Turkey in the Middle East: Ideals and Realities

Description

This article examines the ideas and strategy of Turkish foreign policy towards the Middle East. Since 2003 Turkey is in a direct competition with Iran for a regional hegemony and Syria is the battleground of this competition. The article asserts that Turkish support for the Syrian opposition is based on ideological and strategical reasons. Yet at the same time, Turkey’s position on Arab democratization brings it into conflict with Sunni authoritarian regimes. Instead of focusing on Syria as its number one foreign policy goal, Ankara has overextended its capabilities by engaging in other regional conflicts. Consequently, it has alienated other regional and international powers and could not capitalize on chances of collaboration and coordination on Syria.