Browsing by Subject "security"

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Debates on the future role of nuclear weapons
(2002) Özer, Özkan
Nuclear weapons are the most destructive power of the world, because of their inherited and unique potential capability to destroy the humanity in a matter of minutes. While some experts have perceived them as the main mechanisms of the international stability, peace and security, others have recognized them as the most formidable threat to the humanity. Meanwhile, on part of the US, they had been, throughout the Cold War, the main equalizer against conventional superiority of the Soviet Block and the main instrument of deterring a Soviet nuclear or conventional attack against the US and its allies. Hence, nuclear deterrence became the dominant concept of the Cold War to escape their actual use. However, the nuclear question of “how much is enough to deter enemy,” induced the Soviets and Americans to have huge nuclear arsenals, bigger than the nuclear stockpiles of each other. With the collapse of Soviet Union, this strategic system has transformed. The threat of nuclear war between two superpowers disappeared but new nuclear dangers began to surface within the unpredictable framework of the post-Cold War period. Moreover, the rational behind possessing huge nuclear stockpiles vanished. Because of these imperatives of the post-Cold War era, a number of people including military and civilian leaders, and prominent experts or academics in the US began to articulate their views on the future role of nuclear weapons in the US security policy. While some recommend realizing the goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons as envisaged in the Article VI under NPT and abandonment of nuclear deterrence, others seem to reject making any radical change in the US nuclear strategy. In this context, there are many arguments and counter-arguments capturing substantial support from different groups and consequently a contemporary debate about the US nuclear strategy in the post-Cold War and the ongoing strategic arms reduction process.
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Dynamics of the alliance between Turkey and USA : the South Caucasus case
(2003) Ayhan, Halil Sıddık
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the South Caucasus presented several opportunities and challenges in the political, economic and military domains to the US as the unique superpower of the world, and to Turkey as a regional power. Though there occurred several crises in the Turkish-American alliance from its outset, both states whose interests converged; encouraging the development of democratic pro-Western regimes and free-market economy, hindering ethnic conflicts, expanding NATO’s membership, blocking monopolization of oil export routes in the Caucasus, securing oil reserves in the Caspian, preventing the rebuilding of the Russian Empire and falling the newly independent states of the South Caucasus from falling into the hegemony of Russia and Iran, keeping Iran’s fundamentalist regime in check, and pursuing active politics in the South Caucasus as a duty for the sake of their own global and regional interests. But, there had been also differences in the allies’ politics as in the NagornoKarabakh conflict. However, the South Caucasian states, including Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia faced enormous difficulties in enhancing their national security, implementing the process of state building and improving their economic situation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and therefore, independence for these states did not initially provide political stability. Internal conflicts, and Russia’s imperialist policies undermined these states’ efforts in order to be strong and independent states, and they could not cope with the challenges of the new geopolitical and economic environment due to the lack of their own military power, and strong economy. Thereupon, these states’ first years of independence have been fraught with economic, political, and social difficulties. But the vigorous efforts of the US and Turkey prevented the South Caucasian states from falling into Russian hegemony and accelerated state-building process of these countries as examined in this study
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NATO enlargement and its implications for Turkey
(2001) Çatal, Erdoğan
NATO, which has been throughout the Cold War a collective defense organization, was considered either useless or out of date with the end of the Cold War. However, as it did in the early years of the Cold War, habitually originating from its own dynamics, NATO transformed itself in order to meet the imperatives of the post-Cold War international environment. The geographical enlargement of NATO is the centerpiece of this whole transformation process. It bears implications not only for NATO itself but also for the foreign policy that Euro-Atlantic states follow. The partnership and membership aspects of the geographical enlargement preserved NATO's credibility and served NATO on its way to become a security community, and both aspects ensured NATO's survival. As such, the establishment of relations either through partnership, membership or other way with NATO became the objective of CEE, Balkan, Caucasian, and Central Asian countries, on their way to acquire a democratic, peaceful, and Western identity. In this context, NATO addressed the concerns of a community of 46 states in the Euro-Atlantic region. Meanwhile, on part of Turkey, there appeared some opportunities and setbacks. While consolidating Turkey's western identity on the Caucasus, the Balkans and Central Asia, NATO enlargement brought new concerns to Turkey's agenda regarding regional security as well as Turkey's position in its only and most institutional and functional linkage with the Western Europe and the U.S. After the admission of three new members to NATO in 1999, the pros and cons of a second round of NATO enlargement requires an examination in depth as the decision time gets closer, not only for NATO but also for Turkey.
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Thrace on the East : Georgia?
(2004) Kiremitçi, İlker
Since Turkey has turned its face towards Europe, it can be concluded that one of its ‘backs’ is the Caucasian region. However, Caucasia may not constitute Turkey’s first security priority under present conditions, but this does not mean that it will not, in the future. Therefore, that Turkey should consider its ‘back’ from the security perspective is an indisputable reality. In that sense, this thesis examines one of the Caucasian states, namely GEORGIA, which is in the middle of the region, from the security point of view. How Georgia has been affecting Turkish security policies after the end of Cold War is the main concern of the thesis.
Open Access
Turkey's political objectives in the Caucasus
(2002) Demirci, Levent
At the beginning of the 1990s, Turkey was under the impression that the collapse of the USSR and the independence of its 15 successor states have provided Turkey opportunities: Having historical and cultural ties with these republics, Turkey would be able to offer its model in Eurasia and make stronger its position in the region. Also, it could expand its influence as a regional power. Finally, Turkish engagement in this region could bring substantial benefit to the Turkish economy. Concomitantly, Western backing for the success of Turkish Model in the region was crucial and the West had backed it because of its strategic considerations. From the NIS standpoint, they turned to Ankara as their principal middleman in integrating into the international system. Today, general landscape is not the same as it was at the beginning of the 1990s. From Turkey’s perspective, ten years have passed since the demise of the Soviet Union, and many of the Turkish expectations have not materialized. When Western information of the region and its economic, cultural and strategic matters increased, and new events took place. And the attractiveness of the Turkish Model or at least the backing of the West for this model weakened.