Posted on 11/07/2003 11:36:25 AM PST by Happy2BMe
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Turkey drops Iraq troops plan
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It follows fierce opposition from the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council and public opinion in Turkey. Last month, the Turkish parliament approved a deployment motion, after the United States, a fellow Nato member, requested more foreign troops. The Turkish foreign ministry said Turkey would still play a key role in Iraq's post-war reconstruction. US talks A Turkish foreign ministry statement said Turkey made its decision after talks between Turkish Foreign Minster Abdullah Gul and US Secretary of State Colin Powell. "We said from the beginning that we were not too eager anyway," said Mr Gul. "We had said we would send if our contribution would be of use. We saw that this is not the situation. That's why we took this decision." The official Anatolia news agency said the Turkish military had stopped preparing for the deployment. When asked if Turkey was still sending troops, a US Government official told the Associated Press news agency: "At this point, it appears 'no'." Iraqi fears The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Istanbul says the deployment of Turkish troops was firmly opposed by the Iraqi Governing Council, on the grounds that Turkey, as a neighbouring country, could not be trusted to become militarily involved. He says fears were expressed that this might tempt other neighbours, like Iran and Syria to intervene. The prospect of a 10,000-strong Turkish peacekeeping contingent has been strongly opposed by Arab nationalists in Iraq, who recall Turkish rule under the Ottoman Empire as a time of repression, and by Iraqi Kurds. Turkish troops retain a number of bases in northern Iraq, from where they have launched raids against Kurdish rebels regarded in Ankara as a destabilising influence on Turkey's Kurds. |
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Sided with France and Germany.
Anybody surprised here?
In that light (and only in that light), I would tend to agree.
Now, about being able to use those bases in Turkey . .
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