Turkey and the Great Power Game

Cultural and Religious Studies

Source:  Cultural and Religious Studies, July 2018, Vol. 6, No. 7,

Abstract: Turkey, as a major power in the Middle East, which competes, cooperates, and interacts with major powers in the region, is a “player” in shaping the Middle East pattern. However, compared with other world powers, such as the United States and Russia, Turkey has an obvious disadvantage in comprehensive national strength, so it is also a “chess piece” in the geopolitical game of the Middle East. Although the United States and Turkey are both members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United States’ actions on the Gülen and Kurdish issues have reduced Turkey’s trust in the United States. On the one hand, Erdogan made a firm stance to defend the secular state, suppressing the military; on the other hand, he promoted some Islamization measures in the political and social life, in order to consolidate his authority. In the triangle of U.S.-Russian-Turkish relations, Turkey pursued a pragmatic policy and played a game with the United States and Russia on the Syrian issue.

Turkey and the Great Power Game