Posted on 03/24/2003 5:51:26 PM PST by pkpjamestown
In front of a map of Cyprus, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a meeting with President Necdet Sezer in Ankara Monday, March 24, 2003. Despite warnings from the United States and other NATO allies, Erdogan said Sunday his government was seeking to send troops into northern Iraq to prevent instability at the Turkish-Iraqi border. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
ISTANBUL, Turkey March 24 — A U.S. special envoy rushed back to Turkey but failed to reach agreement Monday on Turkey's plans to send troops into northern Iraq.
Fearing friendly fire incidents with U.S. forces and clashes with Iraqi Kurds, the United States opposes Turkish intervention. President Bush said Sunday his administration had made clear that it expected the Turks to keep out of northern Iraq.
U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson and American military officials in his meetings with Turkish leaders, said afterward that no agreement had been reached. He pledged to hold more talks Tuesday.
Opposition to a Turkish intervention increased Monday with Germany and Belgium announcing that a Turkish incursion could force NATO to review its mission to boost the country's defenses against a possible Iraqi attack. The countries said such a move would compromise the defensive basis of NATO's deployment of AWACS surveillance planes and other specialist units to Turkey.
The European Union also warned Turkey against entering northern Iraq. Such a move could hurt Ankara's candidacy to join the union.
Even so, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed a possible Turkish intervention Monday with the country's military leader, Gen. Hilmi Ozkok.
"The Turkish armed forces have made certain plans and preparations in this matter. When the right time and place comes, the necessary decisions will be made and put into effect," Ozkok said after the meeting.
Turkey has had several thousands of troops in northern Iraq since the late 1990s, but wants to beef up its military presence there to prevent a massive refugee flow from Iraq. Up to 750,000 Iraqi Kurds fled to Turkey during the 1991 Gulf War.
Turkey also fears that the fall of Saddam Hussein could lead to the creation of an independent Kurdish state in Iraq. That, in turn, could boost the aspirations of Turkey's Kurdish rebels, who fought a 15-year war for autonomy in southeastern Turkey.
Iraqi Kurdish forces have warned of clashes if Turkey sends in troops.
Safeen Dizayee, an official of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, which controls part of northern Iraq, said Monday that even if Turkey and the United States agreed on an increased Turkish military presence in northern Iraq, that deal would not be binding on the Iraqi Kurds.
The U.S.-Turkish talks come as relations between the NATO allies have been strained over Turkey's refusal to allow 62,000 U.S. combat troops to use Turkey as a staging ground to open a northern front against Iraq.
Despite overwhelming popular opposition to the war, Turkey has allowed the United States to use its airspace to bomb Iraq and fly troops into northern Iraq.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the two sides were discussing ways to prevent refugee flows and terrorism and ensure humanitarian aid so the Turks won't feel compelled to enter northern Iraq.
"We believe strongly the current circumstances do not warrant any intervention by Turkish forces, and we expect all parties involved to be responsive to our concerns," Boucher said.
Is Turkey really, an ally of anyone. The drove their own country into poverty with their corrupt establishment.
The Turkish establishment is another Saddam in disguise.
Turkey invaded and occupied Cyprus - Saddam did the same with Kuwait.
Turkey massacred and destroyed entire Turkish villages - So did Saddam!
Turkey owes 400 Billion to the World bank – So does Saddam! Turkey will never disarm – Is Saddam disarming?
Wake up America, Turkey is not our ally!
How many more people besides the Cypriots, have to suffer from Turkeys expansionist plans?
LOL!
Pehaps NOT-so-friendly fire if Turkey dares to make this selfish move after President Bush has told them--in no uncertain terms--to stay the hell out of Northern Iraq while our military action is in progress.
You got that right! If we were making a major push from the north, this war would be over a lot sooner that it is going to be. It is my understanding from the news this afternoon that it will take 10 more days to get all of the military hardware that was on the ships outside of Turkey into Kuwait, unloaded, and transferred into Iraq. Damn it!
President Ford signed legislation in October that partially lifted the embargo, allowing the release of arms already purchased by Turkey. In 1978 the administration of President Jimmy Carter succeeded in persuading Congress to end the embargo, although an amendment to the Security Aid Act required periodic review of conditions as a prerequisite to continued military assistance. Shortly thereafter, Turkey allowed United States installations to reopen under Turkish supervision while a completely new defense cooperation pact was negotiated.
In 1980 United States military assistance to Turkey amounted to US$250 million, and economic aid to about US$200 million. The United States also joined other countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in pledging emergency credits in a bid to halt Turkey's slide into bankruptcy during the financial crisis of the late 1970s.
Waaah! Daddy, daddy, aren't you going to punish Turkey for me? Waah!So you think it is all politics here! How about in Turkey?
Next was the upstart in Pakistan...Mussaref..who had 2 telephones going at the same time...one to Bush..and one telling him how to play the U.S. need concerning Afghanistan.
Gulf Emirates were next....tactfull...quiet...they got their money .
The Saudi's got what they wanted too..but that was much more than money..they wanted quiet on the Sept 11th media run...even with the wife of the Saudi Ambassador implicated in AL Qeda fiscal machinations..the Saudi wish was granted....media walked away.
Turkey held to the pressure of the Europeans and the Russians...balked at the U.S.'s fiscal offer.
Erdogan cannot achieve the first offering back now..so he has chosen a nationalistic line to cover his mistake...Turkey is forced to play a card of representation in Iraq now..and this may evolve badly..leading to chaos in the north post Saddam.
The Muslim world does not believe the U.S. is in Iraq for Liberation or Democracy,...but for oil and quadrant realignment in thier image.
The Caspian basin is primarily a Russian/Turkish venture concerning oil/gas..with Euro banking backing.
They feel the U.S. will manuever to access the Caspian market....the idea now sets them firmly against the U.S...even though they publically do not proclaim this reality..its in the back of their mind..and they are worried.
The hoped for outcome of Iraqi's running in the streets cheering coaliton forces has not appeared....now a dangerous mix of anti-imperialism and Islamic nationalism appears..and will grow.
The Arab world has no great love for Saddam..but they expected a quick resolution to the war with a quiet regime change...this looks to be lost now....with the Arab world becoming emboldened at the scenes playing out on the T.V.
Many think tank experts have voiced their opinion on remaking the Islamic world....the general comment.."You can't..they will not accept change at the hand of a non Islamic power..only their own".
The Iraqi people really do not want the U.S. to free them..this is seen in the streets of places like Basra..were the populace is tenative..distrusting..memories of 91 are very vivid.
Japan and Germany evolved into democracies principly because the surrounding nations were shatterd like themselves and weak....with little theocratic projection to undermine the transformation.
Iraq is surrounded by Islamic nations..with media stream to undermine Democracy and foreign power projection.
Unless Turkey,Jordan,Iran,Syria and others enable the U.S. to succeed..the venture to be a presence leading to democracy and reforms for the U.S. is not likely to succeed...what will appear is tampering from the U.N...with nations like Russia and France working it from the periphery.
Their play is to make the U.S. loose interest and pass the situation to the U.N.
Islam is a very emotionally volitile reality......the west cannot quiet their fears.
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