The Cooperation Amid Problems: Turkish-American Relations in the 1980's

The uneasy relationship between Turkeyand the United States wasfurther exacerbated by the resumption of poppy cultivation by the Turkishgovemment in June 1974. The Americans, who believed that the main causeof the American drug addiction problem was the smuggling of Turkishopium into the United States, perceived this Turkish initiative as an antiAmerican act. While Congress was busy with trying to cut off aid to Turkeyas a retaliation, a coup occurred in Cyprus on LSJuly 1974, bringing aboutthe Turkish intervention to the island. In both cases the Americangovernment inclined toward accepting the new situations and avoidedshowing strong responses which would alienate both the Greeks and theTurks. Imposing of an arrns embargo on Turkey by the U.S. Congress,starting on 5 February 1975, was mainly a result of a power competitionbetween the U.S. administratian and Congress, which was determined tomake the arrogant rulers respect the rulc of lawand to regain its power inforeign policy-making. The unhappiness of congressmen on the Turkishpoppy decision and propaganda activities of the Greek lobby, too, played rolein the embargo dccision

The Cooperation Amid Problems: Turkish-American Relations in the 1980's

The uneasy relationship between Turkeyand the United States wasfurther exacerbated by the resumption of poppy cultivation by the Turkishgovemment in June 1974. The Americans, who believed that the main causeof the American drug addiction problem was the smuggling of Turkishopium into the United States, perceived this Turkish initiative as an antiAmerican act. While Congress was busy with trying to cut off aid to Turkeyas a retaliation, a coup occurred in Cyprus on LSJuly 1974, bringing aboutthe Turkish intervention to the island. In both cases the Americangovernment inclined toward accepting the new situations and avoidedshowing strong responses which would alienate both the Greeks and theTurks. Imposing of an arrns embargo on Turkey by the U.S. Congress,starting on 5 February 1975, was mainly a result of a power competitionbetween the U.S. administratian and Congress, which was determined tomake the arrogant rulers respect the rulc of lawand to regain its power inforeign policy-making. The unhappiness of congressmen on the Turkishpoppy decision and propaganda activities of the Greek lobby, too, played rolein the embargo dccision