Why NATO’s Biggest Internal Problem is Turkey

Summary

The video explores Turkey's complex foreign policy over the past century, analyzing how its geographic position and historic ties have impacted its relationships with NATO, Russia, Greece, Syria, and the Kurds. It discusses crucial events like the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the founding of modern Turkey, its later bid to join the EU, the Syrian civil war, regional energy pipelines, and maritime disputes over gas deposits, all of which contextualize Turkey's aggressive stances toward its neighbors as it seeks to reestablish itself as a regional power.

Takeaways

• 😲 Turkey has tense relations with many NATO allies due to its aggressive foreign policy actions
• 🌍 Turkey's control over the Sea of Marmara makes it a critical geographic and economic hub
• 🛢 Turkey profits from being an energy pipeline crossroads between Europe and Asia
• 🚢 Turkey contests maritime boundaries with Greece and Cyprus over gas deposits
• 🔫 Turkey fights the PKK Kurdish militant group within its borders and neighboring Syria and Iraq
• 😠 Erdogan supports the Muslim Brotherhood, putting Turkey at odds with Arab states
• 🇺🇳 Turkey invaded parts of Syria to limit Kurdish territorial gains
• 😥 3 million Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey due to the civil war
• 👷 Turkey's support for Azerbaijan in its war against Armenia strains relations
• 🇪🇺 Turkey's stalled bid to join the EU has led it to look for allies elsewhere

Q & A

What was the Treaty of Sèvres and why was it significant?

The Treaty of Sèvres was a post-WW1 treaty that dismantled the Ottoman Empire. It gave away large parts of Ottoman territory and planned to create independent Armenian and Kurdish states. Outraged at the harsh terms, the Turks rebelled against it, leading to the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.

How does Turkey's geography make the Sea of Marmara region valuable?

The Sea of Marmara region is very fertile, has abundant fresh water, and its internal body of water makes transport and trade easy. It sits along major trade routes between Europe and Asia. This has made it an epicenter of global trade and finance for civilizations there.

Why did Turkey originally join NATO in 1952?

Turkey felt threatened by Soviet expansionism after WWII. Joining NATO alongside Greece helped guarantee protection from the USSR. Turkey's control of the Turkish Straits was also seen as valuable for containing Soviet naval power.

What are Turkey's motivations in the Eastern Mediterranean dispute?

Turkey is concerned about missing out on potential gas resources discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean. It also wants to maintain influence over this region and not be boxed out by the EEZs granted to Greek islands under UNCLOS.

How does the PKK insurgency threaten Turkey's interests?

The PKK wants autonomy/independence for Turkey's Kurdish areas. This would threaten Turkey's access to vital water resources, hydropower potential, and its ability to influence neighbors Syria and Iraq.

Why does Turkey oppose the Rojava autonomous region in Syria?

Rojava has close ties to the PKK insurgency inside Turkey. Turkey sees it as an existential threat - a PKK safe haven that can funnel weapons to militants. This is why Turkey has invaded Syria to push Rojava back.

What are some factors behind Turkey's foreign policy shifts since the 2000s?

The slowing of Turkey's EU accession, new oil/gas pipelines built through Turkey, the desire for influence after the Arab Spring, and massive gas discoveries in the Black Sea have all impacted Turkey's strategic thinking and behavior.

How could demographics impact the Greece-Turkey rivalry?

Turkey has over 13x as many children under 14 than Greece does. Turkey's younger population is set to dwarf Greece's in the future, altering the balance of power despite Greece's alliances.

Why did Turkey originally back the Muslim Brotherhood after the Arab Spring?

The Muslim Brotherhood's ideology aligned with Erdogan's pan-Islamist vision. He saw an opportunity to build an alliance with Egypt and increase Turkish influence in the region. However the Brotherhood was soon overthrown.

What factors constrain Turkey from fully opposing Russia over Ukraine?

Until recently Turkey imported 40% of its gas from Russia. It still relies heavily on Russian energy. Alienating Russia could jeopardize these critical imports, so Turkey treads carefully in sanctioning Russia.