Structure of Turkey-USA Bilateral Relations and Analysis of Factors Affecting Bilateral Relations
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University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School October 2019 Structure of Turkey-USA Bilateral Relations and Analysis of Factors Affecting Bilateral Relations Hanifi Ozkarakaya University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Political Science Commons Scholar Commons Citation Ozkarakaya, Hanifi, "Structure of Turkey-USA Bilateral Relations and Analysis of Factors Affecting Bilateral Relations" (2019). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/8675 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Structure of Turkey-USA Bilateral Relations and Analysis of Factors Affecting Bilateral Relations by Hanifi Ozkarakaya A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Nicolas Thompson, Ph.D. Bernd Reiter, Ph.D. Steven Roach, Ph.D. Date of Approval October 16, 2019 Keywords: The American Foreign Policy, Turkey-USA Bilateral Relations Copyright © 2019, Hanifi Ozkarakaya TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1 Methodology ........................................................................................................................6 Scope of Study .....................................................................................................................6 Chapter 1: Examination of International Relations Theories on the Concept of Allies ..................7 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................7 Realism ...............................................................................................................................8 Liberalism ..........................................................................................................................11 Constructivism ...................................................................................................................13 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................15 Chapter 2: Post-Cold War Transformation of the Structure of Turkey-US Bilateral Relations ....17 Introduction ........................................................................................................................17 Turkey-United States Relations During Clinton Presidency .............................................18 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................20 Chapter 3: President Bush Era and the Transformation of Bilateral Relations .............................21 Introduction ........................................................................................................................21 Turkey-United States Relations During George W. Bush Presidency ..............................22 Bush Doctrine ........................................................................................................22 The Effects of the September 11 Attacks on Turkey-US Relations ......................24 New Erdogan Government and Its Effect on Bilateral Relations ..........................26 Turkey-US Relations Under the Influence of 2003 Iraq War ................................27 Crisis of Proposal ...................................................................................................28 Influence of US Unilateralism on Bilateral Relations ...........................................30 Greater Middle East Project and in This Context Turkey-US Relations ...........................31 Second Term Bush Administration and Evolving Political and Economic Relations .......33 Bush Administration Period Turkey-US Economic Relations ..........................................39 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................40 i Chapter 4: The Obama Administration Period and the Unstable Course of Bilateral Relations ...41 Introduction ........................................................................................................................41 Obama Administration Period Turkey-US Relations ........................................................42 Obama Administration Foreign Policy Principles .................................................43 Obama Administration's Middle East Politics and Turkey's Role .........................45 Effect of Changing Turkish Foreign Policy on Turkey-US Relations ...................49 The Impact of the Arab Spring and the Syrian Civil War on Bilateral Relations .............53 Coup Attempt in Turkey and its Consequences .................................................................63 Obama Administration Period Turkey-US Economic Relations .......................................66 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................67 Chapter 5: The Volatile Course of Turkey-US Relations ..............................................................68 Introduction ........................................................................................................................68 Does Turkey's Level of Democratic Development Affect Bilateral Relations? ................69 Diverging Interests of the Two Countries ..........................................................................73 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................77 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................79 Future Research .................................................................................................................81 References ......................................................................................................................................83 ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Freedom House Turkey Democracy Index, (1972-2018) ..............................................70 iii ABSTRACT This study focuses on understanding and explaining the factors affecting Turkey-US bilateral relations, which have been on a fluctuating course in recent years. Turkish foreign policy had a Western-centric foreign policy approach in line with Turkey’s westernization goal in previous years. However, Turkish foreign policy has undergone a major change since it became clear that the long-lasting European Union accession process would not reach a result. Therefore, Turkey's new foreign policy, which is not Western oriented and closely associated with the former Ottoman Empire geography, has also affected the bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States. The most important factor affecting Turkey-US bilateral relations is common interests. The study examines how bilateral relations are maintained when two countries share common interests and what consequences this may have if the two countries have different interests. As a result, the international institutions of which the two countries are members have not been sufficient to change the interest-oriented structure of bilateral relations. iv INTRODUCTION The history of Turkish-American bilateral relations dates back to the end of the 18th century. Despite the geographical distance of the two countries, bilateral relations were carried out around the arms trade until the end of the First World War. (Gencer, 2008) However, Turkish- American relations gained momentum after the Second World War. As a result of the Second World War, Turkey joined the US-led Western camp to deal with the threat of the Soviet Union. After the Truman Doctrine promulgated in 1947 and Turkey joined NATO in 1952, significant progress made between the two countries in the areas of political, economic, and military cooperation. Furthermore, during the Cold War, Turkey's foreign policy decisions were shaped by the direct or indirect influence of the United States. Even today, the most important agenda of Turkish foreign policy, such as the Cyprus Problem, the Syrian Civil War, Northern Iraq, and the July 15 coup, attempt are considered within the framework of relations with the United States. It would not be wrong to say that the institutional basis of Turkey-US bilateral relations is the NATO partnership. Although Turkey joined organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank as part of the Western camp after the Second World War, NATO has always been the main element of bilateral relations. The main reason for this situation is that Turkey is located at the intersection of Europe, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Furthermore, Turkey,