U.S. Foreign Policy for Turkey and Greece: A Comparison

U.S. Foreign Policy for Turkey and Greece: A Comparison

Introduction

The United States has the reputation of being dynamic and eager to protect its interests all over the world. Be it any region, the US has always kept a keen eye on the events and incidents that could potentially harm its interests. Similarly, the superpower has also been actively involved in efforts to defuse tensions among countries especially those that it considers its allies. In Europe, the United States has a number of “allies” that are integral to the security of the country and the region on the whole. Two of these allies include Turkey and Greece. The two countries have been involved in a number of long-going disputes with another over various issues such as definition of territory and airspace violations. Greece and Turkey are strategically located in a manner that they hold vast importance to the United States. During the Cold War, the United States was prompt in its realization that if Soviet Union attacked and invaded Greece, Turkey would be the next target. The strength of the Soviet Union at that time gave the United States an issue to ponder over. Ensure the communist nation would not attack Greece or Turkey, the United States provided the Greeks with military and diplomatic assistance to repel the threat of advancement from the Soviet Union. With the United States being an active, direct and the only opponent of the Soviet in the Cold War, the communists had to tackle the presence of the United States military in the region. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, United States has continued to maintain ties with Greece and Turkey. The relationship with Greece has been consistent buy that with Turkey has often been the victim of fallouts due to the Islamist government in the country (Kassimeris, 2010).

This has led to the development of varying foreign policies for the two countries. The United States has had a more flexible and congenial relationship with Greece, assisting the Hellenic Republic with economics and military aid. Turkey on the other hand has been on the receiving end of some cold behavior. With the arrival of a new government, relations with Turkey have improved significantly. The new liberal government has made reforms that have benefitted the two nations. But conflicts between the two neighbors continue to ensue. This has left the United States in a peculiar position as to which nation should it favor. Any inclination toward one of the nations would leave the other aggrieved (Stein, 2001).

Thesis Statement

We shall look at the foreign policies and relations the United States has with the two countries in isolation to understand the issue more clearly.

History of U.S. Policy for Turkey

Washington's Habitually Indulgent Attitude toward Turkey

Before the arrival of the current government, the United States had been indulging in Turkish affairs out of habit. The United States had violated all the aspects and policies it had devised for its relations ...