Turkish Relations With The U.s. Post-cold War Era,

The alliance between Turkey and the US that was formed in the immediate aftermath of world war II has remained in effect for more than half a century, easily qualifying it as one of the longest lasting international alliances in the history of modern Turkey. The US-Turkish alliance was born out of the mutually shared concern of the two countries about the threat posed by the Soviet Union. It grew into a close politico-military relationship during the Cold War years, and remained strong during the uncertain international environment of the post-Cold War era. Along its development for over 50 years, the alliance witnessed both high degrees of cooperation as well as serious strains, and had transformed from a relatively simple bilateral arrangement into a highly complex relationship that included a broad spectrum of issues ranging from regional security problems in the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Central Asia to Caspian energy development and Turkey's domestic politics.Despite the major changes that have taken place in its international and domestic contexts after the Cold War, the Turkish-American relationship has proven to be enduring and, for their mutual benefits, reasonably strong. Turkey's strategic location has traditionally been the most important reason for Washington's interest in promoting close military and political ties with Ankara. During the Cold War period, the US viewed Turkey as a key NATO partner in Western defense strategies against the perceived Soviet threat. Developments in the aftermath of the Cold War underscored Turkey's continuing geostrategic importance for US national interests and security concerns in the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Central Asia. For Turkey, the bilateral alliance with the US has meant, first and foremost, military aid and assistance to meet its security and defense requirements. Additionally, the long-lasting alliance with the world's leading power has also provided Turkey with an important political and diplomatic asset in the conduct of its foreign policy and international economic relations.In the post-Cold War era, the Turkish-American relationship is influenced by three dominant factors, the EU, the Central Asia and the Iraq, and the national interests have decided their policy towards the three problems. Despite the emergence of several problems in bilateral relations over the years, both countries have maintained to strengthening the Turkish-American relationship for their leading interest. Events in the early 2000s once again dramatically revealed the importance of their bilateral...