Origins of a Strategic Relationship

The relationship with the United States has been a key aspect of Turkey’s foreign and security policy since 1945. Despite fears on both sides that this “strategic relationship” would become less strategic and less important with the end of the Cold War, the relationship has retained its significance for both countries. Indeed, the relationship has arguably acquired even greater significance in the post–Cold War strategic environment—a significance underscored by events since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the looming confrontation with Iraq. This sustained importance reflects the unsettled character of regions surrounding Turkey and the primacy of these regions in today’s security calculus. It is also a reflection of the changes in Turkish society, the influence these changes have had in the way America sees Turkey, and in Turkey’s ability to play a larger regional role. In the broadest sense, Turkey’s relationship with the United States is also linked to Turkish perceptions of globalization, a phenomenon closely associated with America’s political and economic role.