General
NATO-TURKEY: AN AMBIGUOUS RELATIONSHIP IN AN UNPREDICTABLE SECURITY DOMAIN (November 2021). This article discusses many of the difficulties Turkey has posed for NATO but does conclude that NATO needs Turkey despite the difficulties.
Amisha’s Reading List
If you only have time to read a few articles, read the ones on this list.
Pro — TURKEY’S NATO MEMBERSHIP IS AN ASSET FOR BOTH TURKEY AND THE ALLIANCE (2021). This article outlines many reasons for Turkey to remain as a NATO member.
Pro — Turkey and NATO: Resolving the S-400 Spat (2020). This article argues that on-balance Turkey has been a strong ally and that its membership in NATO should continue.
Con — Turkey and Nato are no longer aligned, even if they won’t admit it (2022). This article identifies the many ways Turkey is undermining NATO’s interests and claims the conflicts between NATO and Turkey cannot be resolved.
Con — Turkey’s Response to the Russia-Ukraine Crisis. This article explains difficult balancing act the Turkey is trying to play with the Ukraine and argues the provision of drones will not deter Russia in the Ukraine and could cause them to attack.
Pro — General
TURKEY’S NATO MEMBERSHIP IS AN ASSET FOR BOTH TURKEY AND THE ALLIANCE (2021). This article outlines many reasons for Turkey to remain as a NATO member.
Turkey and NATO: Resolving the S-400 Spat (2020). This article argues that on-balance Turkey has been a strong ally and that its membership in NATO should continue.
Turkey remains as indispensable member of NATO for 69 years (2021). This article generally discusses the importance of Turkey to NATO but highlights its role in supporting anti-terror cooperation and missile defense surveillance.
As NATO turns focus to China, embracing Turkey becomes challenge (2021). Under Erdogan, Turkey has not been the easiest alliance member to work with. A series of decisions by Ankara has tested the limits of the pact. But as NATO begins to reorient itself in a world where China, not Russia, is the largest military competitor, having Turkey present as a fully contributing member is more essential than ever.
Turkey-NATO ties are problematic, but there is one bright spot (2021). When it comes to Turkey-NATO ties, Ankara is regarded as more of a problem than an ally these days. Not only did it purchase a Russian S-400 air defense system, but its gunboat diplomacy in the eastern Mediterranean also raised the specter of military conflict between NATO allies when Greek and Turkish naval flotillas steamed directly toward each other this past summer. There is one region, however, where Turkey can help NATO efforts: the Black Sea. Since its annexation in 2014, the Crimean Peninsula has become a Russian military fortress. Moscow has significantly increased its military presence in a region that Russian President Vladimir Putin considers the centerpiece of Russia’s power projection into the Mediterranean. It has now enough assets, reinforced with new ships and submarines with powerful Kalibr missile systems, to overwhelm any coalition in these waters.
Turkey and NATO: A Relationship Worth Saving (2019). This article focuses on the general geographic importance of Turkey to NATO but also highlights Turkey’s role in containing Russia in the Black Sea and diffusing the conflict in Syria.
TURKEY’S CRISIS WITH THE WEST: HOW A NEW LOW IN RELATIONS RISKS PARALYZING NATO (2020). This article describes difficulties that Turkey has caused the West but also argues Turkish membership in NATO should continue.
US, NATO have strong interest in keeping Turkey close, says Blinken (2021). This is a short article with a self-explanatory title.
Pro — Ukraine Deterrence
Turkey Urges Russia to Drop ‘One-Sided’ NATO Demands (12-27-21). This article explains that Turkey is increasing military assistance to the Ukraine while also pressing Russia to use diplomacy to avoid conflict.
Turkey could tip the balance in the Ukraine-Russia standoff (12-10-21). The title is self-explanatory.
Con
Turkey and Nato are no longer aligned, even if they won’t admit it (2022). This article identifies the many ways Turkey is undermining NATO’s interests and claims the conflicts between NATO and Turkey cannot be resolved.
How does Turkey-Azerbaijan military alliance fit into Russia’s demands for NATO? (2022). This article argues NATO/Turkey support for Azerbaijan deters Russia in Azerbbaijan.
Turkey’s Turkic world ambitions face reality check in Kazakhstan (2022). This article explains why Turkey can’t be a leader in the region.
Turkey is becoming a problem — and NATO should pay attention (2021). Turkey looks out for its own interests, not NATO’s, and risks sucking NATO into a war with Russia
Turkey is creeping into Russia’s orbit and NATO is worried (2021). This article contends that Turkey is undermining the security of NATO and the West generally.
Turkish Aggression Is NATO’s ‘Elephant in the Room’ (2020). Although the article doesn’t take a strong stand against Turkey’s NATO membership, it does argue at various points that membership has undermined NATO cohesion, resulted in the veto of protecting the Baltics from Russian aggression, undermined cooperation against ISIS, and resulted in dangerous Russian technology access.
NATO’s Turkey Ties Must Change (2019). This article argues if NATO started today that Turkey would not get in and that NATO should reduce its cooperation with Turkey.
For Biden and NATO, Turkey is a Headache That’s Here to Stay (2021). Although the article does not argue that Turkey should not be part of NATO, it identifies many ways that Turkey is undermining Western security.
EXCLUSIVE Turkey pushed NATO allies into softening outrage over Belarus plane, diplomats say (2021). This article explains how Turkey undermine the strength of NATO’s response to Belarus’ forced landing of a civilian plane to imprison a diplomat.
Modernizing NATO Requires Dealing With Turkey (2021). Although the article doesn’t conclude that NATO would be better off without Turkey, it does argue that Turkey is currently undermining NATO’s interests.