Impacts of US Bases and Facilities on Turkey under NATO

With Turkey's membership in NATO on February 18, 1952, tens of thousands of American civilian and military personnel began to come to Turkey to work at the NATO facilities to be established. In order to determine the status of these personnel, Turkey has made various agreements. Some of these agreements, some of which were made within the framework of NATO, were in the form of bilateral agreements between Turkey and the USA.

In the context of NATO membership, Turkey signed six basic agreements in the 1950s. In the letter sent to the Embassy on 12 August 1964, the American Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave the agreements with Turkey regarding the bases in a similar order to the following order. In this context, the existing agreements are:

1) NATO SOFA (NATO Status of Forces Agreement):

It was signed with Turkey within the scope of the “Convention on the Status of Forces between the states party to the North Atlantic Treaty” dated 19 June 1951. It is, in a sense, a generic agreement that determines the general status and rules and has been signed by all NATO countries.

The NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), on the other hand, regulates that the members of the organization, especially the American forces, have soldiers in the countries of other members.

2) The 'Joint Security Treaty' (October 17, 1951):

In an environment where Turkey was invited for NATO membership, there was an agreement made through the exchange of letters, but approved by the Turkish Grand National Assembly 3 years later. In this treaty, Turkey undertook an obligation to support the military initiatives of the United States before it became a NATO member.

3) Agreement on the Status of American Forces in Turkey:

It is about the American bases to be established in Turkey, the US soldiers in these bases, their status and the rules in the bases. Based on this agreement, it was decided to regulate other issues with additional protocols. The agreement, which was submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly on 30 June 1954, was published in the Official Gazette on 7 July 1954. The second article of this agreement is important in that it includes the issues that the Turkish government will not be allowed to come to Turkey for the American forces and that the entry and exit of these forces will not be notified to the government beforehand.

Apart from the agreements regarding the military facilities established by the USA in Turkey, the other part of the agreements made between the two countries included the regulations regarding the powers and privileges that the American personnel would have in Turkey.

According to this agreement, Turkey granted the Americans the right to establish bases and facilities in Turkey where they needed them, and the right of American personnel to work under the USA, not NATO. The United States has also been given the right to expand bases and pile up supplies as it wishes. The rights granted to Americans within the framework of NATO have been slightly expanded. For example, the USA did not pay rent for the bases it established in Turkey, and all the needs of the American personnel were allowed to be supplied from the USA when necessary. In this sense, it is also known that the functioning of the American facility and base policies, which has a mentality that brings even drinking water from America, is not an application specific to Turkey. However, Turkey granted customs exemption to the goods coming from America within the scope of the agreements and did not feel any discomfort due to the alliance understanding. As it turned out later, some special privileges such as the right to establish and use their own postal services and the right to set up their own radios were granted to American soldiers and personnel, with many "bilateral" agreements with whom and how unknown by the Turks.

One of the most important bilateral agreements made in this context, which destroys the sovereignty of the country, is the transfer of the judiciary. On July 28, 1956, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepted that the crimes committed by the Americans in Turkey could not be prosecuted by the Turkish judiciary, with the note numbered 4625 given to the Americans. Americans on 'duty' can only be tried by their own jurisdictions for the crimes they have committed. The authority to decide whether or not they are on the 'duty' rests with the US authorities.

4) Agreement on the Implementation of NATO SOFA (6375) to the Personnel of the American Military Aid Board in Turkey (23 June 1954):

After Turkey became a party to NATO SOFA, a general 'Military Facilities (Amenities) Agreement' was signed with the USA on 23 June 1954.

Before this agreement was signed, in 1948, about 363 military advisors-instructors were sent to Turkey by the USA. In the same year, 450 American soldiers were transferred to Turkey. The presence of US military personnel in Turkey, which started with this process, continued to increase over time, reaching the highest figure of 25,000. This figure included technical support personnel, maintenance personnel, and personnel tasked with providing signals intelligence (SIGINT) during the Cold War period.

This agreement, which was notified to the Turkish Government as an annex to the Agreement on the Status of the American Forces in Turkey, was not sent to the Parliament for approval by the government as it was an annex (!). Along with its annexes, it clarified the issues regarding the use of military bases in Turkey, including Incirlik. The first article of the agreement included the statement “The two governments agree that it will be applied to all US military personnel stationed in Turkey”. Thus, even without a notification to Turkey, entry and exit from Turkey has become commonplace, and American soldiers and their relatives have arbitrarily benefited from the provisions of this agreement. Based on this, the way was paved for the use of American bases using other American bases, especially Incirlik, for other operations besides their primary duties, without Turkey's knowledge. This situation has put Turkey in a difficult situation from time to time in terms of international law.

While this additional agreement was published in the official gazette dated 7 July 1954, when the main agreement was published under the title of Law No. 6427, it was found remarkable that it was not included in the official gazette as an annex to this agreement. The political power of the period explained the reason why the agreement was not brought to the TGNA, as it was an implementation agreement regarding the 3rd article of the NATO Agreement, and claimed that it was not obligatory to bring it to the TGNA according to Turkish laws (within the scope of the authority given to the Council of Ministers on August 27, 1953). 2012).

This additional agreement; Similar to participation in the Korean War, it entered into force without being presented to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. With this treaty, American forces were allowed to use Turkish lands, to establish various military facilities and bases, and to use military facilities and bases belonging to the Turkish Army, provided that they obtain prior approval. The fact that these bases are directly affiliated with and under the control of the USA, although they are within the scope of NATO, has caused the Turkish public to question it.

With another agreement signed in 1959, the USA promised to provide all kinds of support, including sending troops, in case of a direct or indirect attack on Turkey. While there is the principle of mutual aid in the NATO Agreement, it has been discussed in the Turkish public for a while that it is necessary to think about why this agreement is needed .

5) Technical agreement between Turkey and the USA on the use of İzmir (Çiğli) airport:

Towards the end of 1958, the request for the use of Çiğli Air Base, whose infrastructure was improved by the American company, within the scope of American military needs, was conveyed to the Turkish side. The issue was brought up again on 20 November 1959, during the visit of Admiral Rober L. Dennison, the US Commander of the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Forces, to Turkey. The main issue was the use of Çiğli instead of Incirlik for the deployment of Jupiter missiles. Thus, it was decided to use Çiğli Air Base with a similar status to Incirlik, as well as Incirlik, which was allowed to be used for American deployment within the framework of the operational planning.

With the Joint Defense and Cooperation Agreement (OSIA) signed in 1969, the status of Çiğli Air Base changed. It has been mutually agreed with the American side to transfer all the remaining bases and facilities to Turkey, along with the five facilities whose status has changed. In this context, the transfer of military facilities in Samsun, Trabzon and Çiğli to the Turkish Armed Forces was completed on 1 July 1970. With the transfer of Çiğli Air Base, the American air forces here were permanently transferred to Incirlik Air Base.

6) Technical agreement between Turkey and the USA on the use of Adana (Incirlik) airport:

Incirlik military base, the construction of which began in 1951 and was completed in 1954, has become one of the US Air Force bases in the Middle East region, which has the greatest and strategic importance, and was given the right to use it by Turkey. Incirlik Air Base is a national air base that was transferred to Turkey on 27 December 1954 after its construction was completed (Bölme, 2012, p.203). However, in the joint instruction published on 6 December 1954, the use of this base by the Turkish Air Force was extremely limited. After all, it has been one of the epicenters used by the USA as the Main Base of Operations around the world. Due to its importance, the use of Incirlik Air Base is discussed under a separate heading.

Effects of American Military Facilities and Bases on Turkey

After the Second World War, the United States, which has a wide base chain in such a short time as not seen in world history, has adopted the principle of using its military bases and facilities not only for military purposes, but also to make a country a part of its hegemony. The USA, which had around 100 bases before the war, had a total of 2,000 bases in the Atlantic and Pacific regions when the war ended.

The company has around 30 000 facilities. Under the conditions of the Cold War, these bases, which were vaguely legitimized by the Alliances and bilateral security agreements, have become the outposts of the new world order that America is trying to build.

In the report prepared by the commission formed to reorganize the American bases in 2005, “A base structure has a meaning beyond military thought. Above all, it is a political arrangement with bilateral, international, cultural and economic consequences.” The expression in the form summarized the American perspective on bases and facilities in general. American bases acquired (including leases) overseas have been used as part of a military strategy. Turkey voluntarily opened its territory to this country and indirectly to NATO and allowed its use, in line with the American wishes.

The main starting point of the bases and facilities that America acquired in Turkey was the agreements signed after the Truman Doctrine. The NATO alliance system, which became a member later on, operated within an institutional structure of these bases and facilities, in a way that would serve American interests and under the cover of NATO.

After the Truman Doctrine, it was necessary to make an agreement between Turkey and the United States in order to clarify issues such as how and under what conditions the aid to be given to Turkey would be provided and how the aid would be managed. A similar agreement was made with Greece on the same dates. The policy of influencing the country through the control of all kinds of military and economic aid materials and money given by the USA to a country under the name of "foreign aid" naturally operated on Turkey as well. In this context, the text of the "Aid to Turkey Agreement" was signed by the parties on 12 July 1947.

The Turkish authorities welcomed this agreement with joy. However, they did not dwell too much on the clause of the agreement that the aid cannot be used outside of its control and purpose. This matter recorded under the second article:

“The Turkish Government will use the aid for the purposes for which it has been allocated. In order to enable him to carry out his duties freely in the discharge of his responsibilities, this Government shall provide the Head of Mission and his representatives with any convenience and assistance it may request, in the form of reports, information and observations on the use and progress of the aid provided.”

It took place in the form. This agreement, which entered into force after it was published in the Official Gazette on September 5, 1947, formalized Turkey's accession to the Western Bloc, while on the other hand, it played an important role in increasing the American influence in Turkey.

Turkey; The text of this agreement, which did not allow him to use the American-made military material he bought for any other purpose other than to be able to use it against an attack on his own territory, almost tied Turkey's hands.

The President of the time, İsmet İnönü, who published a message regarding the entry into force of the Law on Aid to Greece and Turkey, which constitutes the basis for this agreement, which is stated in the beginning, which will open a beneficial period in Turkish-American relations, in this message:

“Every Turk applauds this joyful event, which constitutes a new example of the close friendship feelings that the Great American Republic is nurturing about our country and our nation, and that the world sentiment (public opinion) of the high virtues and ideals proved by our nation during the Second World War and after the war actually ended. This aid, which shows that it is appreciated by the ) will be a refreshing factor in partially eliminating the economic difficulties we have fallen upon at the end of the war, by providing some of the necessary and normal war materials to Turkey.

The meaning of this article, which is incompatible with Turkish sovereign rights and included in this agreement, which was applauded even by İsmet İnönü, was only fully clarified with the letter of Johnson in 1964. As an ironic reflection of fate, the negative effect of this agreement, which was made during the İnönü period, again coincided with the İnönü government period.

In the final report, which reached the US Department of State on 23 July 1947 and presented to Wilson on this subject, it was stated that within the framework of an aid program that will be valid for a period of 5 years, the current size of the Turkish army could be reduced by 2/3 and modernized at the same time. The total cost was calculated as 500 million.

The breakdown of the 100 million dollars aid provided in a year during the 1947-48 period is as follows:

• Land Forces: 48 500 000 $
• Air Force: 26 750 000 $
• Navy : 14 750 000 $ (4 submarines and 12 small ships)
• Ammunition: 5 000 000 $
• Road Construction: 5 000 000 $ (127 miles of military road construction)

The Treaty of 12 July 1947 is actually subject to a major transformation program of the Turkish Armed Forces according to the American system. It brought with it detention. The Turkish army, which has traditionally adopted the German school since the Ottoman period, had to be influenced by the doctrines of these two countries due to the agreements made with the British and French before the Second World War.

The Turkish Land Forces has largely continued the traditional structure of the German Army and its rules of war.

The Air Force, on the other hand, was under the influence of French aviation before the Second World War and was organized like the land army (regiment, battalion, company, etc.). Already in this period, since a separate force structure from the Land Forces was not fully established, this was not a problem in terms of aviation. As a matter of fact, today, the Turkish land-aviation organization continues to have a structure similar to the Turkish Land Forces. After the success of the British aviators during the war and the return of the Turkish pilots who were trained in England, the changes made by taking the British Air Force as an example, and the aircraft purchased from England and British trainers facilitated the transition to the British school.

For the Navy, the British maritime system was taken as an example, and the organization and education system was arranged in this context.

At the time this agreement was signed with the Americans, the Turkish Army was maintaining a force structure using German, British, French, Czechoslovak and Turkish-made weapons, tools and equipment.

With the agreement, the Americans first took steps to change the organization and education system of the Turkish Armed Forces. This change was welcomed, as the Americans' 'surplus' weapons, tools and equipment of the Second World War were in a much better condition than the similar weapons, tools and equipment in the hands of the Turkish army. Within the scope of military training, the officers and non-commissioned officers who were given a course in the United States, and the in-unit training organized in Turkey, caused a great transformation in the Turkish Army, and the entire military system was "Americanized" in a very short time. Participation in the Korean War and the ensuing NATO membership played a role in accelerating the adaptation of the Turkish Armed Forces to the American school, from weapons, equipment, training, war, doctrine and rules, to uniform and march.

Following Turkey's becoming a NATO country, NATO military bases were established in Turkey under the leadership of the United States, as foreseen. It was decided on NATO platforms, including Turkey, that the NATO Southeast Command in Izmir, which was opened in 1952, would function under the command and command of an American General, under the command of a higher command in Naples. Thus, both the American and NATO bases, sometimes in double hats, found themselves on Turkish soil. Similar facilities and bases in other allied countries, especially in Germany and Italy, played a role in increasing the weight of those countries in the Alliance, as they constitute the majority compared to the Alliance in general. In this respect, having a NATO base in a country is not a "bad" thing. However, it was only years later that Turkey realized how important the 'control' of the United States, which pursued a policy of acquiring facilities and bases that served NATO purposes while also serving its own national interests, using NATO identity.

Within the framework of the bases opened in Turkey, the US bases in Turkey; status of US personnel serving at these bases, etc. At first, the subjects were provided with temporary agreement texts, and then in 1969, the Joint Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by bringing together piecemeal agreements based on these texts.

References:

Bölme S.M. (2012). İncirlik Üssü. İletişim Yayınları, 1. Baskı, İstanbul.

Tunçkanat H. (2006). İkili Anlaşmaların İçyüzü. Kaynak Yayınları, 4. Basım, İstanbul.

Torun E. (2005). “Türkiye-ABD İlişkilerinin Dünü-Bugünü ve Yarını”, Stratejik Araştırmalar Dergisi, Genelkurmay Askerî Tarih ve Stratejik Etüt ve Genelkurmay Denetleme Başkanlığı Yayınları, Yıl: 3, Temmuz.

Güvenç N. (1984). Kıbrıs Sorunu, Yunanistan ve Türkiye, İstanbul.