Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç Buğra Kanat, Member of the Security and Foreign Policies Council of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, spoke at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University about the impact of four major crises the United States has experienced over the past twenty years on global dynamics.
Kanat who is also a faculty member at Penn State University and Research Director at SETA-Washington D.C. participated in the program organized by the IZU Department of Political Science and International Relations and the Politics Club. As the guest speaker of the conference titled “America’s Longest Twenty Years: The History of America in Four Crises” held at the Abdullah Tivnikli Conference Hall, he evaluated how the crises the U.S. has faced in the last two decades have affected state governance and foreign policy preferences.
Delivering the opening remarks, IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar underscored the importance of hearing such evaluations from an academic who closely observes the United States: “Since the Second World War, America has been an ally of Türkiye. With its far-reaching global ties, the changes happening there leave deep impacts on world politics,” he said.
“THE AMERICAN PUBLIC DOES NOT WANT WAR”
During the session moderated by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan İçener, Kanat discussed how the period beginning with 9/11 and continuing through the Iraq War, the 2008 Economic Crisis, and ending with the 2020 Covid Pandemic has shaped U.S. governance and foreign policy. Highlighting the American public’s reluctance toward large-scale foreign engagements, Kanat stated, “To understand today’s U.S. policy, one must carefully examine the last century.” He explained how the society’s inward-looking tendency influenced elections: “The victories of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump were driven by their focus on domestic issues during their campaigns. The American people do not want foreign policy to overshadow their own concerns.”
KANAT: 9/11 HAS NOT ENDED
Kanat pointed out that the U.S. experienced crises similar to the recent ones in the early 20th century, but the difference today is that these crises do not reach a conclusion. “Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack was a shock similar to 9/11. In response, America dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Pearl Harbor was over. But despite the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 9/11 has not ended. The other crises America has faced in the past twenty years also remain unresolved.”
“AMERICA IS AT A CROSSROADS”
Noting the growing anti-war sentiment in the U.S. public sphere, Kanat remarked: “America is at a crossroads. There is a strongly anti-Israel faction, but their anger is not about Gaza; it’s about the belief that their country has been dragged into war.” He added that Trump’s plan for the 2026 elections points toward a more inward-looking foreign policy.
“THE WORLD SYSTEM IS CHANGING”
Emphasizing that the global system is being reshaped, Kanat stated that the political landscape is moving toward a multipolar structure reminiscent of the pre–World War II era. Addressing Türkiye–U.S. relations, he noted that ties between the two countries have been driven by security concerns since the beginning. “In every crisis we have experienced with the U.S. since the Second World War, Congress has played an active role. In the records of the Sivas Congress, we see Rauf Orbay complaining about the negative stance of the American Congress, just like today’s politicians,” he said. Kanat identified two additional key factors straining bilateral relations: relations with Russia and weapons policies.