Turkey’s Security Policy towards Northern Syria and Iraq amid Regional Chaos (2011-2019)

Year 2022, Issue: 102, 147 - 170, 27.07.2022

Sayyad Sadrı Alıbabalu

https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.10207

Cited By: 1

Abstract

This study seeks to explain Turkey’s policies towards Iraq and Northern Syria in the context of regional geopolitical competition. The paper first explains the structure of the regional competitive system in the Middle East by taking into consideration the role and impact of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Secondly, by focusing on the strategic goals of the regional actors, the paper contextualizes the logic of strategic rationality behind Turkey’s military and political engagements in Syria and Iraq. Finally, the research is addressing Turkey’s strategy for settling the Syrian
crisis. One of the most important threats against Turkey during this period has been the emergence of the YPG, the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organization, which became the central component of the counter-terrorism policy of the US against ISIS. With the deepening of the crises in Syria and then in Iraq, as well as the failed military coup in Turkey in 2016, the government has changed its strategy and has consolidated itself as one of the most effective players in the Syrian crisis. The overall assessment of this research is that Turkey has managed the emerged threats in northern Syria and Iraq by pursuing a twin pillar policy and relying on diplomatic and especially hard power capacities and eventually, has become a pole in resolving the Syrian crisis since
2016 when gradually moved away from the Western coalition.

Keywords

Turkey, international system, regional chaos, Iraq, Syria.

References

• Allison, Roy. “Russia and Syria: Explaining Alignment with a Regime in Crisis.” International Affairs, vol. 89, no. 4, 2013, pp. 795-823.
• Anadolu Ajansı. “Dışişleri Bakanı Çavuşoğlu: 371 Bin Suriyeli Güvenli Şekilde Geri Döndü.” https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/politika/disisleri-bakani-cavusoglu-371-bin-suriyeliguvenli-sekilde-geri-dondu/1675403, (Accessed: 25.12.2019).
• Arafat, Hasan. “Syrian Kurds Support Kurdistan Region against Neighbors’ Threats: PYD Co-chair.” https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/interview/6343783ec458-4e82-adfb-0bdfa88ff21b (Accessed: 17.11.2019).
• Arango, Tim, and Ceylan Yeginsu. “Turks Can Agree on One Thing: U.S. Was Behind Failed Coup.” https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/world/europe/turkey-coup-erdogan-fethullah-gulen-united-states.html, (Accessed:05.01.2020).
• Aras, Damla. “The Syrian Uprising Turkish-Syrian Relations Go Downhill.” Middle East Quarterly, vol. 19, no. 2, 2012, pp. 41-50.
• Ataman, Muhittin and Çağatay Özdemir. “Turkey’s Syria Policy: Constant Objectives, Shifting Priorities.” Turkish Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 2018, pp. 13-36.
• Avundukluoglu, Emin. “4,000 Square Km Cleared from Terrorists in N. Syria.” https://www.aa.com.tr/en/operation-peace-spring/4-000-square-kmcleared-from-terrorists-in-nsyria/1668162 (Accessed: 13.12.2019).
• Baldwin, David A. “The Concept of Security.” Review of International Studies, vol. 23, 1994, pp. 5-26.
• Baresh, Manha. “The Sochi Agreement and the Interests of Guarantor States: Examining the Aims and Challenges of Sustaining the Deal.” RSCAS/ Middle East Directions, European University Institute, 2019.
• Barkey, Henri J. “Syria’s Dark Shadow over US-Turkey Relations.” Turkish Policy Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 4, 2016, pp. 25-36.
• Blanton, Shannon Lindsey and Charles William Kegley. World Politics: Trend and Transformation. 2016-2017 Edition, Cengage Learning, 2017.
• Borshchevskaya, Anna. “Russia in the Middle East, Motives, Consequences, Prospects.” Policy Focus 142, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 2016.
• Caves, John. “Syrian Kurds and the Democratic Union Party (PYD).” Backgrounder, the Institute for the Study of War, no. 21, 2012.
• Daily Sabah. “US, Russia veto UN Security Council statement on Turkey’s op in Syria.” 2019. https://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-terror/2019/10/10/unsecurity-council-fails-to-issue-joint-statement-on-turkeys-op-in-syria (Accessed: 18.10.2019).
• Fawcett, Louise. “States and Sovereignty in the Middle East: Myths and Realities.” International Affairs, vol. 93, no. 4, 2017, pp. 789-807.
• Güler, Sena. “14th Round of Syria Talks Discusses Latest Developments.” https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/14th-round-of-syria-talks-discusses-latestdevelopments/1670867, (Accessed: 25.12.2019).
• Hamidi, Ibrahim. “Democratic Union Party: We will Defend Kurdistan if Attacked.” https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1034516/democraticunion-party-we-will-defend-kurdistan-if-attacked (Accessed: 20.11.2019).
• Hentov, Elliot. “Turkey’s Global Strategy: Turkey and Iran.” IDEAS reports - Special Reports. LSE IDEAS, ed. Nicholas Kitchen, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2011, pp. 28-33.
• Hinnebusch, Raymond. “Introduction: The Analytical Framework.” The Foreign Policies of Middle East States, eds. Raymond Hinnebusch and Anoushiravan Ehteshami, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002, pp. 1-27.
• Jenkins, Gareth H. “The AKP’s Election Manifesto: the Silences That Ring Alarm Bells.” Turkey Analyst, vol. 4, no.9, 2011.
• Jones, Dorian. “Turkey: Is Russia Ready to Play the Kurdish Card?.” https://eurasianet.org/turkey-is-russia-ready-to-play-the-kurdish-card (Accessed: 09.01.2020).
• Kiselyova, Maria, and Lisa Barrington. “Russia, Iran, Turkey set up Syria de-Escalation Zones for at Least Six Months: Memorandum.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-memorandum/russia-iran-turkey-setup-syria-de-escalation-zones-forat-least-six-months-memorandum-idUSKBN1820C0 (Accessed: 10.01.2020).
• Kocs, Stephen A. “Explaining the Strategic Behavior of States: International Law as System Structure.” International Studies Quarterly, vol. 38, no. 4, 1994, pp. 535-556.
• Manhoff, Tim. “Turkey’s Foreign Policy towards Syria; From Neo-Ottoman Adventurism to Neo-Ottoman Realpolitik.” Policy Paper, The Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation and al-Nahrain Center, 2017.
• McCowan, John H. War of Shadows: How Turkey’s Conflict with the PKK Shapes the Syrian Civil War and Iraqi Kurdistan. ICSR King’s College London, 2017.
• Mearsheimer, John. J. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. Norton, 2001.
• Mehmet, Fatih H. “Erdogan Rails against Kurdish Referendum Betrayal.” https://www.aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/erdogan-rails-against-kurdish-referendum-betrayal/919846 (Accessed: 17.09.2019).
• Natonalia. “PYD Announces Establishment of Western Kurdistan Autonomy with Legislative and Executive Powers”. 2013. https://www.nationalia.info/new/10047/pyd-announces-establishment-of-western-kurdistan-autonomy-with-legislative-and-executive-p (Accessed: 11.11.2019).
• O’Connor, Tom. “War in Syria: U.S. Will No Longer Target Assad.” https://www.newsweek.com/us-war-syria-stops-focus-assad-removal-crisis-mideast-576984 (Accessed: 25.12.2019).
• Oliphant, Roland. “Syrian Kurds Open Diplomatic Mission in Moscow.” https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/12150692/Syrian-Kurds-open-diplomatic-mission-in-Moscow.html (Accessed: 27.12.2019).
• Orhan, Mehmet “Transborder Violence: the PKK in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.” Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict: Pathways toward Terrorism and Genocide, vol. 7, no. 1, 2014, pp. 30-48.
• Orton, Kyle. The Forgotten Foreign Fighters: The PKK in Syria. The Henry Jackson Society, 2017.
• Özel, Soli. “Dossier: Geopolitical Turmoil and its Effects in the Mediterranean Region; Turkey: Military Action in a Strategic Void.” IEMedMediterranean Yearbook 2017, 2017, pp. 142-145.
• Oztig, Lacin I. “Syria and Turkey: Border-Security Priorities.” Middle East Policy, vol. XXVI, no. 1, 2019, pp. 117–126.
• Phillips, Christopher. “Turkey’s Global Strategy: Turkey and Syria.” IDEAS reports- Special Reports. LSE IDEAS, ed. Nicholas Kitchen, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2011, pp. 36–39.
• Politico. “Trump Invited to Visit Turkey.” https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/24/trump-visit-turkey-erdogan-1075214 (Accessed: 25.12.2019).
• Sadri Alibabalu, Sayyad, and Teymur Sarkhanov. “Geopolitics and Geoeconomics of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Conflict: Analysis of Turkey’s Policy.” Geopolitics Quarterly, vol. 18, no. 68, 2022, pp. 94-115.
• Sadri Alibabalu, Sayyad. “Russian Power Dance on Astana Round and Geneva Talks about Syria.” https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2017/12/17/russianpower-dance-on-astana-round-and-geneva-talks-about-syria/ (Accessed:15.01.2020).
• Salem, Paul. “The Rise of Violent Transnational Movements in the Middle East Historical Context, Dynamic Drivers and Policy Takeaways.” MEI Policy Paper 2018-1, 2018.
• Semin, Ali. “Bashika Crisis and the Future of Turkey-Iraq Relations.” Bilgesam Analiz, 2014.
• The Guardian. “US to Let Turkish Forces Move Into Syria, Dumping Kurdish Allies.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/07/us-to-let-turkishforces-move-into-syria-abandoning-kurdish-allies (Accessed: 24.12.2019).
• Uras, Umut. “Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in Northern Syria: One Month On.”https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/turkey-operation-peace-springnorthern-syria-month-191106083300140.html (Accessed: 16.12.2019).
• Usta, Bülent. “Turkey Takes Full Control of Syria’s Afrin: Military Source.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-afrin/turkey-takes-full-control-of-syrias-afrin-military-source-idUSKBN1H00OD (Accessed: 28.11.2019).
• Waltz, Keneth N. Theory of International Politics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1979.
• Yeşiltaş, Murat, and Ali Balcı. “A Dictionary of Turkish Foreign Policy in the AK Party Era: A Conceptual Map.” SAM Paper, no. 07, 2013.
• Yeşiltaş, Murat, and Tuncay Kardaş. “Introduction: The Phenomenon of Non-state Armed Actors and Patterns of Violent Geopolitics in the Middle East.” Non-State Armed Actors in the Middle East, eds. Murat Yeşiltaş and Tuncay Kardaş, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, pp. 3-20.
• Yüksel, Engin, and Erwin van Veen. “Turkey in Northwestern Syria Rebuilding Empire at the Margins.” CRU Policy Brief, 2019.