Bridge or Barrier?

Turkey's role in the war against Iraq and its potential as a leading actor in the Balkans, the Middle East, the Black Sea, and Central Asia have kept Turkey in the strategic front rank even as its traditional role in the containment of Soviet power has waned. The reassertion of Turkey's strategic importance in Middle Eastern rather than European terms will challenge established images of Turkey's role in Ankara and the West. As Turkey develops its post-Cold War foreign and security policy and contemplates new risks and areas of opportunity, the traditional notion of Turkey as a bridge between East and West will be strongly tested. The history and character of Turkey's relations with Europe and the Middle East suggest that the country's role as a bridge in political, economic, and security terms lies in its potential. It is not an automatic result of Turkey's geographical position between East and West.