The Middle East and Turkish Foreign Policy from 1945 to 1985 A Historical Study

Abstract

Abstract

This research necessitates a review of the concept of the Middle East and its strategic implications, followed by an examination of the motivations behind Turkey's interest in the region. Therefore, this chapter is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on defining the Middle East as a concept, its implications, and its geographical boundaries, while the second section examines the Middle East within Turkish foreign policy.

The Middle East comprises vast and resource-rich countries situated at the crossroads of three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. This region was the cradle of early human civilizations and the birthplace of timeless religions. The civilizations of Assyria, Babylon, Phoenicia, and Pharaonic Egypt flourished there, and from it emerged Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

In successive waves of conquest, Islam was able to dominate all the countries of the Middle East, its banner flying high for a significant period in human history. However, the world at that time remained divided between two states: the Islamic state in the East and the Christian state in the West. Despite the Islamic world's attempts to expand into the southwestern corner of Europe and penetrate its heartland, as it had done in the eastern part of Asia Minor, the Western powers were not unaware of these Islamic endeavors. They attempted, through their ultimately unsuccessful Crusades, to undermine the Islamic state.

With the passage of time, and following the fall of Baghdad in 1258 CE and the onset of the Dark Ages, the Ottoman Empire emerged. Although the Ottomans differed from the Arabs in language, ethnicity, civilization, customs, and traditions, they continued to rule the Arab lands for over four centuries. This was because religion was the dominant force among the peoples of that era, and nationalism was not yet prevalent. With the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, modern Turkey was born. Despite the strong current led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which aimed for a westward orientation, integration with Christian Europe, and a departure from Islamic traditions, Turkey was unable to shed its Eastern Islamic identity and thus focus on what became known as the Middle East. In light of the foregoing, this research will first define the concept of the Middle East and the region it encompasses. Then, it will examine the Middle East in Turkish foreign policy and the nature of Turkish interest in this strategic region of the world.

Despite the frequent and somewhat long-standing use of the term "Middle East," it remains ambiguous and unclear. This ambiguity is not limited to ordinary people but extends to diplomats, politicians, military leaders, researchers, and media figures, who have not agreed on a descriptive or quantitative definition of this concept. On the other hand, the concept of the Middle East carries within it intellectual implications that the researcher can uncover by studying the history of the concept, the circumstances of its emergence and development, and the reasons that led to its adoption. Thus, the use of a concept is not merely a linguistic or verbal matter, but rather an intellectual choice. This is evident from the insistence of Western authors since World War II on using the concept of the Middle East to refer to our Arab region, which is a kind of political poisoning, as will become clear later.