WASHINGTON – The U.S. Institute of Peace released a major report today on "Turkey and Iraq" which underscores Turkey's critical role in the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq.

"Turkey, not unlike Iran, has the capacity to both impede and facilitate progress for the U.S. and its allies in Iraq," writes Henri J. Barkey, the report's author.  The report is part of the Institute's "Iraq and its Neighbors" research project which brings together leading specialists on the geopolitics of the region to assess prospects for increasing cooperation between the U.S., Iraq, and Iraq's neighbors.

Throughout the 1990s, Turkey was an anchor for America's containment policy of Saddam Hussein's Iraq.  This report explores how the unpredictable set of events unleashed by Operation Iraqi Freedom has unnerved both Turkish decision makers and the public alike and "upended Turkey's fundamental interests in Iraq."  Included in the report is a detailed discussion of the role of the Kurds in Iraq.

The report also looks at various contingencies.  "It is possible that Iraqis may end up fighting a civil war, which should not be viewed as naturally resulting in a partition.  If such an event were to materialize, where the U.S. will need Turkey the most is in maintaining open borders and also helping to limit Iranian and Syrian assistance for their proxies."  In terms of U.S. policy, the report recommends that the United States and Turkey engage in a backstage diplomatic dialogue to avoid disagreements over future contingencies in Iraq.

About the Author:  Henri J. Barkey is professor of International Relations at Lehigh University.  He served as a member of the U.S. State Department Policy Planning Staff (1998-2000) working primarily on issues related to the Middle East, the eastern Mediterranean, and intelligence matters.