Removing the "Mechanism of Harm": Lessons From Syria for US-Turkey Relations

Why It Matters

Resolving Syria-related friction removes a longstanding impediment to cooperation between NATO allies, potentially unlocking broader security, diplomatic, and economic collaboration; how Washington and Ankara recalibrate priorities now will shape regional stability and alliance cohesion.

Summary

A former military and State Department adviser argues that US-Turkey ties have been strained for a decade by conflicting Syria policies, and likens the need to resolve that strain to the medical principle of removing the "mechanism of harm." He says recent developments in Syria have eliminated one of the main sources of bilateral friction: divergent priorities—Washington’s 2014 focus on defeating ISIS versus Ankara’s immediate concerns about refugees, border security, Russian strikes, and rebuilding a viable opposition to drive a negotiated settlement under UN Resolution 2254. The speaker, who served as an adviser through the Trump era, emphasizes these differences were pragmatic rather than moral judgments, and that Turkey’s proximity made its stakes fundamentally different. He contends removing the Syria-driven tensions creates an opening to repair and reset U.S.-Turkish relations.

Original Description

Syria has long been the central “mechanism of harm” in US–Turkey relations, says Rich Outzen, nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Turkey Program.

He contrasts Washington’s focus on defeating ISIS with Ankara’s more immediate concerns—refugees, border security, and economic strain—suggesting that recent developments in Syria could open a path to repairing bilateral ties.

Watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7G3ibBwyYU