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| Iraq |
| Turkey rejects U.S. troops |
| 2003-03-01 |
| Turkey's parliament speaker says a motion to allow U.S. troops into the country for a possible Iraq war has been rejected, an MP told reporters. The issue is crucial to U.S. military plans and Turkey's relations with Washington. The vote, carried out behind closed doors, ended with 264 votes for and 251 votes against with 19 abstentions — an apparent slim victory for the government. But the opposition party challenged the result. The opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) argued that the government had not won the 267 votes needed to represent a majority of the 534 lawmakers present in the assembly. Time for Plan B. Load everything up, ship it to the Gulf. Who's up for the Republic of Kurdistan? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #18 AWW, First we have to accept any democratic voting, it is really shamefull to see some readers here acting so arrogant thinking that democracy doesn’t exist outside the US. Secondly Bush is not a tactful politician as he has not the succes and simpathy of Clinton outside the US, I don’t know how it is inside the US. He set of a lot of angry blood in Turkey calling the Turkish call for compensation of the damage the US brings with every war she starts in the middle east a horsetrading and randsom, all the blackmailing with threathening to establish a Kurdistan was the other dimension. One can see this as an answer to Bush from the Turkish parliament: stick your so called randsom right up in your ….., and stop making us sick with all your blackmailing. regards, |
| Posted by: Murat 2003-03-02 11:01:55 |
| #17 Don't be too hard on Turkey. They have been allies for a long time. The Gulf War took out their pipeline revenues and neither the US nor the Gulf States made them whole again. And don't be too easy on the Kurds. Basically they are good folk, but there have been real Kurdish terrorists and long ago, when they were stronger, the Kurds did some nasty things to the Assyrian Christians. OK, Turkey didn't go along this time. We'll do well anyway. |
| Posted by: mhw 2003-03-02 06:59:04 |
| #16 K-u-r-d-i-s-t-a-n, K-u-r-d-i-s-t-a-n, K-u-r-d-i-s-t-a-n, K-u-r-d-i-s-t-a-n, K-u-r-d-i-s-t-a-n, K-u-r-d-i-s-t-a-n..... Yeah, it has a nice ring to it. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-03-02 04:12:48 |
| #15 If Turkey gets EU entry in the next few days, we know why they decided to stab the US in the back. If they don't, then it means obviously that the AKP is what it always looked like : a bunch of Osama-maniacs, who want to turn Turkey in a Talibanistan. Add yet another enemy to the list. |
| Posted by: Peter 2003-03-02 04:03:05 |
| #14 Yep...fact is we have enough troops in Turkey as is to open a 2nd front large enough to achieve our goals there....as has been the motto: Whatch the hands, not the mouth. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2003-03-02 00:58:22 |
| #13 Hmmm. How long does it take to move several thousand soldiers across Turkey? I'm not a logistics person but seems like it wouldn't take too long. Supposedly the military equipment is already moving and the U.S. has some people in Turkey preparing things. Also there are a lot of reports about special operations people making things ready in Iraq. Normally, air strikes preceed troop movement and that might take a few days. Assuming everything else is positioned and ready then maybe we are not ready for Turkey's permission yet. In addition, looks like Bush is being patient with Blair as he works the UN commitment and that is going to take a few more days. And it has occurred to me that every truck, Humvee and trailer that unloaded in Turkey might have had some space for people too. I have no experience in these matters but maybe it is premature to write off our friends in Turkey. |
| Posted by: dc 2003-03-01 21:41:36 |
| #12 So the question of the day is: Is our dealing with Turkey disinformation or dogf--c? We need some intel. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-03-01 18:31:04 |
| #11 This Turkey decision is truly puzzling. As noted above the US has already offloaded troops and equipment - does this mean no more? Is this another attempt to boost the aid package? Is this more deception to Saddam so he doesn't know what's going on in Turkey (as some have suggested)? Is the Turkey parliament so against war that they would turn away $15-30BN in aid? Does this push the war back? Any ideas? (Murat - you seem to know a lot about Turkey) |
| Posted by: AWW 2003-03-01 17:02:36 |
| #10 So what's gonna happen to all that equipment that was loaded off? My guess it's already heading to eastern Turkey. This issue is only about more US troops on Turkish territory, right? The ones already there are OK. Granted its a small contingent, but they could get the equipment across the border, couldn't they? Look for airborne units to be activated. My guess is they will not be deployed in the south. This means the northern front is still a go, but with much more difficulty. Any airfields in northern Iraq? It doesn't even have to be a paved surface. |
| Posted by: RW 2003-03-01 15:38:11 |
| #9 If the Turkish parliament doesn't change it's mind, things actually get simpler for us. Much simpler. We need to have the balls to be who WE are. The U.S. has generated approbrium around the world for supporting dictators. It's time for us to become the true champions of freedom-loving people. The Kurds have more than proved that they want and believe in democracy. So let's help them have freedom and independence. If the Turks don't like that, well, that's a shame but we can work that out. If we become the true torchbearers of democracy, freeing Iraq, freeing the Kurds, freeing others who deserve and demand freedom, the U.S. will have no shortage of friends. Just the opposite. As Islamism has become the religion of the maniacs, as Communism has become the religion of the extreme left, so should Democracy become our religion. Yes, I know this is Wilsonian. But it's right and if we are true to this belief we will have billions of converts. Don't worry about Turkey. We can win in Iraq without them. Look at the big picture, the long-range goal. And that goal should be freedom and the pursuit of happiness for everyone. |
| Posted by: R. McLeod 2003-03-01 14:56:30 |
| #8 Powell: "We are giving the inspections process more time, as many have asked for. But in the end, one must conclude we can't go on very long like that." I guess thats Plan B until Plan A works again |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-03-01 14:29:45 |
| #7 Becky's got a point. Yes their populice is against the war. But with Iraq reformed Turkey's life should be a lot better. Got to wonder why they think shafting the US, after the US stood by them in NATO, and offered $BN in aid, and will be reshaping the country right next door to them, is the way to go. Let's hope the US does have a Plan B and that this doesn't push the start of things way back. |
| Posted by: AWW 2003-03-01 14:22:56 |
| #6 Hmm, both CNN and the BBC are saying this is not a done deal, that the vote my be rescheduled. If they're not going to let Americans in, do they still need those Patriot batteries? |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2003-03-01 14:22:09 |
| #5 I wonder who cut them the better deal. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-01 14:10:43 |
| #4 Turkey can kiss those billions goodbye and defend its own border too. I suppose it's good news for the Kurds, both in Iraq and Turkey. Let's roll... P.S. to Turkey: You're either with us or against us, and you've chosen to be against us. Need help? Go beg in Paris. And remember how the French stood up for you in NATO! |
| Posted by: Tom 2003-03-01 13:46:54 |
| #3 I do not think that we should waste any more time. Quietly cut our losses. Start formulating a plan B for losing Incirlik, and gradually implement the plan without fanfare. Just give pablum public statements when absolutely necessary. Watch the hands and feet and not the mouth. We cannot depend on friends that we have to bribe. We are going to get setbacks, and those fairweather friends will learn through their pocketbook when they check their account balances. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-03-01 13:43:53 |
| #2 So much for NATO. Farewell, Europe. Hope you enjoy living under sharia |
| Posted by: badanov 2003-03-01 13:09:56 |
| #1 Lets see... 6 Bil. / 534 = aprox 11 mil That's a good deal it would seem. But I dunno... maybe the cost of living is higher in Turkey. |
| Posted by: RW 2003-03-01 12:43:36 |