Vitality of Turkey, a Strong NATO Ally

I attended a fascinating event on Friday night in Ankara: the change of command ceremony for the Chief of the Turkish General Staff, the senior military officer in Turkey.

My very close friend, General Ilker Basbug, was bringing to a conclusion two years as the Chief of Defense and more than 50 years in uniform. He was commissioned in 1962 and served a long and distinguished career, including postings outside of Turkey in Belgium and England, among others.

Admiral James Stavridis is greeted by Turkish Lieutenant General Yasar GGÃler,

He was relieved by General Isik Kosaner, another superb officer who has commanded at every level and holds a deep expertise in Special Operations, very useful given Turkey’s ongoing conflict with Kurdish separatist terrorists and much combat in southeastern Turkey.

When my plane touched down at the Etimesgut Air Base outside of Ankara, it was a sunny and hot late afternoon on the Anatolian plain. The timing was tight, and I made it to the ceremony with minutes to spare.

This was not a big parade field with units and bands marching – instead it was held in a new, modern and large auditorium at the headquarters of the Turkish General Staff. On a stage with two enormous flags of Turkey behind them, both General Basbug and General Kosaner spoke for more than 40 minutes each.

In attendance were the President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and many other leading civilian politicians. I had a chance to chat with each of them and thanked them for Turkey’s contributions to the NATO missions in Afghanistan and the Balkans.

They both acknowledged the vital importance of civilian control of the military, as well as the need for the Turkish Armed Forces to continue their role in protecting Turkey in a turbulent world.

General Basbug expressed frustration at the negative role the media has played in a variety of events in Turkey. He was very open and honest in his remarks. At one point in the evening he said, with a big smile on his face, “I have done my best, and I still have the energy of a Lieutenant.”

General Kosaner spoke at length about the geopolitical situation facing Turkey, saying a sentence or two about each of Turkey’s neighbors, from Iran (we need to solve the nuclear problem with diplomatic means) to Afghanistan (the comprehensive approach that protects civilians is key).

At the reception following the event, I was struck once again with the critical geopolitical importance of Turkey: an expanding population of over 70 million, the largest Army in NATO after the United States, a resilient economy, and a strategic location on both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

Seated with the Admiral Stavridis are Retired General and former Chief of Defense, Hilmi ÃzkkÃk and his spouse (right), Minister of Defense Vecdi GGÃnnÃl and his spouse (left).

We are lucky to have such a vital country as a friend and ally in NATO. Clearly we will disagree over a variety of issues, as we did recently in the Security Council over Iranian sanctions; but over time, the relationship with Turkey must remain strong and balanced.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe