Armed Forces as a Significant Actor in Turkish Foreign Policy: Refahyol Government Period in Turkey

Öz The Turkish military, which dominated Turkish domestic politics in a continuation of its coups throughout the 1970s and 1980s, also dramatically increased its interference in foreign policy for a brief period in the mid-1990s during the Refahyol coalition government. This involvement in foreign policy was evidenced in Turkey’s relations with various Middle Eastern countries including Israel, and with the EU, in addition to the extension of Operation Provide Comfort. This article investigates why Turkish military’s role in foreign policy decision-making increased at this time by drawing on three approaches: Claude Welch’s classification of “military control with partners”, Michael Desch’s framework on the relationship of civilian control to intensity of internal threats and Joe Hagan’s fragmented regime analysis.

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Referans 1 “A New Era in Turco-Iranian Ties”, (1996), Hürriyet Daily News, http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ a-new-era-in-turco-iranian-ties.aspx?pageID=438&n=a-new-era-in-turco-iranian-ties1996-12-25, (24.04.2017).