NATO and the New Turkey
In the past, and especially during the Cold War, defense partnership constituted a pillar of Turkey’s relations with the West. Nowadays, however, declining threat perceptions have fundamentally altered this perspective, giving Turkey greater latitude in foreign policy.
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ISTANBUL – Turkey joined NATO at the beginning of the Cold War to gain United States protection in the event of a Soviet attack. Back then, Turkey was clearly on the frontline; today, however, its leaders are assertively pursuing an independent foreign and security policy, and their growing confidence is now testing the Alliance’s cohesion.