Backgrounder: Turkey remains strong U.S. ally

By Joel Hochmuth
CNN

(CNN) -- The United States is getting strong support in its fight against suspected terrorists from an old friend in the Muslim world.

Turkey says it will send 90 of its own special forces to join the U.S.-led fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

With this commitment, Turkey becomes the only Muslim nation to contribute troops to the military campaign.

"We believe that this is not a war of United States alone," said Ismail Cem, the Turkish foreign minister. "It’s our war -- Turkey's war -- as well."

This most recent show of support from Turkey comes as no big surprise as the nation has been friendly with the United States since the early days of the Cold War.

Following World War II, the Soviet Union demanded control of territory in eastern Turkey near waters that link the Black Sea with the Mediterranean. They intended to build strategically important military bases in this area.

Turkey turned to the United States for help.

In 1947, America responded with the Truman Doctrine, a pronouncement from President Harry S. Truman that extended U.S. aid to nations threatened by communism.

The United States gave Turkey millions of dollars in economic and military aid. In turn, Turkey gave America permission to build and operate military bases within its borders.

Background: Although Ankara is Turkey's capital, Istanbul is it's most famous city. Istanbul -- first named Byzantium and then Constantinople -- was chosen as capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Roman emperor Constantine I in 324, almost a thousand years after its founding. The city was the centerpiece in political tugs-of-war for centuries, as Persians, Arabs, nomads and Crusading Christians battled for its prime location. RESOURCES • Gallery: Photos of Turkey    AUDIO Turkish Foreign Minister Ismael Cem: "This is not a war against Islam -- terrorism does not have a religion" 802KB / 75 secs WAV sound

Turkey sent forces in tandem with U.N. troops in the Korean conflict, and joined The North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1952.

It remains the only largely Muslim nation in that alliance.

While it may be a Muslim nation, Turkey differs from Afghanistan in some important ways.

Turkey’s government is officially a secular democracy, or a government ruled by the majority and not related to any particular religion.

In contrast, Afghanistan is ruled by the Fundamentalist Taliban regime that imposes its beliefs at all levels of government.

The Turkish Prime Minister has condemned the Taliban as an "archaic regime which poses a threat to Turkey and the whole world."

Turkey does have close ties to the Uzbek minority in northern Afghanistan, part of the Northern Alliance faction fighting the Taliban Part of the Turkish Special Forces mission may be to train some of those rebel forces, but not everyone is convinced the deployment is a good idea.

""It's really open ended, meaning government now will send any number of troops according to the demand," said Turkish Parliament Member Oya Akgonenc. "This makes us feel very uncomfortable."

Turkey’s Foreign Minister doesn’t rule out the possibility of sending in more troops, especially after the Taliban are removed. His government wants to ensure there is a moderate Muslim presence in a region now famous for its extremism.