Between Allies and Rivals: Turkey, Nuclear Weapons, and BMD

Summary:

This paper discussed Turkey's attitudes vis-à-vis nuclear weapons and Ballistic Missile Defence in the light of 2013 developments in the Iranian nuclear program and NATO's evolving concept of extended deterrence. On the one hand, the long-standing forward deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons in Turkey and the country's role in the US Phased Adaptive Approach BMD architecture were still considered to be key elements of national security. On the other, security guarantees offered to Turkey by NATO and the US appeared less and less credible in the face of rising regional threats. As this paper shows, there was a growing gap between official policy and public perceptions inside Turkey vis-à-vis the US, Iran, and nuclear weapons, as well as a growing Turkish aspiration to autonomy in its security and defence policy.

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