When our media considers the actions and policies of Turkey, it's analysis is often simplistic, consisting of whether Turkey's current actions are supportive of, or in opposition to, US interests. I have found such treatments disappointing.
The Hoover Institution publication Strategika has come forth with a really comprehensive, and multifaceted look at the foreign policy of Turkey and its "semi-democratic" strongman/President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The very complexity of Turkey's relations with a dozen different players in their region and beyond makes a brief summary essentially impossible. I will make do with author Barry Strauss' conclusion.
In sum, Turkish foreign policy is an ambitious and at times aggressive mix of ideology and pragmatism, with economic woes and domestic politics playing a part. Turkey is constantly balancing, bargaining, and pushing. It is less than a solid member of NATO, but it takes the alliance seriously. At the same time, it doesn’t hesitate to strike its own deals with Russia, China, and Iran.
For those with only passing interest in this subject, the Hoover treatment is probably TMI.
