Turkey's Room to Maneuver Against the United States

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have been on the rise, beginning with different priorities over Syria and ISIS, and then ham-handed American reactions to, and Turkish accusations of, U.S. involvement in the failed July 15 Turkish coup. Unsurprisingly, this has raised the question, can the U.S. rely on Turkey?  

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracy has, for example, pressed for a review of alternatives to U.S. use of the joint airbase at Incirlik, Turkey.   While bilateral tension abated following President Barack Obama’s meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in early September and U.S. commitments to act on the Turkish extradition request for Fetullah Gulen, who the Turks believe was behind the coup, a cost-benefit calculus of the U.S.-Turkish relationship may help both sides chart their behavior with the other.