My Enemy's Enemy: Turkey, Israel, And the Middle Eastern Balance of Power‪.‬

GIL DIBNER, Editor-in-Chief, Harvard International Review Turkey's alienation from Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s led the political and military leadership in Ankara to re-evaluate Turkey's strategic situation and seek new allies. Turkey pursued and won an improved relationship with Washington and, despite Russian aspirations, is steadily building an increased presence in Central Asia. The most dramatic result of the new thinking in Ankara, however, is Turkey's strategic partnership with Israel, a development that may fundamentally alter the Middle Eastern balance of power. In recent years, Israel and Turkey have concluded a series of trade agreements and military arrangements that cover, among other things, training, intelligence-sharing, and counter-terrorism measures. In addition, Israel has sold Turkey hundreds of millions of dollars in advanced military equipment and is the leading bidder for several additional contracts. This alignment has taken place despite fears of an Islamic awakening in Turkey and despite the objections of Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Greece. The extent and depth of the Turkish-Israeli alliance reflects the number and severity of the threats Turkey faces from the Islamic world and suggests that Turkey will remain firmly aligned with the West. The alliance will help both Turkey and Israel confront shared threats from Syria, Iraq, and Iran and may form a key element of a US-sponsored regional security regime.