Turkey-U.S. Defense Cooperation: Prospects and Challenges

Zanotti, Jim

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

关键词: Foreign policy;    Foreign relations;    Foreign relations - Turkey - U.S.;    Foreign relations - U.S. - Turkey;    Defense policy;   

RP-ID  :  R41761
RP-ID  :  R41761_2011April8

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The United States enjoys a strong legacy of defense cooperation with Turkey, both bilaterally and in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), dating from the onset of the Cold War. For both countries, mutual cooperation has major implications for national security priorities in Turkey's surrounding region-particularly the greater Middle East. A more independent Turkish foreign policy course-reflected in recent international events involving Iran, Israel, and other countries-has raised concerns among some Members of Congress. This, coupled with a decline of the military's influence in Turkish society, may affect prospects and present challenges for bilateral and NATO defense cooperation, while also generating ongoing debate over which country needs the other more to pursue and achieve its national security objectives.