Few U.S. allies have a more important strategic position than Turkey. None has a more troubled relationship with the U.S. Both countries must use prudence, patience and perseverance to repair their alliance.
Turkey is the size of Texas, has a population of 80 million, and an economy that ranks 17th in the world. Its military is the second largest in NATO, with more personnel than Germany, the U.K. and France combined.
Its strategic location is exceptional. On land it neighbors the Balkans, the Caucasus, Iran, Iraq and Syria. To its north, across the Black Sea, is Russia. Turkey’s Bosporus and Dardanelles straits control Russian naval transit from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. To its south, across the Mediterranean Sea, are Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and the Suez Canal...
from The Washington Times
Ambassador Middendorf served as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1969 to 1973. He was named Secretary of the Navy in 1974 after serving nine months as its Under Secretary. From 1977-1981, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of First American Bankshares, Inc., a bank holding company based in Washington. In 1981, he was appointed United States Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States. In 1985, Ambassador Middendorf was named the US Representative to the European Communities (now known as the European Union) and the same year President Reagan appointed him Chairman of the White House Task Force on Project Economic Justice.