If concepts of “stability, democracy and friendship” drive U.S. policy in this vast geography from the Middle East to the Balkans and from the Caucasus to Central Asia, and if eradicating terrorism is an overriding objective for the U.S., then the U.S. will need Turkey on its side. While the U.S. has a presence and interest in this wide space by virtue of being a superpower, in all these countries Turkey has a similar presence by virtue of its history, culture and location. This makes for a meaningful and effective partnership between the two. Not only is the Turkish-US relationship important in and of itself, but that it is also a link that could play a helpful role in the transatlantic repair process. Our relations, if successfully re-focused, could be instrumental in enhancing mutually supportive links across the Atlantic. This, in turn, might be critical in improving our international capacity to deal with the common challenges we face.
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