-Purpose: Discuss politics and social relations, economics and resources andUnited States’ interests in Turkey -Politics and social relations: Turkey has been under control of the Justice andDevelopment Party (AKP) since 20021 — The AKP rose to popularity due to itspro-western and pro European Union (EU) position2 — The Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) has calledthe AKP autocratic and accuses them of having restricted freedom of expression3 — Freedom House, a non-profit organizationthat measures freedom throughout the world, has studied Turkey and in their 2017 reviewthey have listed Turkey as only “Partly Free”4 – Economicsand resources: “Trade is important to Turkey’s economy; the value of exportsand imports taken together equals 59 percent ofGDP”5 — “Turkey is the 25th largest export economyin the world”6 — “The top exports of Turkey are Cars($8.32B), Gold ($8.
25B), Delivery Trucks ($4.57B), Vehicle Parts ($3.81B) and Jewellery($3.75B)”7 — “The top export destinations of Turkey areGermany ($14B), the United Kingdom ($11.7B), Iraq ($7.64B), Italy ($7.58B) and theUnited States ($6.
62B)”8 -U.S. interest in Turkey: “Agenda with Turkey is focused on security, prosperityand democracy”9 — Turkey is a member of NATO and a militarypartner of the United States10 — Turkey is a democratic country in anunstable region of the world — Turkey acts as a buffer to Iraq,Syria and Iran and allows the U.S. to base its operations out of there11 -Turkey is one of the largest economies in Eastern Europe and has allowed theUnited States to conduct military operations in and out ofthe country, their role in the Middle East has been essential to U.S.
successEnd Notes 1. Eligür, Banu. “Turkey’s DecliningDemocracy.” By Banu Eligür. July 22, 2014.
Accessed January 18, 2018. https://www.hudson.org/research/10525-turkey-s-declining-democracy. 2. Ibid 3. Ibid 4.
“Turkey.” Freedom House. 2017.Accessed January 18, 2018.
https://freedomhouse.org/country/turkey. 5. “Turkey.” 2017 Index of economicfreedom.
2017. Accessed January 18, 2018. https://www.
heritage.org/index/country/turkey. 6. “Turkey.
” OEC – Turkey (TUR)Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. 2016. Accessed January 18, 2018.https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/tur/.
7. Ibid 8. Ibid 9. Grossman, Marc. “U.S.
Interests andTurkey.” Middle East Forum. March 13, 2000. Accessed January 18, 2018.
http://www.meforum.org/184/us-interests-and-turkey. 10. Ibid 11. Ibid