Turkish Foreign Policy in a Time of Perpetual Turmoil

Abstract:

As a stormy 2016 drew to a close, Turkey braced for a new year full of potential. Although 2016 was a difficult year for the world there is a new energy in Turkey to address numerous regional and global challenges. Turkey has demonstrated her strength and resilience politically, economically, and security-wise. We suffered several shocks but came out stronger. These included several terrorist attacks by ISIS and PKK and a coup attempt by the Fetullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

On the night of July 15, FETÖ terrorists killed nearly two hundred and fifty people and wounded more than two thousand. Warplanes bombed the Turkish Parliament and the Presidential Palace. These outrageous acts of violence that targeted our democracy were traumatic for the Turkish people but demonstrated the strength of our resolve to uphold Turkish democracy.

Turkey is now taking steps within the constitutional order to ensure that the culprits face justice and the vestiges of the terrorist infiltration into all segments of the Turkish bureaucracy, economy, educational sector, security forces and media, are removed. All this is being done in accordance with the rule of law.