From “Strategic Partnership” to “Model Partnership”: AKP, Turkish –US Relations and the Prospects under Obama

Abstract

This article aims at analyzing Turkish-US relations from a strategic perspective. It underlines firstly, the elements of continuation in US foreign policy under the Presidents Clinton, Bush Jr. and Obama. Secondly it looks at the “change” in Turkish foreign policy under the AKP since 2002. It sees the Iraqi War as a turning point in the demise of the strategic partnership. The developments in its aftermath can be considered as a path to the formation of what would be named by Obama as a “Model Partnership”. It contends that the prevailing determinants of relations stem in the US case from security concerns, while for the AKP it serves its policy of omnibalancing. The article questions the content of the “Model Partnership”, as well as the risks facing the sustainability and context of Turkish-US relations, which have traditionally been a cornerstone of Turkish foreign policy, amidst Turkey’s domestic debates, regional dynamics and the challenges facing Obama administration.