Turkey between the United States and Russia: Surfing on the Edge

Description

Current debates on Turkish foreign policy flamed by Turkey’s purchase of S-400 air defense systems from Russia throws into question Turkey-US relations and poses a challenge to Turkey’s membership in NATO, which has been regarded as the most important symbol of Turkey’s alliance with the West. However, Turkey’s maneuvers between the US and Russia are not unique to the present era as they can be traced back to the Cold War period. In fact, Turkey’s alliance with the West did not prevent Turkey from establishing special relations with the Soviet Union. This book, which is spurred by Glenn Snyder’s theory on alliance politics, indicates that Turkey’s foreign policy moves shaped in accordance with the fear of abandonment and the fear of entrapment with regards to its relations with the US, did not only stay within the boundaries of the Cold War, but further moved beyond that era. The authors argue that Turkey’s maneuvers to balance the US with Russia in the historical context constitute a strong element of continuity and a significant pattern in Turkish foreign policy. Yet, the authors underline that the motives behind this legacy have changed in the 2010s due to the transformations occurred within global, regional as well as domestic contexts. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Notes Chapter 1: A Faithful Balancer: The Legacy of the Cold War in Turkey’s Relations with the United States and Russia Search for a New Ally: 1945–1947 Emergence of a New Western Ally against the Soviets: The 1947 Truman Doctrine and Beyond Consolidation of the Alliance with the United States: Pax-Americana Prevails in Turkey during the 1950s Troubled Alliance and Rapprochement with Soviets in the 1960s and the 1970s Revival of Turkey–US Relations in the 1980s Notes Chapter 2: Interrogating an Ally: Turkey and the United States after the Cold War 1991–2002: An Uncertain Alliance 2002–2012: A Dented Partnership 2012–2020: Neither Friends, Nor Foes? Notes Chapter 3: A Roller-Coaster Relationship: Turkey and Russia after the Cold War 1991–2002: Geopolitical Interests versus Economic Concerns 2002–2012: The Era of Multidimensional Partnership 2012–2020: Dynamics of Conflict and Cooperation Notes Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index About the Authors