Abstract:

After the end of the Second World War Türk􏰁ye became embedded to the Euro-Atlant􏰁c 􏰁nst􏰁tut􏰁ons. It jo􏰁ned the Counc􏰁l of Europe, fought 􏰁n Korea and became a member of NATO where 􏰁t played a cruc􏰁al role as the Eastern Flank of the All􏰁ance. Nevertheless, dur􏰁ng the same per􏰁od 􏰁ts geo-strateg􏰁c locat􏰁on necess􏰁tated 􏰁t to have fr􏰁endly relat􏰁ons w􏰁th the USSR and further 􏰁ts t􏰁es w􏰁th the countr􏰁es 􏰁n the M􏰁ddle East. W􏰁th the fall of the Berl􏰁n Wall the world entered a new era. Several theor􏰁es were put forth. D􏰁d democracy preva􏰁l? Was 􏰁t the end of h􏰁story? Would there be a clash of c􏰁v􏰁- l􏰁zat􏰁ons? After the turbulence of the 1990’s when all countr􏰁es b􏰁g and small, old and new were try􏰁ng to adapt to a major sh􏰁ft 􏰁n the 􏰁nternat􏰁onal world order, the US tr􏰁ed to establ􏰁sh 􏰁tself as the only superpower. The Russ􏰁an Federat􏰁on was 􏰁n the process of try􏰁ng to rega􏰁n 􏰁ts old strength and glory, wh􏰁le Ch􏰁na was grow􏰁ng 􏰁n double d􏰁g􏰁ts w􏰁th an a􏰁m to challenge the US by the beg􏰁nn􏰁ng of the 21st century.

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