 March 2003, the US-Turkish deterioration raises questions about the health of the two countries' "strategic partnership." Some have opined that because the United States is a global power while Turkey is only a regional power, rather than "partners" Turkey and the United States are "allies" destined to conflict on key matters.
It is too early to prognosticate on the future US-Turkish partnership; mixed indicators included harsh comments from Washington tempered by reassuring words by US diplomats in Ankara. Likewise, supplementary war funding contained $1billion in aid for Turkey, conditional upon the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) not obstructing US operations in Iraq. The departure from Turkish soil of American assets associated with Operation Northern Watch has also worried Turkish commentators, though the 22 June 2003 meeting between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül holds out the prospect that the tezkere krizi (parliamentary bill crisis) has been overcome in favor of humanitarian cooperation in Iraq.
The question remains: how did two NATO allies with supposedly common interests fail to activate their strategic partnership regarding matters of deep mutual concern? Chagrined American editorialists have asked how a country funded and protected by the United States since 1946 could let us down at this key time.[1] More telling, American officials have pondered how American (and Turkish) negotiators could fumble the ball so totally and publicly.[2]
- Barak A. Salmoni
Artigo Completo
publicado por MP às 13:47
