The Missing Element: Turkish Public Opinion towards the U.S., Spring 2005

Recent developments in U.S.-Turkey relations, especially with regard to Turkish public opinion, have attracted the attention of decision makers. Sparked by the findings of some public opinion polls, the media has engaged in a discussion of the “anti-Americanism” of the Turkish public. This paper aims to elaborate the attitudes of the Turkish public towards the U.S., using the findings of several public opinion polls conducted recently. Polls show that anti-Americanism has increased in recent years, probably as a result of the Iraqi War and foreign policy conducted by the Bush administration. Nevertheless, this attitude is accompanied by an appreciation of the American way of life. Such a complex situation emphasizes the fact that much more effort must be exerted to understand this previously forgotten element: the element of public opinion.

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