Although the Turkish armed forces have long been an important political actor in Turkish politics, the 1990s, in particular have been the "golden age" of the military's involvement in domestic and foreign policy. This article is an attempt to analyze the role of the military in the formation, and to some extent, in the execution of Turkish foreign policy starting from the early 1990s. It is argued here that the military's role in the making of foreign policy is directly linked vvith, and inseparable from, its place and role in domestic politics and society. Starting from the early 2000s, the military has shovvn signs of retreat from politics due to a combination of domestic and international developments.