Foreign policy of the United States during the 2003 Iraq War era and its influence of the Turkish-U.S. relations

Since 1946 Turkish-U.S. Relations have been very important for the two countries, the region and the world. These relations can mainly be classified under three eras: the Cold War, post-Cold War and the post-9/11 era. During the Cold War and post-Cold War era, the relations and cooperation of the two countries was very productive. After the 9/11 attacks, the United States-Iraq War became a critical issue between the two allies. A new U.S. foreign policy was shaped after 9/11 because of the psychological effects and the pressures of the terrorist attacks combined with neoconservative thought. The new policy brought up a very different approach towards Turkish-U.S. relations. This new foreign policy program of the U.S. during the Iraq War affected U.S.?s relations with other countries. Before the Iraq War, the United States requested to use Turkey?s land in order to open a Northern Front. After long negotiations, official and unofficial talks, and the use of regular and backdoor diplomacy, on March 1st 2003 a resolution (tezkere) came before the Turkish parliament which failed to be approved. The Turkish parliament did not authorize the U.S. to use Turkish soil to open a Northern Front for the Iraq Operation. To explain why this was the situation, the pre-Iraq War period, the Iraq Operation and the post-Iraq War era will be discussed focusing on U.S. foreign policy.In this dissertation the most critical question, more than focusing on the outcomes of tezkere, are the causes and reasons which brought tezkere to a failure in the Turkish parliament. In order to understand the causes of tezkere?s failure, the new U.S. foreign policy program designed after 9/11 and its effects on U.S. foreign policy making and decision making process is analyzed. Examining the U.S. foreign policy program before, during and after the Iraq War and analyzing U.S.?s dialogues with Turkey is very important to understand the causes of tezkere?s failure and what, in turn, can enlighten the future of this relationship. Moreover, analyzing those causes is critical for the future of the Turkey-U.S. alliance.