US Offers Turkey Big Aid Package for Help in Iraq

Reuters ^ | 2/15/2003 | Adam Entous

[a_Turk]

>> asked for close to $50 billion in aid

Gotto start somewhere :^D

The Turkish public is in dire economic straits, and does not want a repeat of the economic consequences it suffered as a result of Gulf War One.

We know that regime change in Irak will have a positive effect on the Turkish economy in the long term, but we need to dampen the short term effects.

This will go a long way to change anti war attitudes in Turkey, if Congress approves the measure. Those attitudes are mostly driven by economic concerns, and not by religion, even though some demonstrations have been organized by the communist party which we've had to legalize thanks to the EU...

[a_Turk]

Hi!

[Texas_Jarhead]

I don't care for having to buy support from anyone.

[elhombrelibre]

Me neither, but this may save lifes in the long run.

[Steven W.]

besides it's just debited directly from the French account.

[Texas_Jarhead]

oh I understand necessity, I just don't care for it

[Momaw Nadon]

Attack on Iraq Betting Pool

[dinok]

I go to work out of mecessity ... I can spare a few million to Turkey to get rid of Saddam. And a few million to for Turkey to a Greek like me is not something to agree to lightly.

(Notice how I am so generous with other people's money. I could have a career in politics.)

[billhilly]

But, the good news is, Bill Gates will have to live in Adana, Turkey until the loans have been repaid. Ted Turner narrowly missed that opportunity when AOL/Time Warner lost their shirts.

Gates can repay the entire amount and have about $75 billion left. Tax the rich?

Hell no. Use them as guarantors. Ain't capitalism great. (sarcasm)

[Mortimer Snavely]

If something like this had been arranged at the end of Gulf War One, Turkey today wouldn't be so leery of more military action against Iraq.

Turkey was the very first nation to respond to Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, closing the border and losing a major trading partner the day after Iraq invaded. As a result, Turkey suffered an economic body blow from which she hasn't recovered. After Gulf War One, there was no acknowledgement of this in Washington, and the Turkish economy nearly went bottom up. I imagine that the average shop-keeper over there has a "No good deed goes unpunished" attitude when it comes to dealing with the USA. This deal may, hopefully change that. This isn't a bribe by a long shot, but long delayed assistance to help heal the wounds of economic warfare.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Will be money well spent!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

And some thought Clinton was the compassionate one! /sarcasm

[GretchenEE]

Is there a term (surely it must be a non sequitor if it exists) to define gentleman's blackmail? Because this is surely it.

[MarMema]

Hi back to ya.

[a_Turk]

International politics is an ORGY. No gentlemen there. Every piece of ass is game. The US blackmailed Turkey by threatening exclusion for non-participation, Turkey threatened already existing economy affected anti-war public opinion. Sounds like a perfect 69. Sick, but that's what it is.

Promises made before Gulf War One were not kept, and Turkey lost up to 100 billion in Irak trade, as well as 120 billion in terrorist fallout. Our politicians seem to have learned. There are no gentlemen in international politics.

[Thud]

Told you there'd be other compensation.

Iraq is not the only country in the area.

[Kenny Bunk]

Well Turk, we called that one well in advance.
<p.I.E., Play Nice with your old Uncle Sam and collect the big bucks on your way out the conference room door!

[a_Turk]

Next step, get it in writing.

After that I hope there will be a commission in Turkey made up of all government branches plus the army to ensure that nobody there suddenly gets rich...

All that assuming that the resolution passes parliament. That's not a given yet.. I am hoping it does.

[BurbankKarl]

Gray Davis would like $26 billion...!

[George W. Bush]

Ankara will have to be reasonable. But I don't oppose substantial aid and Turkey is certainly owed aid, both for the present crisis and for their loyal friendship to us for so many decades. One can grasp why they feel so isolated when the Europeans are being so unpleasant over merely fulfilling their treaty obligations which they have no right to withhold and when France and Germany may revenge themselves upon Turkey for helping America against Iraq at the very time when Turkey is trying to enter the European Union to gain access to their markets.

I would say that when the price gets this high, I wouldn't support giving them oilfields as well. This price is more than all the foreign aid we normally give out in an entire year. But then, Turkey is a special ally. They are always there for us, even in the most unpopular and unpleasant wars we have fought. We shouldn't forget that either.

Turkey should drive a hard bargain (and they will <grin>) but avoid the public appearance of mercenary intent. It is not simply about immediate economic crisis though that must be addressed. We will remove a hostile neighbor presently under sanctions and replace it with a friendly neighbor who is free to develop its oil fully. And that creates opportunity for Turkey. I do not like to think that the impression will created in the new Iraq that Turkey only helped against Saddam because we paid them off. Sometimes, getting a good neighbor means being a good neighbor and doing the right thing to create a relationship of trust. But we Americans need have no doubts that Turkey will, once committed, fulfill its obligations very ably. Very ably.

I hope that Turkey and the new Iraq will be given the responsibility to protect a new semiautonomous Kurdish homeland and Turkey should be compensated for doing so. It would help to eliminate much of the Kurdish friction in both Turkey and Iraq. But I do not under any circumstance favor independence for the Kurds. It's far too likely to end badly. Let them have their own police and a very small army. And Turkey and the new Iraq can guard their borders.

Naturally, I'm assuming that both the new Iraq and a Kurdish district would both be required by treaty to enforce strictly secular Muslim states along the Turkish model. I don't favor any wiggle room in the treaties to allow either to become a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism or despotism. One would hope that both of them have had enough of that and will be willing to be good neighbors with Turkey and the rest of the region, including Israel. Despite the traditional hatreds and rivalries in the region, one can hope that Saddam has at least cured the the Iraqis and the Kurds of looking down that path again and that they can behave like civilized countries if their security is guaranteed.