NATO, Turkey, and the Southern Flank

Download or read book NATO, Turkey, and the Southern Flank written by İhsan Gürkan and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on 1980 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The growth in recent years of Soviet political involvement and military presence in the Mediterranean/Middle East region poses a serious challenge to the security of NATO's southern flank. Among other aims, the Soviets hope to reduce Western, especially American, influence in the area; counter and/or neutralize the U.S. strategic posture; and bring to fruition the historic Russian drive for open access through the Turkish Straits. General Gurkan argues that Moscow's strategy is to shift pressure from the relatively stable central region of NATO to the flanks in a multiple pronged southern thrust.