Iran deemed as leading threat to Turkey

Middle East Newswire ^ | 11/12/03 | Middle East Newswire

[freedom44]

ANKARA [MENL] -- Turkey has deemed Iran as a leading military threat and a key element in Ankara's defense procurement policy.

Turkish officials said the classification was determined in a review by the Turkish General Staff and Defense Ministry in planning defense procurement for 2004. The officials said the policy would seek to increase Turkish capabilities in air and missile defense as well as airborne surveillance.

Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul outlined Turkey's defense policy in an address to parliament's Budget Committee. Gonul told the panel on Tuesday that Iran has become a threat to Turkey.

The minister cited Iran's efforts to export what he termed the Islamic revolution to such countries as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Gonul said Iran has tried to undermine Turkey's efforts to improve relations with the two Central Asian states.

[vanmorrison]

The Turks are assholes. They proved their worthlessness when they refused to allow the US to stage a northern front in Iraq. I believe that the WMDs we've been looking for were carted away to Syria, thanks to Turkish jerks. I put them in the same category as France and Germany. Forget Turkey!

[cake_crumb]

Wait a minute...last year, Iraqi Kurds were the greatest threat to Turkish security.

[cake_crumb]

Maybe they're missing all those millions and hoping that getting in on the ground floor of Iran will regain our blind trust?

[Yohan]

I thought Thankgiving was the leading threat to Turkey.

[Shermy]

The minister cited Iran's efforts to export what he termed the Islamic revolution to such countries as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Gonul said Iran has tried to undermine Turkey's efforts to improve relations with the two Central Asian states.

In other words, "Oil War by Proxy".

[NetValue]

It is actually time for some leaders in Iran to be removed. We need an Iran that provides for the common good of its people instead of exporting missiles, bio-weapons, and terrorism. Sit those Islamic "dudes" down and TELL THEM to continue living they must re-orient their efforts....starting today.

[a_Turk]

Well, I guess folks can't have their cake and eat it too.. The 130 billion we had to spend fighting terror in the 90s would have gone a long way to grease the skids for the pipeline..

Oh well..

[ex-snook]

If Turkey has a problem, let Turkey take care of it. That also goes for Kuwait, Kosovo, Korea, Formosa, Israel, Japan, England, and the UN.

[marron]

The minister cited Iran's efforts to export... the Islamic revolution to such countries as Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In other words, "Oil War by Proxy".

The Baku Ceyhan pipeline is the greatest single threat to the Saudis right now, and I expect to see articles criticising US ties to Azerbaijan. I just saw one a couple of days ago attacking someone for his ties to the Azeri oil business. The person in question was a Clintonite, so it was unusual to see the press attacking a Clintonite.

I couldn't help but wonder if this was a harbinger of things to come, and an indication that Saudi money buys journalists as well as Senators and State Department weanies. (Not that there is even a question).

I half expect to see PKK and Chechens causing trouble along the route. Who knows, maybe the Armenians will find a sudden interest in causing trouble, if the Saudis manage to buy some love there. Maybe some faction or other in Georgia will suddenly discover that their grievances demand a civil disturbance that will make construction difficult or impossible.

We won't see the Saudi or Iranian hand, we will only see the effects.

[a_Turk]

OTOH, looking at the trouble brewing in Georgia one may notice that the opposition paving the way to civil war there has close ties to Russia.

True, the Saudis have an interest in seeing the pipeline project fail, but so do the Russians..

Also note that the PKK has over 120 offices/ centers in Russia, according to a dossier presented to them by the Turkish intelligence agency last spring.

[Shermy]

Russia also has a competitive interest in bottling up Central Asia.

Turkey is the outlet.

I also saw a link where Shevernadze claimed Soros was behind the strife in Georgia, but couldn't pull up the story.