Introduction

The difference between alliances and alliances in international relations was discussed, and it was pointed out that alliances are a broader concept that involves mutual expectations of support or opposition between countries, while alliances specifically refer to military cooperation. This paper analyzes the importance of Türkiye as a member of NATO in the defense strategy of the United States in the Middle East and Europe, as well as the deterioration of Turkish American relations and the adjustment of Türkiye's foreign policy since the 21st century. Türkiye has shifted from relying on Western allies to establishing relations with Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asian countries and Middle Eastern countries, and participating in multilateral platforms. This diplomatic shift is based on structural contradictions with the United States, rather than simple policy swings. The article discusses Türkiye's diplomatic behavior and trends around, and whether it means that Türkiye is getting rid of the relationship model with the United States and pursuing security alliances with regional countries, as well as the borders and limitations of this strategic autonomy.

Differences between the two Turkish American alliances and Türkiye's diplomatic turn

The differences between Türkiye and the US alliance and their impact on Türkiye's foreign policy were discussed. Since the early days of the Cold War, there have been structural contradictions in the Turkish American alliance due to the asymmetric power structure, which led to Türkiye being "abandoned" by the United States on key security and strategic interests. After the end of the cold war, the two countries had many conflicts because of different strategic interests, especially on the Kurdish issue, the United States supported Kurdish armed forces while Türkiye regarded them as a threat. The attempted coup in Türkiye in 2016 further exposed the trust crisis between Turkey and the United States. The procurement issue of S-400 air defense system has exacerbated the strategic differences between the two sides. After Biden came to power, Turkish American relations did not improve, and the United States' political and diplomatic sanctions against Türkiye continued unabated. Türkiye's anti Americanism is rooted in the long-term asymmetry and conflict of interest in the US Turkish relations. The Zhengfa Party government uses anti American narrative to oppose the US led regional order in diplomacy. The Zhengfa Party promotes the diplomatic concept of "autonomy", implements diplomatic balance between the East and the West, seeks to play a unique bridging role in conflicts in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Balkans, actively participates in regional multilateral organizations, attempts to break through the constraints of the traditional Western dominated international system, and reshape its geopolitical role in the Middle East, Eurasia, and even the world.

Türkiye's "Multi sided Alliance" in the Context of the Three Alliances

Based on NATO collective security and bilateral strategic security, Türkiye's accession to NATO aims to implement a pro Western diplomatic strategy and confront the Soviet Union. After the Cold War, the cohesion of Turkey US relations declined due to the disappearance of external threats and internal differences in interests. In recent years, the consensus between the two countries on bilateral and multilateral affairs has decreased, differences have increased, and the alliance relationship is precarious. The imbalance between Türkiye's political ambition as a major power and the U.S. regional strategy has led the two sides to fall into a "friendly enemy" relationship, providing space for Türkiye to adjust its diplomatic strategy and change its diplomatic orientation.

IV. The internal tension of Türkiye's "multifaceted alliance"

This paper probes into the internal tension of Türkiye's diplomatic strategy of "multifaceted alliance". This strategy is an alternative for Türkiye to get rid of diplomatic isolation and enhance regional influence after the setback of the Turkish American alliance. However, this alliance is not based on security commitments and military mutual assistance as stipulated in treaties, so there are practical difficulties. First of all, the "Turkic speaking countries organization" promoted by Türkiye is faced with the problems of insufficient economic complementarity and lack of cooperation mechanism, and the member countries remain vigilant about Türkiye's status as a major country, resulting in limited organizational effectiveness. Secondly, Türkiye tried to use the "Turkic culture" in the "Turkic speaking countries organization" as a link to shape regional leadership, but Central Asian member states held a pragmatic attitude towards this and were wary of Türkiye's "pan Turkism". In addition, Russia and China remain vigilant about the activities of the "Turkic Speaking Countries Organization". Russia blocks the process of cultural integration by exerting political pressure, while China is concerned about its impact on the "the Belt and Road" initiative and border related affairs. Secondly, Türkiye's cooperation with the "Muslim Brotherhood" has become fragile due to internal power struggle, geostrategic turn and strategic withdrawal of regional allies. Finally, Türkiye's "multifaceted alliance" is essentially a limited estrangement from the strategic cooperation with the United States, and it is difficult to completely get rid of the constraints of strategic dependence on the United States and the alliance system. Türkiye's military security system is deeply embedded in the NATO collective defense framework led by the United States, and its defense modernization is highly dependent on the technology transfer and weapon system compatibility of the United States. Therefore, despite Türkiye's implementation of "strategic autonomy", the basic cooperation relationship with the US military alliance framework still needs to be maintained.

conclusion

Since the beginning of the Cold War, Türkiye's strategic alliance with the United States has been the core of its foreign policy. However, there are structural contradictions in the relationship between the two countries due to power structure and conflicting interests. After the 2016 coup, the relationship between Turkey and the United States became tense due to issues such as the Syrian Kurdish issue, the Gulen organization, and the S-400 air defense system, leading to a state of "friendship and hostility" between the two sides. In this context, Türkiye's diplomatic strategy has shifted to the region, actively expanding its influence in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East, strengthening its relations with Russia, Iran and other countries, and forming a "multi-faceted alliance". This includes the alliance of "Turkic speaking countries" based on culture and identity, the network of "pro Mu Brotherhood" based on political system and ideology, and the alliance of Türkiye, Russia and Iran on the Syrian issue. Türkiye's "multifaceted alliance" is the core means of its geostrategic transformation, which not only reflects its geographical advantages, but also exposes the structural contradiction of multiline expansion.