naval postgraduate school thesis

69 Pages·2007·0.3 MB·Turkish

NAVAL
POSTGRADUATE
SCHOOL

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA

THESIS

TURKISH - AMERICAN RELATIONS POST 9/11

by

Serdar Kara

December 2007

Thesis Advisor: James A. Russell
Second Reader: Timothy J. Doorey
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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December 2007 Master’s Thesis
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Turkish - American Relations Post 9/11 5. FUNDING NUMBERS
6. AUTHOR(S) Serdar Kara
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Monterey, CA 93943-5000
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13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words)
After the September 11 attacks, the U.S. initiated the Global War on Terror. Prosecution of this
war has become a defining objective of the Bush era in American foreign policy. Following the invasion of
Afghanistan, the United States invaded Iraq. As part of the invasion plan, the United States requested
permission to deploy troops in Turkey to invade Iraq over its northern frontiers. The subsequent rejection of
this request by the Turkish Parliament destabilized the relationship between the United States and Turkey.
These events have placed U.S.-Turkish relations on an uncertain footing. This thesis seeks to explore the
path towards the crisis in these relations. It argues that that the parameters of the bilateral relations have
changed significantly since the September 11 attacks. The thesis provides a chronological analysis of
history of Turkish-American relations focusing on the recent events. Last, the thesis will offer
recommendations on how U.S.-Turkish relations can be restored, drawing upon the lessons of the past
between these two countries.

14. SUBJECT TERMS Turkish-American Relations, September 11, U.S., Turkey, Iraqi 15. NUMBER OF
Invasion, Northern Front, PKK, PAGES
69
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

TURKISH - AMERICAN RELATIONS POST 9/11

Serdar Kara
First Lieutenant, Turkish Air Force
B.S., Turkish Air Force Academy, 2002

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS IN SECURITY STUDIES

from the

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
December 2007

Author: Serdar Kara

Approved by: James A. Russell
Thesis Advisor

Timothy J. Doorey
Second Reader

Douglas Porch
Chairman, Department of National Security Affairs
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ABSTRACT
After the September 11 attacks, the U.S. initiated the Global War on
Terror. Prosecution of this war has become a defining objective of the Bush era
in American foreign policy. Following the invasion of Afghanistan, the United
States invaded Iraq. As part of the invasion plan, the United States requested
permission to deploy troops in Turkey to invade Iraq over its northern frontiers.
The subsequent rejection of this request by the Turkish Parliament destabilized
the relationship between the United States and Turkey. These events have
placed U.S.-Turkish relations on an uncertain footing. This thesis seeks to
explore the path towards the crisis in these relations. It argues that that the
parameters of the bilateral relations have changed significantly since the
September 11 attacks. The thesis provides a chronological analysis of history of
Turkish-American relations focusing on the recent events. Last, the thesis will
offer recommendations on how U.S.-Turkish relations can be restored, drawing
upon the lessons of the past between these two countries.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. THESIS INTRODUCTION...............................................................................1
II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS......7
A. PRE- COLD WAR................................................................................7
B. COLD WAR..........................................................................................9
C. POST- COLD WAR............................................................................18
III. RELATIONS IN THE AFTERMATH OF 9/11................................................25
IV. THE INVASION OF IRAQ.............................................................................29
A. THE U.S. NORTHERN FRONT REQUEST .......................................29
B. THE U.S. INVASION OF IRAQ..........................................................35
C. THE AFTERMATH OF THE INVASION.............................................38
V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................41
A. CONCLUSION...................................................................................41
1. PKK/KONGRA-GEL................................................................42
2. Northern Iraq..........................................................................44
B. RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................47
1. Alliance...................................................................................48
2. Balkans, Caucasus, and Central Asia..................................50
3. Strategic Partnership ............................................................51
LIST OF REFERENCES..........................................................................................53
INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST.................................................................................57

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