Report: Turkey, U.S. Agree on Troops

AP ^ | January 26, 2003

[Indy Pendance]

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey's military will allow up to 20,000 U.S. troops to pass through the country into northern Iraq in the event of war, a newspaper report said Sunday.

The report follows visits last week by the U.S. military chief of staff and the U.S. general in charge of NATO, of which Turkey is a member. The report said the agreement was between Turkish and U.S. military officials.

Turkish officials were not available to comment on the report. The Turkish Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment and a U.S. Embassy spokesman said he had no knowledge of an agreement.

Any transit of U.S. troops through Turkey would require approval in parliament, where it could face stiff opposition.

According to a report published in the Milliyet newspaper, U.S. troops would not be stationed in Turkey, but would only pass through on their way to northern Iraq, which is controlled by Kurds and is outside of Baghdad's control.

An overwhelming majority of Turks oppose military action in Iraq and Turkish legislators have balked at a U.S. request to allow U.S. troops to be based in Turkey for an Iraq operation.

On Sunday, about 5,000 demonstrators gathered in Istanbul, chanting anti-U.S. slogans and holding signs saying "We will not be America's soldiers," and "Yankee go home."

Hoping to avoid a war, Turkey hosted a meeting of Iraq's neighbors on Thursday and urged Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors.

Turkey fears that a war in Iraq could deepen its economic recession, send a wave of refugees over its borders and lead to the formation of an independent Iraqi Kurdish state in northern Iraq - a development which Turkish officials say could inspire autonomy seeking Kurdish rebels in Turkey.

[Grampa Dave]

In spite of the two billions left wing media lies/articles published or aired about how Turkey would not help us, the reality comes through.

The new ruler of Turkey wanted a meeting of every nation that borders Iraq to meet yesterday. They would give Uncle Soddomite one more opportunity to do the right thing.

If he refused, then Turkey would be right there with us.

Tony Snow had a live interview with the new Turkish leader last week. This is what he told Tony and those of us who watch Fox News.

ABCNNBCBS and every lying SOS fishwrap and news wire service failed to state the real story.

[Grampa Dave]

Oops, I forgot to ping you on this reply re the reality of what was happening in Turkey.

[goodnesswins]

Sooooo...should I add TURKEY's FLAG.....????

Join the AXIS OF FREEDOM Rally on TUESDAY –

it’s a CAR/HOUSE/YARD sign Rally

DAY of SUPPORT…Tues, 1/28/03....FLY your flags (U.S., British, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Quatar, Kuwaiti, Australian and Japanese one, too if you have them)....and put up your BUSH/CHENEY signs, (and the BIG W's on your SUV's) for the STATE of the UNION next Tuesday, Jan 28th, if you support the President, our MILITARY and the United States of America. PSST....pass it on.

GET THE MEDIA’S ATTENTION!!!

	UK	JAPAN
AUSTRALIA	BULGARIA
ROMANIA	ISRAEL	POLAND
SPAIN	CZECH
KUWAIT	HUNGARY	QATAR

[Grampa Dave]

Absolutely, the Turks have been on our side since and before 9/11. They have done a great job in keeping the peace in Afghanistan after we started to pull out of a lot of that country.

Our media has insulted all good Turks with their lies the past week or so.

What we as Americans often fail to recognize is the risk and potential harm our allies have to put themselves in, when they back us. They have to control the numbers of our troops and some operations for their own protection and sovernity.

[Miss Marple]

Once again, the media has the story wrong...or should I say deliberately twisted?

They were probably too busy avoiding the Scott Ritter story to actually do some reporting.

[P.O.E.]

Hoping you can add Italy soon.....I think Berlusconi wants to back us as soon as we're ready to go, but with all the leftists in Italy, it's a tough road for him.

From Wash. Times 1/24/03:

"Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whom the White House counts among its "friends," said Friday that Italy was withholding judgment until the U.N. weapons inspectors had been heard. He also cautioned that any involvement in armed action against Saddam would have to first receive parliamentary approval. "

[Indy Pendance]

There is so much disinformation out there; some planned, some idiotic. Hooray for Turkey!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very good, thanks for the ping!

Bush Doctrine Unfolds :

To find all articles tagged or indexed using Bush Doctrine Unfold , click below:
	click here >>>	Bush Doctrine Unfold	<<< click here
(To view all FR Bump Lists, click here)

[Indy Pendance]

I'd say the later, diliberately twisted to fit their liberal agendas, as usual.

[Grampa Dave]

The left wing maggots who control our media have a two pronged strategy with their controlled news.

1. They will lie about our allies and what our President plans to do for their sheeple and their Islamofacist buddies.

2. Then in the Ritter case, they will cover up the news re his arrest to enable him to help them in #1 above. This is their Spiking of real news strategy. Thank God, for the internet, this doesn't work anymore.

The real danger is not just the brain washing of our sheeple, but they can make our enemies underestimate us and hurt good allies like our Turkish friends. This is criminal behavior to me!

[Indy Pendance]

oops, should be deliberately

[Arpege92]

Where is the flag for Italy?

[Grampa Dave]

The left wing dis/mis info is criminal.

They have wasted forests of trees and billions of watts of electricity defending a mass murderer and trying to make President Bush and our allies the evil ones with their lies and disinformation.

It will get worse before and after we start military action over and in Iraq.

[Turk2]

Here you go! :

TURKEY

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Got some links to some really good stuff here:

“The Shah Always Falls”

A soldier-historian looks at how the world has changed in the past decade and finds that America is both hostage to history and likely to be saved by it

An Interview With Ralph Peters by Fredric Smoler

How America Got to Rule the World

British Jury Watches Muslim Cleric Video

Some protesters morally blind on Iraq

Chemical war suits in London mosque

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ping!

[Grampa Dave]

This is a great read. Thanks!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This just in!

How Mandela helped Iraq's nuclear program

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Aric2000]

Was there ever really any doubt that Turkey would back us?

I never doubted it for a minute. Turkey has ALWAYS been one of our staunchest allies, and they are allied with Israel as well, maybe that is why the media hates them so much.

[Dog Gone]

20,000 troops is significantly less than what we would like to position there. It will change the role from being a serious advance from the north of Baghdad to an action which ties up Iraqi troops and secures cities already under nominal Kurdish control.

It is, however, critical to the US goal of keeping Iraq intact after the war is over. Without these troops in northern Iraq, Kurdistan would likely be declared. And that would greatly complicate the strategic interests in the area.

I greatly appreciate the Turkish permission (provided, of course, that the Parliament concurs), but I wish it had been a little more enthusiastic and early. I recognize the domestic considerations, and this is probably the best they could do under the circumstances.

This news certainly won't make Saddam happy, and it forces NATO to commit troops to Turkey to help defend it from Iraqi counterattacks. NATO can't refuse and remain intact.

This is another terrific chess move that this Administration is playing. Both Saddam and the Euroweenies are only a move or two away from checkmate.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The plan is coming together!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ping!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Democrats are going to look bad very soon!

[goodnesswins]

OK....I'm adding Turkey....but NOT Italy....Italy seems to be holding back for UN...

Join the AXIS OF FREEDOM Rally on TUESDAY –

it’s a CAR/HOUSE/YARD sign Rally

DAY of SUPPORT…Tues, 1/28/03....FLY your flags (U.S., British, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Quatar, Kuwaiti, Australian and Japanese one, too if you have them)....and put up your BUSH/CHENEY signs, (and the BIG W's on your SUV's) for the STATE of the UNION next Tuesday, Jan 28th, if you support the President, our MILITARY and the United States of America. PSST....pass it on.

GET THE MEDIA’S ATTENTION!!!

	UK	JAPAN
AUSTRALIA	BULGARIA	TURKEY
ROMANIA	ISRAEL	POLAND
SPAIN	CZECH
KUWAIT	HUNGARY	QATAR

[Indy Pendance]

I'll have to admit, it's been fun watching the liberals these past couple weeks. They have lost their power, and they just can't handle it.

[TimPatriot]

2. Then in the Ritter case, they will cover up the news re his arrest to enable him to help them in #1 above. This is their Spiking of real news strategy. Thank God, for the internet, this doesn't work anymore.

Regarding traitor Ritter: I haven't heard any media make reference to Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of State, making the public statement that one of the UN inspectors in the 90's had been filmed in a compromising position and blackmailed...I saw that posted here, that was a legit post wasn't it? I haven't even heard FoxNews mention it, has anyone?

[Dog Gone]

Our Navy base in Dubai is going to be central to this action. Perhaps you should add their flag as well.

[goodnesswins]

I don't know....we have bases in Germany too....and I'm not including them......

[Grampa Dave]

I don't know if Fox has broadcast this observation by Sec W.

It has gotten legs here on Free Republic and will be picked up by conservative talk radio next week.

The fact that the FBI wants Kitty Ritter's sealed record will force a lot of people into doing some semi legitimate reporting on this spiking of Kitty Ritter's arrest.

I would like to see Rita Crosby of Fox News blow the lid off of this hidden news like she did with the snipers in DC and is doing with the case in Modesto now.

[Miss Marple]

Chess, not checkers!

I have a question...how are they going to COUNT the troops going through? Will the US use some million-man math in reverse and say..."Well, despite what you might believe, only 500 soldiers passed through Turkey today."

[Momaw Nadon]

Attack on Iraq Betting Pool

[mhking]

Tick....tick....tick....tick....

[bybybill]

The USAF has been in Turkey since the 50`s. I don`t want our ground troops IN Turkey, better the pass thru on the way to Iraq

[BOBTHENAILER]

The real danger is not just the brain washing of our sheeple, but they can make our enemies underestimate us and hurt good allies like our Turkish friends. This is criminal behavior to me!

Criminal indeed, but they don't care. The stops have been removed and from here until the balloon goes up we will see their nonstop lies and propaganda.

I loathe those bastards with every fiber of my being.

[swarthyguy]

Turkiye is islamic - different propostion, situation and paradigm.

[Lion's Cub]

Actually, I don't think it has much to do with altruistic motives. They were negotiating the price--which Fox reported earlier today was $14 million.

The fact that we have to buy all our muslim allies doesn't matter in that we still get our troops where we need them, but I think we need to go in with our eyes open.

[RobbyS]

The reality is that the military still rukes in Turkey. Turkey will never be invited into Europe so long as the Islamists are allowed to influence policy.

[Destro]

They are giving us pass by rights from the sounds of it not a staging area. Or do you read it more optimistically then most?

[Destro]

God--If that is our alliance line up--I would fire everyone in the State Dept.

[goodnesswins]

YES...it's confusing to ME....(Turkey, Italy) What I've been using as criteria (for our "allies) is whether their leaders will REQUIRE the US to get UN approval.....is there a better criteria?

[goodnesswins]

Well....I went and did some MORE searching and found something which says (as of 1/27/03) that Turkey would look to the UN Security council....sooo...I'm removing the Turkey flag for now. 1/27/03 Turkey Seeks "International Legitimacy" for U.S.-Led Iraq War: Gul ANKARA -- Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said Saturday he stressed the need for "international legitimacy" for a military strike on Iraq, in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Gul, who met earlier Saturday with Powell on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos, told reporters that Turkish lawmakers who have resisted giving full backing to the U.S. war drive must be convinced the world supports the use of force. "We told him that we place importance on international legitimacy ... that everything should be carried out within the framework of the United Nations," Gul said in remarks broadcast live on Turkish television. "We told him that under the Turkish constitution many decisions are up to the Parliament and that the Parliament will seek international legitimacy when making decisions ... and that the Parliament members themselves should be convinced when casting their votes," he added. NATO member Turkey says its "limited" support for a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq will depend on a separate UN Security Council resolution backing military action against Baghdad. Ankara is under pressure to allow Washington to use Turkish air bases as launch pads for strikes on its neighbor Iraq and deploy tens of thousands of troops in Turkey in the event of war. Any such decision requires parliamentary approval. Observers say that offering Washington support could pose political risks for the country's political leadership, since public opinion staunchly opposes war. "We told (Powell) that everything possible should be done to achieve a solution without a war. As a matter of fact, he is of the same opinion," Gul said. Fearful of the potential economic and political fallout of a regional conflict, Turkey has struggled to find a last-minute peaceful resolution to the growing crisis that may see a U.S.-led coalition attack Saddam Hussein's regime. Gul added that Powell had expressed appreciation over a Turkish peace initiative which brought the foreign ministers of Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey to Istanbul on Thursday. The ministers adopted a declaration urging Baghdad to display "more active" cooperation with UN arms inspectors and emphasizing that it was up to the UN Security Council to draw conclusions on whether Iraq was complying with UN resolutions on disarmement.

[eleni121]

Turkey has never been an ally in any sense of the word. The Islamo-Turks fought with Germany in WWI, stayed neutral in WWII and only after seeing there was no choice decided to back the West during the Cold War. Turkey is a fair weather friend and deserves absolutely no respect.

In this case, Turkey has no choice but to symbolically support the USA. Many freedom loving people pray for the day when Turkey's geopolitical strategic importance withers away and Turkey's borders shrink to where they should be - none....

[eleni121]

Turkiye is islamic - different propostion, situation and paradigm.

That's right...islamic, and never to be trusted.

[happygrl]

Where's Greece in all this ?

[Aric2000]

I knew you would jump on that, there was no doubt in my mind.

your ignorance and racial prejudice is showing.

then again, your hate inspired, ignorant posts always show that.

[Mortimer Snavely]

What term describe a person who wishes nothing less than the utter destruction of an entire nation?