Turkey’s new military doctrine
By Armen Ayvazian
7 May 04
Yerkir/AM
Before the collapse of USSR, Turkey’s military doctrine had an official
nature and was built on calculation of forces at war. Issues related
to nuclear weapons were addressed to NATO or USA.
During the cold war, NATO was thinking over how long Turkey would
be able to resist in case of war with USSR and they were not very
optimistic about Turkey’ s defense capabilities.
In 1990, Turkish military headquarters focused on multi-front defense.
Ex-ambassador of Turkey to USA said in his article that Turkey must be
ready to fight in two fronts at a time (like against Syria and Greece)
and an internal war against Kurdish revolt.
This doctrine had two issues: a) defy intrusion from East (USSR)
and South (Syria, Iraq), b) respond to guerilla activities.
Up to now Turkey has kept to Kemal Ataturk’s view saying that Turkey’s
future is only with the West.
However, in 1999, Turkey’s doctrine said it should have links both
with the West and the East and has the following points:
1) Deterrence: preservation of such a force that can defy both external
and internal enemies,
2) Collective defense: collaboration with international coalition,
specially with NATO,
3) Forward defense: early recognition of foreign aggression and its
external prevention,
4) “Peacemaking”: mediation in conflicts.
These points are also added by the view of the Turkish military
headquarters head Hussein Kivrikoghlu on forward engagement which
means that the military must be ready to prevent aggression against
Turkey before it crosses the border.
Kivrikoghlu’s idea is explained in the doctrine:
“The overall operative concept of 2000’s demands to control territories
of the aggressor and defeat him in the home front and on the porch of
the battlefield.” Thus, even the official document expects to conduct
future wars outside Turkey.
Authoritative US military magazine Parameters comes to the same
conclusion: ” Ankara has adopted a doctrine that will make the
military aspire to eliminate threats against Turkey out of its
borders. Turkish military are not only capable but also willing to
act out of the borders.”
Summing up we should say that Turkish military thinking has undergone
a reformation that even by Turkish and American analysts speak about
establishment of “neo-Ottoman agenda.” Thus Turkey has become more
dangerous for the neighbor and less predictable for allies.
Excerpt from “Aspects of Armenia’s national security” document
(Yerevan, 2003).