FROM NEUTRALITY TO ALIGNMENT: THE FORMATION OF NATO AND TURKISH BIDS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Year 2010, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 57 - 68, 01.12.2010

Abdulkadir Baharçiçek

Abstract

The formation of NATO was a responce by the United States to the security questions of the Western Europe and North Atlantic region. Turkey also faced with a serious threat from the Soviet Union. Turkey‟s attempts of entering NATO shaped Turkish security polices as well as her relations with the rest of the world. Turkish membership to NATO can be regarded a solution to her security problems, but it may well be argued that the main cause behind that policy was the continuation of the polices of westernization and modernization. The obvious short term factor behind Turkish desire was the Soviet threat. But at the same time the ideolojical aspirations in becoming an integral part- at least in term of military alliance- of Western world without any doubt played a decisive role in Turkey‟s decision.

Keywords

NATO, Security, Turkish Security Policies, Soviet Threat, Middle East, North Atlantic

FROM NEUTRALITY TO ALIGNMENT: THE FORMATION OF NATO AND TURKISH BIDS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Abstract

İkinci Dünya Savaşı’ndan sonra Avrupa’da ortaya çıkan yeni güvenlik sorunları ve özellikle Batı Avrupa’ya da yönelen Sovyet tehdidine karşı ABD’nin öncülüğünde NATO ittifakı kuruldu. Aynı dönemde Türkiye’de kendisini Sovyet tehdidi altında görüyordu. Türkiye’nin NATO’ya girme çabaları Türkiye’nin güvenlik politikalarını ve Batı ile olan ilişkilerini de şekillendirdi. NATO üyeliği, Türkiye açısından, güvenlik sorunlarına bir çözüm olarak görülebilir, fakat bu üye olma arzusunun arkasında modernleşme ve batılılaşma ideolojisinin bulunduğunu söylemek de yanlış olmayacaktır. Kısa dönemde Sovyet tehdidine karşı koymanın hesapları yapılırken, uzun vadede Batı sisteminin ayrılmaz bir parçası olma arzusunun Türk karar alıcılarının temel düşüncesi olduğu söylenebilir.

Keywords

NATO, Security, Turkish Security Policies, Soviet Threat, Middle East, North Atlantic

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