Turkey between East and West

Abstract

In what follows, first, the Ottoman and Turkish attitudes and values that came to have a close semblance to those of the Europeans and the causes behind that particular development are discussed. Second, the issue of if and to what extent the seemingly problematic questions of Islam in politics, nationalism, and the role of the military in politics in Turkey interfered with the growing similarities between European and Ottoman-Turkish attitudes and values is addressed. Finally, given the lessons one may derive from the Ottoman-Turkish experience, some suggestions are offered on how one should proceed in starting to build a pluralistic, loosely coupled security environment around the Mediterranean.