Conclusion: Turkey and the Middle East in an Age of Turbulence

Abstract

Since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, Turkish foreign policy was predominantly based upon Westernization, the balance of power, and the preservation of status quo principles. In connection with these norms, Turkey followed an isolationist approach and avoided Middle Eastern entanglements during the Cold War era. However, these principles were no longer responding to the needs and ambitions of modern Turkey in the early twenty-first century. The US withdrawal from Iraq and the corresponding decline in its regional influence, the Sunni-Shi’a sectarian divisions, and the relatively passive stance of Russia left a power vacuum in the Middle East that paved a way for increased Turkish interventionism. Not surprisingly, Turkish foreign policy has been transformed noticeably under the AKP (Justice and Development Party) rule since 2002. More importance has been given to historically neglected areas and regions, particularly the neighboring countries and the Middle East. Turkish foreign policy has tried to be more proactive, more multidimensional, and more assertive regarding its own policy priorities.