Turkey Net Assessment

Geography

1) The modern Turkish republic is situated on the land bridge connecting southeastern Europe with southwestern Asia.

2) Almost all of Turkey’s territory lies in Asia on the Anatolian plateau.

3) The core of Turkey, however, is located in the regions enclosing the Sea of Marmara.

4) Topography, climate, access to freshwater, location make it ideal from a security, political, and economic pov.

5) It is small though.

Strategic Imperatives

1) Establish a blocking position in Anatolia. 2) Expand up the Danube to Vienna. 3) Develop a political and economic system to

integrate the conquered peoples.* 4) Seize and garrison Crimea. 5) Establish naval facilities throughout the eastern

Mediterranean.

Grand Strategy

1) Establish as broad of a buffer in Anatolia as comfortably as you can.

2) Expand sphere of influence as far northwest in Europe as possible.

3) Establish separate system of reward for those people that need to be integrated and a system of control for those who don’t need to be.

4) Develop long-range naval capabilities and cultivate relations with states in the Mediterranean.

Strategy

1.) Deal with Kurdish separatism in Anatolia and Mesopotamia.; Expand influence in Caucuses but don’t piss off Russia; & Be perceived as chief mediator for Levantine issues.

2) Seek entry into European Union; Take advantage of membership in European common market to deepen economic penetration into the lower Danube region.

3) Integrate Kurds?*

Tactics

1) Use ethnic and religious ties to the western Balkans to gain concessions out of western Europe; Enhance clout through trade and investments.2) Apply military and diplomatic tools on both sides of the border with Iraq (the latter more so in Iraq). 3) Develop relations with Armenia, sustain ties with Azerbaijan, and balance those with Russia.4) Deepen relations with everybody in the Levant (Syrians, Hezbollah, Israel).

Exports to Key Neighbors

0

1000000

2000000

3000000

4000000

5000000

6000000

Value in 2002

Value in 2003

Value in 2004

Value in 2005

Value in 2006

Value in 2007

Value in 2008

Value in 2009

iraq

lebanon

iran

bulgaria

hungary

romania

Imports from Key Neighbors

0

1000000

2000000

3000000

4000000

5000000

6000000

7000000

8000000

9000000

Value in 2002

Value in 2003

Value in 2004

Value in 2005

Value in 2006

Value in 2007

Value in 2008

Value in 2009

Iraq

Lebanon

Iran

Bulgaria

Hungary

Romania