SAM Papers Turkey’s Regional Approach in Afghanistan: A Civilian Power in Action

This policy brief studies Turkey’s contributions to the resolution of the Afghan conflict by focusing on its regional approach. The brief puts forth the argument that Afghanistan provides a good show-case to demonstrate the elements of a new security culture that Turkey has adopted in its post-Cold War transformation. Reflecting the growing power of civilians in the making of foreign policy, Turkey’s security culture has evolved in ways that it has embraced many liberal elements, which can be grouped under the concept of cooperative security. After a review of Turkey’s involvement in Afghanistan in the post-2001 period, the brief traces how the notions of Afghan ownership and regional participation, products of Turkey’s civilian power security culture, have shaped its response to this conflict-ridden country. A special attention is placed on various efforts Turkey has undertaken to regionalize its objective of political stabilization, and social and economic reconstruction of Afghanistan, as well as the question of how its Afghanistan policy figured in Ankara’s relationship with the United States.