Turkey and the New Middle East: Between Liberalism and Realism

Abstract

It is sometimes argued that Turkish foreign policy under the AK Party government reflects its ideology, and Turkish foreign policy towards the Middle East is often used as an illustration of this influence. When it is closely examined, however, one can easily see that the government has often followed a mainly realist foreign policy approach in the Middle East and used the idealism for the maximization of Turkish national interests. In contrast to the power resources at the disposal of other regional powers, including the support of external powers, sectarian identities, or ethnic-linguistic ties, the key asset of Turkish foreign policy is its successful combination of democracy and Islam. Utilizing this image, Turkey has emerged as the most outspoken supporter of democratic transformations, aiming to create a liberaldemocratic regional order. This, however, brings Turkey ultimately into conflict with other aspiring hegemonic powers, including both Israel and Iran

Keywords

• Turkey, Middle East, Liberalism, Realism, Arab Spring.

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