Ideology and Pragmatism in Turkish Foreign Policy: From Ataturk to the AKP, Fall 2008

Friday, December 5, 2008 | Download PDF in English

Observers who interpret Turkish foreign policy through the lens of an ideological debate between the country’s Eastern and Western identities have often overlooked the pragmatic motives that shaped policy decisions. In formulating their approaches toward Europe and the Middle East, Turkish leaders have seldom been influenced by the ideologies that determine their domestic politics. Understood in context, Atatürk’s disengagement from the Middle East and the AKP’s re-engagement with the region were both practical responses to strategic realities.

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