Turkey’s Military Spending Hedge

There's an easy punchline in the fact that despite its "zero problems with neighbors" policy increasingly bearing fruit, Turkey's defense spending continues to climb. But the truth is, if the U.S. is able to live with the instability that could result from "turning the page" on Iraq, that's because it will remain distant. Turkey and Iraq's other neighbors, however, once again have a very unpredictable near- and medium-term forecast on their borders. Add to that the inherent volatility of the current standoff over Iran's nuclear program and the nature of the Middle East, and the fact that Turkey is hedging through a military modernization program makes sense. And when you look at the big-ticket items -- F-35 fighters, attack helicopters, domestically produced tanks, and four diesel subs -- you're looking at a military capability that's credible enough to serve as a regional stabilizer. That, combined with a "zero problems" policy, is reassuring.