Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
Mar 29th 2007, 9:35 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
Washington, DC - The following Op-Ed by AHI President Gene Rossides
appeared in the April 22, 2006 issue of The National Herald, page 13.
Gene Rossides - President of the American Hellenic Institute
The surfacing last year in Turkey of virulent anti-Americanism and
anti-Semitism raises the question of what should U.S. relations with Turkey
be in the interests of the U.S.?
To answer this question we need to answer the following first
-Is Turkey a reliable ally?
-What is Turkey's strategic, political and economic value to the U.S.?
-Is Turkey a friend or a foe of the U.S. (or somewhere in-between)?
I submit that Turkey is not a friend of the U.S.; that Turkey's
interests basically are not compatible with U.S. interests; that Turkey is
of minimal strategic value to the U.S. and that Turkey is clearly and
fundamentally an unreliable ally.
Let's look at the record.
Is Turkey a reliable ally?
The evidence is overwhelming that Turkey is an unreliable ally whose
actions damaged the U.S. during the Cold War decades and more recently in
the 21st century.
I have written previously regarding Turkey's traitorous conduct during
the Cold War when Turkey actively aided the Soviet military to the serious
detriment of the U.S. Let me repeat three examples.
1. During the 1973 Mid-East War, Turkey refused the U.S. military
overflight rights to resupply Israel and granted the U.S.S.R. overland
military convoy rights to resupply Syria and Iraq, and military overflight
permission to resupply Egypt. A member of the Turkish Foreign Policy
Institute in Ankara wrote:
During the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, Moscow's overflights of Turkish
airspace were tolerated. On the other hand, during the same Middle East
conflict, Turkey refused to allow the United States refueling and
reconnaissance facilities during the American airlift to Israel.
(Karaosmanoglu, "Turkey's Security and the Middle East," 52 Foreign Affairs
157, 163, Fall 1983.)
2. In the 1977-78 conflict in Ethiopia, Turkey granted the Soviets
military overflight rights to support the pro-Soviet minority of Ethiopian
communist insurgents, led by Colonel Mengistu, who eventually prevailed and
established a Marxist dictatorship directly dependent upon the Soviet Union.
Giant Soviet Antonov-22 transport aircraft ferried Cuban troops, Soviet
weapons and other assorted needs to Ethiopia through Turkish airspace. By
late December 1977, 17,000 Cuban troops were in Ethiopia. The Cuban troops
were immediately moved to the fighting front against Somali and
anti-communist Ethiopian forces. They effectively turned the tide in favor
of the communists. (C. Meyer, Facing Reality- From World Federalism to the
CIA 276-80, 1980.)
3. Over NATO objections, Turkey allowed three Soviet aircraft
carriers, the Kiev on July 18, 1976, the Minsk on February 25, 1979 and the
Novorosiisk on May 16, 1983, passage rights through the Bosphorous and
Dardanelles Straits into the Mediterranean in violation of the Montreux
Convention of 1936. The Soviet ships posed a formidable threat to the U.S.
Sixth Fleet.
Most readers I assume are aware of Turkey's unreliability as an ally
on March 1, 2003, when the Turkish Parliament voted not to allow U.S. troops
to use bases in Turkey to open a northern front against Saddam Hussein's
dictatorship.
That negative vote was maneuvered by the Erdogan government and the
Turkish military and was aimed at extracting another $6 billion over the $26
billion irresponsibly offered to Turkey by then Deputy Secretary of Defense
Paul Wolfowitz for use of bases in Turkey.
A U.S. administration official involved in the negotiations called
Turkey's negotiating tactics "extortion in the name of
alliance."
What is Turkey's strategic, political and economic value to the U.S.?
The U.S. defeat of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship in 2003 without
Turkey's help demonstrated conclusively that Turkey is of minimal strategic
value to the U.S. in the region.
The Turks did not allow the U.S. to use Incirlik airforce base in
southeastern Turkey in the Iraq war. It is not needed by the U.S. today and
should be shut down and U.S. taxpayer money saved. Its primary use was to
patrol the Iraqi Kurd no-fly zone against Saddam Hussein's government.
In the early years of the Cold War, the U.S. placed nuclear warheads
on Turkish soil. In 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis with the Soviet
Union, President John F. Kennedy secretly removed the U.S. nuclear missiles
from Turkey as part of the deal in which the Soviet Union removed its
nuclear missiles from Cuba.
From the time of the removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey in 1962 to
the end of the Cold War in 1990, Turkey was of minimal strategic value to
the U.S. And as stated above, Turkey actually aided the Soviet military to
the detriment of U.S. interests.
After the end of the Cold War, Turkey's proponents in the State and
Defense Departments and its paid U.S. foreign agents, came up with the
argument that Turkey, a 99.9% Muslim country, is a democracy and can be a
model for other Muslim nations in the Middle East and a bridge between the
East and West, particularly in Central Asia. That allegation was false then
and is false today. And Turkey's alleged value to the U.S. in Central Asia
was a complete failure. That argument did prolong military and economic aid
to Turkey for several years at U.S. taxpayer expense.
The U.S. has minor trade and commercial relations with Turkey.
Whatever they are now or in the future they should not interfere with U.S.
support of the rule of law and democratic values in our relations with
Turkey.
Freedom House in its annual report does not list Turkey as a
democracy! It is listed as a partial democracy. It lacks freedom of speech;
it lacks religious freedom and is openly against Eastern Orthodox Christians
and Jews; it regularly conducts ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity
and genocide against its 20% Kurdish minority; and its human rights
violations against its citizens in general is extensive.
Turkey's military is not under civilian rule and Turkey is an
aggressor in Cyprus and continues to illegally occupy 37.7 of Cyprus, now in
its 32nd year.
Turkey continues to blockade Armenia over U.S. objections. And Turkey
refuses to acknowledge its genocide against the Armenians in 1915-1916 and
the massacres against the Armenians in 1894-1896.
Turkey is hardly a model for Muslim nations or anyone.
Is Turkey a friend or a foe of the U.S. (or somewhere in-between)?
Based on the record of the past several decades, there is no
substantial evidence to justify calling Turkey a friend of the U.S. Turkey's
interests and aims are in most cases not in accord with or compatible with
those of the U.S.
While I believe the evidence makes it clear that Turkey is not a
friend of the U.S., I do not believe the evidence is adequate to call Turkey
an outright foe of the U.S. Turkey's actions have done substantial damage to
the U.S. over the past 50 years from its support of the Soviet military; its
invasion of Cyprus and continuing occupation of 37.3 % of Cyprus; its
blockade of Armenia; its crimes against its 20% Kurdish minority; its
actions against the Iraqi Kurds; its substantial drug trafficking and its
"No" vote of March 1, 2003.
These actions and others by Turkey bring Turkey close to the line of
being a foe but not over that line yet.
However, Turkey's conduct and history are such that the U.S. in its
relations with Turkey should treat Turkey at arms length and should apply
forceful pressure to achieve U.S. aims.
Words are definitely not enough in dealing with Turkey to achieve U.S.
goals. For example, the U.S. seeks a Cyprus settlement based on a bi-zonal,
bi-communal federation in a state with a single sovereignty and
international personality, incorporating norms of a constitutional democracy
embracing key American principles, the EU acquis communautaire, UN
resolutions on Cyprus and the pertinent decisions of the European Court of
Human Rights and the other European Courts.
If the U.S. acted forcefully with Turkey using the full range of
diplomatic weapons, including economic sanctions, the withdrawal of trade
benefits, and pressure from international financial institutions, the Cyprus
problem could be solved in short order.
I reject the British argument that the Cyprus question is a difficult
problem to solve. It is a problem of aggression and occupation. The British
started the problem during their colonial rule by pitting an 18% minority
against an 80% majority for Britain's selfish interests. The two communities
have proven they can live and work together peacefully.
The U.S. could go a long ways to solving the problem by publicly
calling for the demilitarization of the island, the removal of the Turkish
barbed wire fence separating the communities and the return of Turkey's
120,000 illegal Turkish settlers/colonists to Turkey and stating that if
Turkey does not cooperate the full range of diplomatic actions will be
utilized.
In taking such action the U.S. should move multilaterally with other
nations through the UN Security Council.
Similar action should be taken against Turkey regarding full political
and human rights for the 20% Kurdish minority and for full religious freedom
for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the return of church properties taken by
the Turkish government and the reopening of the Halki Patriarchal School of
Theology.
Talking to Turkey has not and will not resolve these problems. State
Department officials misled the Greek American community for years by saying
they will speak to the Turkish government on our issues knowing that their
comments would have no impact on Turkey.
Turkey will only respond to forceful action. Turkey paid the several
hundred thousand dollars court judgment in the Loizidou case after several
years only when the Council of Europe threatened expulsion on a specific
date if the judgment was not paid.
Write to President Bush and Secretary Rice and urge them to apply
forceful pressure on Turkey to solve the above problems in which Turkey is
the cause:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Tel. 202-456-1111 (Comments)
202-456-1414 (Main Switchboard)
Fax: 202-456-2461
E-mail: comments @ whitehouse.gov
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
The State Department
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Phone: 202-647-4000 (Main Switchboard)
Fax: 202-647-2283
For additional information, please contact Georgia Economou at (202)
785-8430 or at [email protected]. For general information about the
activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org
http://www.kurdistanobserver.com/
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M1TE&.#EA`0`!`)'_`/___P```,# P ```"'Y! $```(`+ `````!``$```("
$5 $`.P``
`
end
Washington, DC - The following Op-Ed by AHI President Gene Rossides
appeared in the April 22, 2006 issue of The National Herald, page 13.
Gene Rossides - President of the American Hellenic Institute
The surfacing last year in Turkey of virulent anti-Americanism and
anti-Semitism raises the question of what should U.S. relations with Turkey
be in the interests of the U.S.?
To answer this question we need to answer the following first
-Is Turkey a reliable ally?
-What is Turkey's strategic, political and economic value to the U.S.?
-Is Turkey a friend or a foe of the U.S. (or somewhere in-between)?
I submit that Turkey is not a friend of the U.S.; that Turkey's
interests basically are not compatible with U.S. interests; that Turkey is
of minimal strategic value to the U.S. and that Turkey is clearly and
fundamentally an unreliable ally.
Let's look at the record.
Is Turkey a reliable ally?
The evidence is overwhelming that Turkey is an unreliable ally whose
actions damaged the U.S. during the Cold War decades and more recently in
the 21st century.
I have written previously regarding Turkey's traitorous conduct during
the Cold War when Turkey actively aided the Soviet military to the serious
detriment of the U.S. Let me repeat three examples.
1. During the 1973 Mid-East War, Turkey refused the U.S. military
overflight rights to resupply Israel and granted the U.S.S.R. overland
military convoy rights to resupply Syria and Iraq, and military overflight
permission to resupply Egypt. A member of the Turkish Foreign Policy
Institute in Ankara wrote:
During the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, Moscow's overflights of Turkish
airspace were tolerated. On the other hand, during the same Middle East
conflict, Turkey refused to allow the United States refueling and
reconnaissance facilities during the American airlift to Israel.
(Karaosmanoglu, "Turkey's Security and the Middle East," 52 Foreign Affairs
157, 163, Fall 1983.)
2. In the 1977-78 conflict in Ethiopia, Turkey granted the Soviets
military overflight rights to support the pro-Soviet minority of Ethiopian
communist insurgents, led by Colonel Mengistu, who eventually prevailed and
established a Marxist dictatorship directly dependent upon the Soviet Union.
Giant Soviet Antonov-22 transport aircraft ferried Cuban troops, Soviet
weapons and other assorted needs to Ethiopia through Turkish airspace. By
late December 1977, 17,000 Cuban troops were in Ethiopia. The Cuban troops
were immediately moved to the fighting front against Somali and
anti-communist Ethiopian forces. They effectively turned the tide in favor
of the communists. (C. Meyer, Facing Reality- From World Federalism to the
CIA 276-80, 1980.)
3. Over NATO objections, Turkey allowed three Soviet aircraft
carriers, the Kiev on July 18, 1976, the Minsk on February 25, 1979 and the
Novorosiisk on May 16, 1983, passage rights through the Bosphorous and
Dardanelles Straits into the Mediterranean in violation of the Montreux
Convention of 1936. The Soviet ships posed a formidable threat to the U.S.
Sixth Fleet.
Most readers I assume are aware of Turkey's unreliability as an ally
on March 1, 2003, when the Turkish Parliament voted not to allow U.S. troops
to use bases in Turkey to open a northern front against Saddam Hussein's
dictatorship.
That negative vote was maneuvered by the Erdogan government and the
Turkish military and was aimed at extracting another $6 billion over the $26
billion irresponsibly offered to Turkey by then Deputy Secretary of Defense
Paul Wolfowitz for use of bases in Turkey.
A U.S. administration official involved in the negotiations called
Turkey's negotiating tactics "extortion in the name of
alliance."
What is Turkey's strategic, political and economic value to the U.S.?
The U.S. defeat of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship in 2003 without
Turkey's help demonstrated conclusively that Turkey is of minimal strategic
value to the U.S. in the region.
The Turks did not allow the U.S. to use Incirlik airforce base in
southeastern Turkey in the Iraq war. It is not needed by the U.S. today and
should be shut down and U.S. taxpayer money saved. Its primary use was to
patrol the Iraqi Kurd no-fly zone against Saddam Hussein's government.
In the early years of the Cold War, the U.S. placed nuclear warheads
on Turkish soil. In 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis with the Soviet
Union, President John F. Kennedy secretly removed the U.S. nuclear missiles
from Turkey as part of the deal in which the Soviet Union removed its
nuclear missiles from Cuba.
From the time of the removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey in 1962 to
the end of the Cold War in 1990, Turkey was of minimal strategic value to
the U.S. And as stated above, Turkey actually aided the Soviet military to
the detriment of U.S. interests.
After the end of the Cold War, Turkey's proponents in the State and
Defense Departments and its paid U.S. foreign agents, came up with the
argument that Turkey, a 99.9% Muslim country, is a democracy and can be a
model for other Muslim nations in the Middle East and a bridge between the
East and West, particularly in Central Asia. That allegation was false then
and is false today. And Turkey's alleged value to the U.S. in Central Asia
was a complete failure. That argument did prolong military and economic aid
to Turkey for several years at U.S. taxpayer expense.
The U.S. has minor trade and commercial relations with Turkey.
Whatever they are now or in the future they should not interfere with U.S.
support of the rule of law and democratic values in our relations with
Turkey.
Freedom House in its annual report does not list Turkey as a
democracy! It is listed as a partial democracy. It lacks freedom of speech;
it lacks religious freedom and is openly against Eastern Orthodox Christians
and Jews; it regularly conducts ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity
and genocide against its 20% Kurdish minority; and its human rights
violations against its citizens in general is extensive.
Turkey's military is not under civilian rule and Turkey is an
aggressor in Cyprus and continues to illegally occupy 37.7 of Cyprus, now in
its 32nd year.
Turkey continues to blockade Armenia over U.S. objections. And Turkey
refuses to acknowledge its genocide against the Armenians in 1915-1916 and
the massacres against the Armenians in 1894-1896.
Turkey is hardly a model for Muslim nations or anyone.
Is Turkey a friend or a foe of the U.S. (or somewhere in-between)?
Based on the record of the past several decades, there is no
substantial evidence to justify calling Turkey a friend of the U.S. Turkey's
interests and aims are in most cases not in accord with or compatible with
those of the U.S.
While I believe the evidence makes it clear that Turkey is not a
friend of the U.S., I do not believe the evidence is adequate to call Turkey
an outright foe of the U.S. Turkey's actions have done substantial damage to
the U.S. over the past 50 years from its support of the Soviet military; its
invasion of Cyprus and continuing occupation of 37.3 % of Cyprus; its
blockade of Armenia; its crimes against its 20% Kurdish minority; its
actions against the Iraqi Kurds; its substantial drug trafficking and its
"No" vote of March 1, 2003.
These actions and others by Turkey bring Turkey close to the line of
being a foe but not over that line yet.
However, Turkey's conduct and history are such that the U.S. in its
relations with Turkey should treat Turkey at arms length and should apply
forceful pressure to achieve U.S. aims.
Words are definitely not enough in dealing with Turkey to achieve U.S.
goals. For example, the U.S. seeks a Cyprus settlement based on a bi-zonal,
bi-communal federation in a state with a single sovereignty and
international personality, incorporating norms of a constitutional democracy
embracing key American principles, the EU acquis communautaire, UN
resolutions on Cyprus and the pertinent decisions of the European Court of
Human Rights and the other European Courts.
If the U.S. acted forcefully with Turkey using the full range of
diplomatic weapons, including economic sanctions, the withdrawal of trade
benefits, and pressure from international financial institutions, the Cyprus
problem could be solved in short order.
I reject the British argument that the Cyprus question is a difficult
problem to solve. It is a problem of aggression and occupation. The British
started the problem during their colonial rule by pitting an 18% minority
against an 80% majority for Britain's selfish interests. The two communities
have proven they can live and work together peacefully.
The U.S. could go a long ways to solving the problem by publicly
calling for the demilitarization of the island, the removal of the Turkish
barbed wire fence separating the communities and the return of Turkey's
120,000 illegal Turkish settlers/colonists to Turkey and stating that if
Turkey does not cooperate the full range of diplomatic actions will be
utilized.
In taking such action the U.S. should move multilaterally with other
nations through the UN Security Council.
Similar action should be taken against Turkey regarding full political
and human rights for the 20% Kurdish minority and for full religious freedom
for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the return of church properties taken by
the Turkish government and the reopening of the Halki Patriarchal School of
Theology.
Talking to Turkey has not and will not resolve these problems. State
Department officials misled the Greek American community for years by saying
they will speak to the Turkish government on our issues knowing that their
comments would have no impact on Turkey.
Turkey will only respond to forceful action. Turkey paid the several
hundred thousand dollars court judgment in the Loizidou case after several
years only when the Council of Europe threatened expulsion on a specific
date if the judgment was not paid.
Write to President Bush and Secretary Rice and urge them to apply
forceful pressure on Turkey to solve the above problems in which Turkey is
the cause:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Tel. 202-456-1111 (Comments)
202-456-1414 (Main Switchboard)
Fax: 202-456-2461
E-mail: comments @ whitehouse.gov
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
The State Department
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Phone: 202-647-4000 (Main Switchboard)
Fax: 202-647-2283
For additional information, please contact Georgia Economou at (202)
785-8430 or at [email protected]. For general information about the
activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org
http://www.kurdistanobserver.com/
begin 666 counter.php?sc_project�?9933&java=0&security13fc 09&invisible=1
M1TE&.#EA`0`!`)'_`/___P```,# P ```"'Y! $```(`+ `````!``$```("
$5 $`.P``
`
end
Mar 29th 2007, 10:35 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
"Ali Asker" What does this have to do with travel in Europe? Take your
garbage off of the newsgroup!
garbage off of the newsgroup!
Mar 29th 2007, 10:39 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
"Ali Asker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
<< Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.? snip snip snip>
It was a good job that Turkey was a reliable ally to the US during the
Korean war otherwise the Doughboys would have been much deeper in the shit
than they managed to dig themselves into at the time.
news:[email protected]...
<< Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.? snip snip snip>
It was a good job that Turkey was a reliable ally to the US during the
Korean war otherwise the Doughboys would have been much deeper in the shit
than they managed to dig themselves into at the time.
Mar 29th 2007, 11:32 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
FredBear writes:
> "Ali Asker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> << Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.? snip snip snip>
>
> It was a good job that Turkey was a reliable ally to the US during the
> Korean war otherwise the Doughboys would have been much deeper in the shit
> than they managed to dig themselves into at the time.
You are living in the past. That was a one-time thing, is long over and no
more hides the true character of this "reliable ally"! For instance their
primitive bazaar mentality:
ttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,78890,00.html
Turkey Wants Money In Exchange for Basing Troops
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
ISTANBUL, Turkey � Turkey asked the United States to nearly double its
multibillion dollar aid package as a condition for allowing U.S. troops on
its soil in a war against neighboring Iraq, diplomats said Tuesday.
The Turkish parliament had been expected to vote Tuesday on whether to
allow tens of thousands of U.S. combat troops in Turkey, which would be
necessary for a northern front in any war against Iraq.
Instead, officials gave U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson a new proposal late
Monday for a beefed-up economic aid package that would provide compensation
for any losses in an Iraq war.
Top politician Recep Tayyip Erdogan said authorization for U.S. combat
troops to be deployed in Turkey depended on Washington meeting Turkish
demands.
"The other side must meet our demands, and if they do, we shall see. After
this is finalized, the authorization will come to parliament," Erdogan was
quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.
The delay could upset U.S. war plans as ships carrying the tanks and
armored vehicles that would be used in a thrust from Turkey into Iraq are
already reportedly on the way to Turkey.
Washington says opening a northern front would shorten the war, making it
less deadly.
A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that although
the United States had made its final offer to Turkey, Washington was
reviewing the latest Turkish proposal. A response was expected later
Tuesday or Wednesday.
The diplomat said Turkey had to make a decision on U.S. troops this week �
the sooner the better � or risk being left out of any future planning of an
Iraq war. Analysts warned that Turkish-U.S. relations also were at risk.
Newspapers reported that a vote could take place Thursday. Turkish
officials refused to give a date.
Turkish and U.S. officials have been in intense negotiations for weeks on
the conditions of the U.S. deployment.
Diplomats say a particular sticking point is an economic aid package to
cushion NATO member Turkey from losses incurred in the war. Turkey is
barely emerging from a deep economic crisis, which saw some 2 million
people lose their jobs.
According to the proposal put forward by Turkish officials late Monday,
Turkey is demanding $10 billion in grants and up to $20 billion in
long-term loans, diplomats said.
Turks and Americans had been negotiating on the basis of $4 billion to $6
billion in grants and $10 billion to $15 billion in loans, according to
news reports and diplomats. The grants reportedly would be split between
cash and military debt write-offs.
Turkey's economy is heavily dependent on loans of the International
Monetary Fund and U.S. support is seen as key for Ankara to secure the
loans.
Erdogan, who is leader of the governing Justice and Development Party,
warned that Turkey could not be forced into backing a U.S.-led war because
of its economic difficulties.
"Nobody should expect a decision or an attitude dictated by Turkey's
temporary problems and troubles," he said.
Erdogan urged the United States to take into account Turkey's importance as
a strategic ally.
Erdogan appeared nonetheless to advise his party members to vote in favor
of allowing the U.S. deployment.
"You will either remain outside the process, remain an onlooker to history
and ... put up with the outcome, or you will play an active role in shaping
history," Erdogan said.
Turkey wants to send tens of thousands of troops into northern Iraq to
prevent the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, which its fears
would boost aspirations among Turkey's 12 million Kurds.
--
The Anti-Google Search Engine Index
http://www.newmediajournal.us/daily_...gine_index.htm
> "Ali Asker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> << Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.? snip snip snip>
>
> It was a good job that Turkey was a reliable ally to the US during the
> Korean war otherwise the Doughboys would have been much deeper in the shit
> than they managed to dig themselves into at the time.
You are living in the past. That was a one-time thing, is long over and no
more hides the true character of this "reliable ally"! For instance their
primitive bazaar mentality:
ttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,78890,00.html
Turkey Wants Money In Exchange for Basing Troops
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
ISTANBUL, Turkey � Turkey asked the United States to nearly double its
multibillion dollar aid package as a condition for allowing U.S. troops on
its soil in a war against neighboring Iraq, diplomats said Tuesday.
The Turkish parliament had been expected to vote Tuesday on whether to
allow tens of thousands of U.S. combat troops in Turkey, which would be
necessary for a northern front in any war against Iraq.
Instead, officials gave U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson a new proposal late
Monday for a beefed-up economic aid package that would provide compensation
for any losses in an Iraq war.
Top politician Recep Tayyip Erdogan said authorization for U.S. combat
troops to be deployed in Turkey depended on Washington meeting Turkish
demands.
"The other side must meet our demands, and if they do, we shall see. After
this is finalized, the authorization will come to parliament," Erdogan was
quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.
The delay could upset U.S. war plans as ships carrying the tanks and
armored vehicles that would be used in a thrust from Turkey into Iraq are
already reportedly on the way to Turkey.
Washington says opening a northern front would shorten the war, making it
less deadly.
A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that although
the United States had made its final offer to Turkey, Washington was
reviewing the latest Turkish proposal. A response was expected later
Tuesday or Wednesday.
The diplomat said Turkey had to make a decision on U.S. troops this week �
the sooner the better � or risk being left out of any future planning of an
Iraq war. Analysts warned that Turkish-U.S. relations also were at risk.
Newspapers reported that a vote could take place Thursday. Turkish
officials refused to give a date.
Turkish and U.S. officials have been in intense negotiations for weeks on
the conditions of the U.S. deployment.
Diplomats say a particular sticking point is an economic aid package to
cushion NATO member Turkey from losses incurred in the war. Turkey is
barely emerging from a deep economic crisis, which saw some 2 million
people lose their jobs.
According to the proposal put forward by Turkish officials late Monday,
Turkey is demanding $10 billion in grants and up to $20 billion in
long-term loans, diplomats said.
Turks and Americans had been negotiating on the basis of $4 billion to $6
billion in grants and $10 billion to $15 billion in loans, according to
news reports and diplomats. The grants reportedly would be split between
cash and military debt write-offs.
Turkey's economy is heavily dependent on loans of the International
Monetary Fund and U.S. support is seen as key for Ankara to secure the
loans.
Erdogan, who is leader of the governing Justice and Development Party,
warned that Turkey could not be forced into backing a U.S.-led war because
of its economic difficulties.
"Nobody should expect a decision or an attitude dictated by Turkey's
temporary problems and troubles," he said.
Erdogan urged the United States to take into account Turkey's importance as
a strategic ally.
Erdogan appeared nonetheless to advise his party members to vote in favor
of allowing the U.S. deployment.
"You will either remain outside the process, remain an onlooker to history
and ... put up with the outcome, or you will play an active role in shaping
history," Erdogan said.
Turkey wants to send tens of thousands of troops into northern Iraq to
prevent the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, which its fears
would boost aspirations among Turkey's 12 million Kurds.
--
The Anti-Google Search Engine Index
http://www.newmediajournal.us/daily_...gine_index.htm
Mar 30th 2007, 5:37 am
#5
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Re: Is Turkey a reliable ally to the U.S.?
SAME TO EVLETH, MORROW,MARTIN,MICHAELNEWPORT,DIVAMANQUE...
"Pat" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...
>
> "Ali Asker" What does this have to do with travel in Europe? Take your
> garbage off of the newsgroup!
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>
>
"Pat" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...
>
> "Ali Asker" What does this have to do with travel in Europe? Take your
> garbage off of the newsgroup!
>
>
>
