Joshua W. Walker
Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
AP Photo
December 2, 2010
"Will Turkey Remain an American Ally?"
Op-Ed, The Providence Journal
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"The rise of the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its Muslim worldview as the dominant and unrivaled force in Turkish politics, as demonstrated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's successful approval of a Sept. 12 constitutional referendum, has only heightened fears among many in Washington. Rather than seeing further democratization in Turkey and noting the domestic pressures facing a populist AKP government, they see a final nail in the coffins of the military and secular elites that once protected U.S. interests."
AP Photo
December 2, 2010
"Will Turkey Remain an American Ally?"
Op-Ed, The Providence Journal
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"The rise of the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its Muslim worldview as the dominant and unrivaled force in Turkish politics, as demonstrated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's successful approval of a Sept. 12 constitutional referendum, has only heightened fears among many in Washington. Rather than seeing further democratization in Turkey and noting the domestic pressures facing a populist AKP government, they see a final nail in the coffins of the military and secular elites that once protected U.S. interests."
AP Photo
May 14, 2011
"Turkey Should Wield its Power in Syria"
Op-Ed, Boston Globe
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"Syria's economy is in tatters and in need of reforms, regardless of the outcome of the protests. Unless Syria wants to follow the path of North Korea as an international pariah, which is nearly impossible because of its porous borders and central geographic location as a regional crossroads, Damascus has little choice but to look to Ankara for economic help. Stability — or, in reality, status-quo maintenance — has been the mantra of Ankara’s dealing with the Syrian crisis. But Ankara must give the regime in Damascus an incentive to make way for meaningful reforms, including economic liberalization, representative elections and transparent application of rules of law that the protesters are demanding."
AP Photo
March 21, 2011
"Turkey's Regional Leadership in the Middle East: Principle or Realpolitik?"
Op-Ed, Turkey Analyst
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"Turkey's position on Libya is basically rooted in its large investments in the country and close personal contacts between its leaders. In addition to the well-publicized "human rights" award that Erdoğan received from Qaddafi in December 2010, there are more pressing national economic interests at play. Over the past ten years Turkey has won almost all lucrative construction contracts in Libya and consequently as many as 30,000 Turkish citizens were working and doing business in Libya at the time of the uprisings."
AP Photo
March 6, 2011
"Turkey's Grand Miscalculation on Libya"
Op-Ed, Boston Globe
By Nader Habibi and Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"If the behavior of Iranian government after the 1979 revolution and the Kuwaiti government after it was liberated from Iraqi occupation in 1991 can shed light on how a post-Khadafy government will behave in Libya, then Turkey would be better off to reconsider its position. In both cases the new governments in power politicized their foreign trade and contract awarding procedures. Nations that were perceived to have been friendly during the struggle were rewarded with profitable contracts while those perceived to have been hostile were ignored. If Turkey does not join the countries that are putting more and more pressure on Moammar Khadafy, it risks losing not only its hard earned credibility in the region as a champion of democracy but also its access to the Libyan economy after Khadafy is defeated."
AP Photo
December 2, 2010
"Will Turkey Remain an American Ally?"
Op-Ed, The Providence Journal
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"The rise of the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its Muslim worldview as the dominant and unrivaled force in Turkish politics, as demonstrated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's successful approval of a Sept. 12 constitutional referendum, has only heightened fears among many in Washington. Rather than seeing further democratization in Turkey and noting the domestic pressures facing a populist AKP government, they see a final nail in the coffins of the military and secular elites that once protected U.S. interests."
AP Photo
November 2010
"The United States and Turkey: Can They Agree to Disagree?"
Policy Brief
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
Given the headline-grabbing actions of Turkey this summer with regard to both Israel and Iran, a powerful narrative has emerged in which the West has "lost" Turkey. In this Brief, Dr. Joshua W. Walker argues that this narrative ignores the process of democratization in Turkey and the domestic pressures facing a populist Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. To this end, this Brief evaluates US-Turkish relations by placing the recent tensions in a larger historical context and assesses various points of convergence and divergence in this relationship today.
AP Photo
November 2010
"The United States and Turkey: Can They Agree to Disagree?"
Policy Brief
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
Given the headline-grabbing actions of Turkey this summer with regard to both Israel and Iran, a powerful narrative has emerged in which the West has "lost" Turkey. In this Brief, Dr. Joshua W. Walker argues that this narrative ignores the process of democratization in Turkey and the domestic pressures facing a populist Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. To this end, this Brief evaluates US-Turkish relations by placing the recent tensions in a larger historical context and assesses various points of convergence and divergence in this relationship today.
AP Photo
May 14, 2011
"Turkey Should Wield its Power in Syria"
Op-Ed, Boston Globe
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"Syria's economy is in tatters and in need of reforms, regardless of the outcome of the protests. Unless Syria wants to follow the path of North Korea as an international pariah, which is nearly impossible because of its porous borders and central geographic location as a regional crossroads, Damascus has little choice but to look to Ankara for economic help. Stability — or, in reality, status-quo maintenance — has been the mantra of Ankara’s dealing with the Syrian crisis. But Ankara must give the regime in Damascus an incentive to make way for meaningful reforms, including economic liberalization, representative elections and transparent application of rules of law that the protesters are demanding."
AP Photo
March 21, 2011
"Turkey's Regional Leadership in the Middle East: Principle or Realpolitik?"
Op-Ed, Turkey Analyst
By Joshua W. Walker, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program, 2010–2011
"Turkey's position on Libya is basically rooted in its large investments in the country and close personal contacts between its leaders. In addition to the well-publicized "human rights" award that Erdoğan received from Qaddafi in December 2010, there are more pressing national economic interests at play. Over the past ten years Turkey has won almost all lucrative construction contracts in Libya and consequently as many as 30,000 Turkish citizens were working and doing business in Libya at the time of the uprisings."
