Causes and Consequences of Turkey's Out-Of Position in the Iraq War of 2003

Abstract

This article examines Turkey's 'position' in the Iraq war of 2003 by focusing on a very important decision made by the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 1 March 2003. It argues that the decision was a product of several factors and pressures, producing both positive and negative consequences for Turkey. Its most important positive consequence is that the TGNA showed its influence over Turkish foreign policy making for the first time since the 1970s. However, it also generated some strategic changes regarding Turkey's relations with the US and the EU. While Turkish-US relations experienced a 'crisis of confidence', Turkish-EU relations recorded a rapprochement since 2003.