The Effects of First and Second Gulf War on Turkey

ABSTRACTMiddle East has been a region of hot conflicts in all ages of history because of thesignificance it carries. This region has been more significant since continent union of Asia-Europe and Africa, which are known as ?World Island? and are sometimes called ?AncientWorld? by the Geography and Jeopolitics authorities, cross in this region. This region hasbeen a stage for power and hegemony since it is on the crucial point of the highways andrailways which unite three continents, contains 60% of the whole world petroleum reservesand it is the center of all three monotheist religions in the world; accordingly, it has alwayshad priority among the unstable regions of the world.After the industry revolution in the 19th century, possesion of energy resources,producing energy by themselves, having the control of the transportation routes and beingsuccessful in the international struggle while doing these became basic aims of the states.In this respect, Iraq appealed attention among the other countries in this region becausethis country has undeniably much more petroleum and natural gas reserves whencompared to these countries.In the region Iranian Shah was overthrown in 1979 and Humeyni took his position.The regime he carried out had threats for both Iraq?s internal and external security andIraq was also willing to be the leader of the Arabian World and the Third WorldCountries. These were the reasons for the Iran-Iraq War to start. In this war, the USAsupported both Iraq and Iran, and also stayed silent when Iraq occupied Kuwait calling thecountry ?my 19th province?. However, just after Iraq occupied Kuwait on the 1st August1990, the USA had the opportunity for the ?New world order? he wants. The USAannounced for trade embargo for Iraq to the whole world and looked for supporters.The First Gulf War started on the 17th January 1991 by the coalition forces whoseleader was the USA and ended when the representatives of Iraq and the Allied forcesannounced the ceasefire after a meeting they have had on 3rd May. The legal frameworkVIIof this ceasefire treaty was determined with the number 679 resolution of UN SecurityCouncil.Turkey was not insensitive to what was happening in the neighbour and supportedthe USA and the coalition forces. However, this support not only caused problems withthe internal and foreign politics, but it also damaged Turkey?s economy. 460.000 refugeeswho fleed from Iraqian leader Saddam Hussein?s cruelty and came to the Turkish borderalso caused a big problem. After Turgut Özal, who was the President in those years, mademany diplomatic negotiatios, ?peace operation? was done in the region and as a result ofthis operation, an international force called ?Provide Comfort Forces? was accomodatedin Turkey to save the Kurds from Saddam Hussein?s cruelty. This force which seemed tobe advantagous for Turkey at the first pace caused loss of authority in the region in longterm. This atmosphere provided possibility for the foundation of a new Kurdish State. Inaddition, realization of the fact that Provide Comfort Forces help the terror organizationPKK/KADEK in the region would be a headache for Turkey for long years.World Trade Center located in the USA was attacked by passenger planes on 11thSeptember 2001. These attacks caused a change in the national security strategy and theconcept of defence in the USA. Starting from that day, the USA announced that she willprovide her security with ?precautious action?. The USA, who applied this understandingon Afghanistan first, threatened Iraq, Iran and Suriye, which she calls ?Evil Triangle?with doing the same to their countries.The USA, using the advantage of 11th October Attack planned an operation toAfghanistan, secured the control of the immense petroleum and natural gas reserves in theregion. Usame Bin Laden?s shelter in Afghanistan was destroyed and beside thesupervision on Afghanistan, the USA also had a supervision on China, Pakistan and India.The USA, who could not achieve all her goals in the First Gulf War, in order totake the control of Middle East petroleum and to overthrow Iraq Government and aimedto take control a management connected to herself declared the second war on the 20thMarch 2003 justifying that Iraq owned Mass Destruction Weapon and provided support toVIIIUsame Bin Laden. Second Gulf War ended on 1st May 2003 when Saddam Hüssein?sregime was overthrown.As a result of the things happened before and after the Second Gulf War, Turkeywas the first country that was heavily effected with respect to politics and economy. TheUSA, aimed to provide support from Turkey in operation to Iraq and open another frontfrom North, the requests about the use of Turkish Air Space and positioning the militaryforces in Turkey caused problems between Government and Opposition Party, theproblems about the internal and foreign politicies effected the economy in a bad way. Therelations between Turkey and the USA almost came to an end when both memorandumsgiven by the Turkish Government, which were requested by the USA, were refused.When the USA could not get its demands from Turkey, she took revenge by putting sackson the heads of the Special Forces Team soldiers and by supporting the foundation of aso-called Kurdish State in Northern Iraq.Turkey?s expectation about the USA?s meeting the economic losses that wouldtake place because of the Second Gulf War was lost when the memorandums wererefused. However, though it was believed that the war would damage the economyheavily, when compared to the First Gulf War, economy was not effected too much.The research about the wars which was presented above as an absract is made upof six chapters. In the first chapter, the concept of Middle East, in the second chapter,First Gulf War, in the third chapter, the effects of the First Gulf War on Turkey, in thefourth chapter, the happenings took place between these two wars, in the fifth chapter,Second Gulf War and in the sixth chapter, the effects of the Second Gulf War on Turkeyare studied.IX