“Overseas Military Presence and Its Impact on Foreign Policy” Online Panel
States’ military assets abroad have been an important strategic tool for the protection of their interests abroad, by setting up bases or holding forces. Military forces while demonstrating the determination of countries to defend themselves, their allies and friendly interests, they also demonstrate their ability to rapidly concentrate and direct (deploy) their combat power in times of crisis. At the same time, these military presences are an important aspect of states’ diplomacy and national security strategy.
Until the Second World War, the great states mainly used their overseas military assets as a means to protect their economic interests and foreign trade, fulfill their colonial obligations, and prevent hostilities from reaching their territories or geographies of influence. After the Second World War, such military assets owned by the Transatlantic Alliance were used to control the Warsaw pact countries and to prevent the spread of communism, due to the advantage and priority it gained.
When we come to the 21st century, it is seen that all nations that have military presence abroad find a room for action under the phenomenon of globalization with the aim of promoting international peace and stability and destroying enemies. However, as new international threats were encountered and new vital interests were identified, the need for these assets began to be questioned. This forward deployed military stance has been criticized for entailing significant costs and disadvantages and exposing nations to vulnerabilities and undesirable consequences.
The United States, which is a prominent military asset holder overseas, seeks to steer the global security phenomenon in its favor, with nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries around the world. Britain, France, Russia and Turkey is among the leading countries that have a military presence outside its territory. It is also known that countries move forces to another country by direct invitation / bilateral agreements or national decision to intervene in the country / region, as well as establishing a base, as well as holding forces to ensure or establish peace in conflict or risky countries / regions due to the responsibilities of their membership in supranational organizations such as NATO and the UN.
It is a fact that all this military activity is a requirement of state policy. These types of operations, which are foreseen to be carried out for peace and stability on the basis of the binding nature of international law, have a mutual interaction with the foreign policies of the states. The foreign military presence as a foreign policy tool can be effective in bilateral and multilateral relations, international positioning and even bilateral relations with other states.
For this reason, the theoretical framework of the subject, supported by concrete data and events, will be discussed in the ” Overseas Military Presence and Its Impact on Foreign Policy” Online Panel, and the current situation and future of foreign military assets will be examined.
Topics to be discussed:
- Basics of Holding a Military Base and Force Abroad
- Benefits and Criticisms of Military Presence Abroad
- Military Presence as a Foreign Policy Tool
- Reaching the Purpose of Military Presence Abroad
- Military Presence Abroad in Bilateral and Multilateral Relations
- Military Presence Abroad in the Foreign Policy of States
Speakers
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Brig. Gen. (R) Assoc. Prof. Fahri ERENELHe successfully completed the department of economics in 1980 and graduated from the Military Academy as an Infantry Officer and from the Military Academy in 1991 as a Staff Officer. He graduated from the Armed Forces Academy in 1993. In 1996, he received training in the planning and implementation of Peace Force Operations in the USA. He completed his master’s degree in Education Management and Supervision at Beykent University in 2003, in Occupational Health and Safety at Yeni Yüzyıl University in 2017, his PhD in Human Resources Management at Istanbul University in 2006, and his BA in Sociology at Istanbul University in 2018. Between 1980 and 2010, he served at various levels of the Turkish Armed Forces. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 2005. Approximately 8 years (Şırnak, Hakkari, Ağrı and Tunceli), he worked as a practitioner and planner in the fight against terrorism. He served on the front line in Cyprus for 2 years. He took part in the planning studies for the security strategy of Azerbaijan and gave training to Azerbaijani officers in Azerbaijan. He took part in border security studies, especially in system and material procurement and contract management. He took part in public procurement legislation studies and Planning-Programming and Budgeting processes. He received training on search and rescue activities at the AKUT Search and Rescue Association and performed applications. He is a class B occupational safety expert. He has many works in the field of Occupational Health and Safety. In 2017, he became Associate Professor in Management and Strategy. He has been teaching Defense Resources Planning and Management and Security and Strategy for 10 years at the National Defense University Atatürk Strategic Research Institute.
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Brig. Gen. (R) Dr. Naim BABÜROĞLUHe graduated from Kuleli Military High School in 1977 and from the Military Academy in 1981. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1992 and the Armed Forces Academy in 1995.
After graduating from the 1992 KHA as a staff captain, he served in the Hakkari Mountain and Commando Brigade Command. Later, he continued his duties as a lecturer and Plan officer at the Military Academy. He graduated from the Armed Forces Academy in 1995. In 1996-1997, he served as the United Nations military observer officer in Kuwait and Iraq representing the Turkish armed forces.Naim Babüroğlu worked at the General Staff Headquarters between 2001-2004. In 2004-2006, he served as the Van Border regiment commander responsible for the approximately 300 km border between Iğdır and Yüksekova. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 2006 and was appointed as the Commander of Manisa 1st Infantry Training Brigade between 2006-2009. Between 2009-2011, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Operations Staff of the Aegean Army and the Headquarters Officer at the General Staff.
In 1996-1997, he served as a Military Observer at the United Nations Observer Mission in Kuwait and Iraq. Between 1998-2001, he served as a Force Plan officer at NATO Headquarters in Mons-Belgium. He retired in 2011 while holding the rank of Brigadier General. He completed his Master’s Degree in Human Relations at the University of Oklahoma, USA, and a PhD in History from Necmettin Erbakan University.
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Dr. Tolga SAKMANChairman of DİPAMTolga SAKMAN, who graduated from Kocaeli University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration in 2010, started the International Relations Master Program of the War Academies Command (newly National Defense University) Strategic Research Institute (SAREN) in the same year and he graduated at 2013 with his thesis about “Analysis of Turkish Diaspora’s Participation Process to European Political System: The Cases of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium”. He is currently continuing his doctorate studies at Istanbul University, Department of Political Science and International Relations with supervising of Prof.Dr. Haluk ALKAN and the thesis on “Security Management in the Presidential System”.
He started his work as the Assistant Specialist at the Turkish-Asian Center for Strategic Research (TASAM) in 2012, and later continued as a Director at the National Defense and Security Institute, which was established within the institution until July 2018. SAKMAN, who started his career in 2016 at Nişantaşı University as the Rectorate Coordinator and instructor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, continued his duties until May 2018. He has prepared about 20 paper works and 8 books/book chapters especially on security and European politics and coordinate nearly 20 projects at home and abroad.
SAKMAN is also the Chairman of DİPAM.
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Prof.Dr. Mesut Hakkı CAŞINDİPAM Advisory Board MemberMember of the Law Faculty of Yeditepe University in Istanbul
Member of the Turkish Presidential Security and Foreign Policy Board
In addition, he teaches in international law and international relations disciplines at some universities, especially National Defense University.
He continued his education with American Constitutional Law at Texas San Antonio College and completed his (PhD in 1994) on “International Security Strategies and Disarmament” at Istanbul University Faculty of Political Sciences.
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