Turkey Accedes to a Missile Defense Plan

Despite reservations on NATO's proposed ballistic missile defense (BMD) network, Turkey agreed Nov. 20 at the alliance's summit in Lisbon to participate in the plan. Ankara will experience some fallout from this decision in managing its delicate relationships with Russia and Iran. Nonetheless, the decision to join the NATO BMD network allows Ankara to keep ties with Washington on a more solid footing — a critical factor in enabling Turkey to consolidate its geopolitical gains in its near abroad.